WASHINGTON — In its final hours, theTrump Administration signed a disastrousbilateral U.S.-Turkey Memorandum ofUnderstanding granting Turkey legal rightsover the vast religious-cultural heritage ofthe region’s indigenous peoples and other

minority populations, reported theArmenian National Committee of America.

The agreement comes in response to arequest by the Government of Turkey, submit-ted over a year ago — a move strongly opposedby the ANCA, Hellenic American Leadership

Council, and In Defense of Christians (IDC)and a host of cultural rights and museumgroups including the Association of ArtMuseum Directors (AAMD), the Committee forCultural Policy (CCP), the Global HeritageAlliance (GHA), and the InternationalAssociation of Professional Numismatists(IAPN), among others.

“The Trump Administration — in its finalhours — gifted Turkey the legal rights toclaim the vast religious and cultural

see ACCORD, page 15

INSIDE

NEWS IN BRIEF

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Page 12

INDEXArmenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3Arts and Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Community News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,5

Mirror- SpectatorMirror- SpectatorTHE ARMENIAN

Volume LXXXXI, NO. 2, Issue 4670

JANUARY 30 , 2 021

$ 2.00

The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932

Deputy PM: KarabakhWar Death Toll Won’t

Surpass 4,000YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net ) — The bodies of

3,439 servicemen have been recovered from theNagorno-Karabakh battle field as of January 20,Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan said onWednesday, January 20. The final death toll fromthe six-week war won’t surpass 4000, he added.

Addressing lawmakers in parliament, Avinyanfailed to provide the number of missing soldiers,saying that it is still being verified.

According to him, the number of people withamputated limbs does not exceed 150, and all ofthem will be getting “prosthetics with the best stan-dards.”

Azerbaijan has handed over the remains of 30troops to the Armenian side, the authorities report-ed Sunday, January 24. A total of 1,281 bodies wererecovered between November 13 and January 23.

ECHR Will Be InformedAbout Murder ofArmenian POW

STRASBOURG (PanARMENIAN.Net) — The rep-resentative of Armenia before the European Courtof Human Rights (ECHR), Yeghishe Kirakosyan,said on January 25 there is information about thekilling of Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijan.

In an interview with the Public Television ofArmenia, Kirakosyan stressed that the Armenianside, in its complaints to the ECHR, told the courtthe lives of the Armenians captured in Azerbaijanare in danger. Therefore, the country asks the courtto apply interim measures against Azerbaijan,including to demand information on the state ofhealth and conditions of detention of the captives.

“One of the dead Armenians, whose body wasrecovered recently, was on the list [of Armenianprisoners of war], for whom the ECHR had appliedan interim measure in early January. According tothe forensic examination, he was killed recently,”Kirakosyan said.

According to him, this is a “very regrettable phe-nomenon,” an unprecedented and gross violation ofthe Human Rights Convention by Azerbaijan.

He added Armenia has submitted many state-ments to the ECHR, demanding the use of urgentmeasures against Azerbaijan in order to ensure theabsence of encroachments against them and guar-antee their rights.

“Unfortunately, Azerbaijan disrespects theECHR, the conventions on human rights, which isunprecedented for the Council of Europe memberstates. The violation by Azerbaijan of the terms forsubmitting information and its scarcity testify tothe disrespectful attitude,” Kirakosyan stressed.

He added that the case concerning Azerbaijancould be transferred to the Committee of Ministersof the Council of Europe.

Egoyan, Kouyoumdjian Pay Tribute to GorkyAt Virtual Metropolitan Museum Event

NEW YORK — Filmmaker Atom Egoyanand composer Mary Kouyoumdjian havepartnered with the Metropolitan Museum

of Art and created an original work titled “They Will Take My Island,” about thelate painter Arshile Gorky.

The premier performance took place virtuallyon January 26 on the Metropolitan’s website, aswell as its YouTube and Facebook channels.

It features footage shot for but not seen fromEgoyan’s 2002 film “Ararat” and the documen-tary “A Portrait of Arshile,” accompanied bymusic and spoken words, by Kouyoumdjian.

Kouyoumdjian's haunting score, specificallywritten for this event, is performed by the JACKand Silvana quartets.

It is the first performance of the 2021MetLiveArts virtual season. The performance isfree and will remain online indefinitely.

Egoyan’s interest in Gorky runs deep. His film,“Ararat,” told the story of the Armenian

Genocide, in part through the eyes of the young Armenian refugee who laterreinvents himself as Arshile Gorky in the US.

see GORKY, page 10

US Secretary of State Nominee Anthony Blinken Calls Turkey ‘So-Called Strategic Partner’ at Senate Hearing

By Haykaram NahapetyanSpecial to the Mirror-Spectator

WASHINGTON – Anthony Blinken, await-ing confirmation as the next U.S. Secretaryof State, shares the concerns that manyAmerican senators have regarding Ankara.“Turkey is an ally that in many ways is act-ing not as an ally should. This is a very, verybig challenge for us, and we are very clearabout it,” the nominee stated in response toan inquiry by Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), incoming Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee chair, at the nomination hearingon January 19.

see BLINKEN, page 11

By Alin K. Gregorian Special to the Mirror-Spectator

Scene from “Ararat” in which the adult Arshile at his studio works on a paintingbased on his photo with his mother

Atom Egoyan

Anthony Blinken testifies at his nominationhearing before the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee on Tuesday, January 19, 2021(photo Voice of America)

Hrant Dink RememberedIn GermanyBy Muriel Mirak-Weissbach Special to the Mirror-Spectator

BERLIN — Fourteen years have passed since Hrant Dink was assassinated in front of the offices of Agos newspaper in Istanbul. Since then, conditions for journalists, intellectuals and pro-democracy activists inside Turkey have worsened and the new war in Nagorno-Karabakh has engulfed Turks and Armenians again in violent conflict. At such a time of political repression and renewed military

see REMEMBRANCE, page 5

Last Minute U.S.-Turkey Accord Grants AnkaraRights to Christian Cultural Heritage

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Oppositionleaders denounced on Monday,January 25, Prime Minister NikolPashinyan’s reported plans to appointa senior but politically inexperiencedlawmaker as Armenia’s new ambas-sador to the United States.

Lilit Makunts, who leads the rulingMy Step bloc’s group in the Armenianparliament, did not deny mediareports about her impending appoint-ment when she spoke to RFE/RL’sArmenian Service on Sunday.

“There is such an issue on the agen-da but it is still under discussion,” shesaid.

Makunts, 37, taught English atRussian-Armenian University inYerevan and did not engage in politi-cal activities before being appointedas Armenia’s culture minister in thewake of the “Velvet Revolution” ofApril-May 2018 that broughtPashinyan to power. She held thatpost until being elected to the parlia-

ment on My Step’s ticket in December2018.

The current Armenian ambassadorin Washington, Varuzhan Nersesyan,is a career diplomat who was hand-picked for the post by Pashinyan.Nersesyan handed his credentials tothen President Donald Trump inJanuary 2019.

It is not clear why Pashinyan mayhave decided to replace Nersesyan.The prime minister’s office did notcomment on Monday on the reportsabout Makunts’s appointment.

Pashinyan’s apparent choice of thenew ambassador was strongly criti-cized by senior lawmakers from thetwo opposition parties represented inthe parliament.

“I think he is simply trying to gethis people out of the country. I meanhis key loyalists who would definitelybe prosecuted [after regime change inArmenia,]” claimed Naira Zohrabyanof the Prosperous Armenia Party

(BHK).Zohrabyan dismissed Makunts as “a

woman who only speaks goodEnglish.” “Let’s hold a contest for thebest English speaker and appoint thewinner as ambassador to the U.S.,”she suggested tartly.

“She is not a diplomat. I don’t knowwhat she will be doing there [inWashington,]” said Gevorg Gorgisyanof the Bright Armenia Party.

“This is a continuation of the badold traditions,” Gorgisyan com-plained, referring to politically moti-vated ambassadorial appointmentsmade by Armenia’s former leaders.

In her interview with RFE/RL’sArmenian Service, Makunts down-played her lack of diplomatic experi-ence and argued that “politicalappointments” of ambassadors is com-mon practice around the world.

“Experience is certainly very impor-tant, but in some cases it does notplay a central role,” she said.

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Opposition Ready for‘Uprising’

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The Homeland SalvationFront should stage an anti-government “uprising” ifit fails to topple Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan withconventional street protests, a leader of the allianceof 17 Armenian opposition parties said on Tuesday,January 26.“We are now following the constitutional path in

trying to kick out Nikol Pashinyan,” VazgenManukyan told hundreds of opposition supporters inthe town of Ararat. “If the constitutional path provesfruitless we should organize an uprising.”“At stake is the future of our country and people.

We will either get destroyed or move forward,” addedManukyan.Speaking to journalists after the meeting,

Manukyan explained that the uprising favored by himwould involve nonviolent seizures of governmentbuildings.It was not clear if the comments reflected only his

personal views or also those of the parties making upthe alliance. Manukyan was nominated by them latelast year to serve as a prime minister in an interimgovernment which they believe should be formedafter Pashinyan’s resignation.The opposition alliance blames Pashinyan for

Armenia’s defeat in the war with Azerbaijan stoppedby a Russian-brokered ceasefire on November 10. Itstaged a series of demonstrations later in Novemberand December in a bid to force him to resign. Theprotests did not attract large crowds.The alliance coordinator, Ishkhan Saghatelian,

told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Monday thatthe opposition forces are now exploring a “new tac-tic” for their push for regime change.

Lawmaker Stages ProtestAhead of PACE SessionYEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Bright

Armenia leader Edmon Marukyan staged a protestbefore a PACE meeting on Monday, January 25,demanding the release of Armenian prisoners of warin Azerbaijan."The PACE meeting began with a protest and

demand to exert international pressure onAzerbaijan, insisting on the release of Armenianprisoners of war and civilian captives as soon as pos-sible," Marukyan wrote on Facebook.The lawmaker also shared a video of himself stand-

ing in front of the hall where the meeting was set tobe held and holding a sign that read: "Freedom to theArmenian prisoners of war kept in Azerbaijan."The first batch of 44 Armenian POWs returned

from Azerbaijan in mid-December, althoughArmenian officials said many more people werebeing held in Baku. Dozens of others, both service-men and civilians, have been captured after the com-pletion of military hostilities. Azerbaijani PresidentIlham Aliyev has said in one of his speeches that thenewly detained persons are not prisoners of war but“terrorists.” Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan has said,

meanwhile, that at least 120 Armenian prisoners ofwar are being held in Azerbaijan.

CoE to Assist Armenia,Azerbaijan, Secretary

General SaysSTRASBOURGH (Panorama.am) — The Secretary

General of the Council of Europe, Marija PejčinovićBurić stated on January 25 that the Council is intalks with Armenia and Azerbaijan to provide post-conflict assistance to ensure that human rights wererespected. Marija Pejčinović Burić's remarks camewhile addressing the PACE hybrid session onMonday. Welcoming the ceasefire reached in Nagorno

Karabakh in November, Marija Pejčinović Burićsaid: “We have always talked about the importance ofthe peace. These negotiations, meetings are aboutgiving the post-conflict support to both countries inline with our mandate, as everyone on the Europeanland should be ensured their rights are protected.We try to ensure this.”

News From Armenia

The Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL)District Committee of the Eastern United Statesand Canada welcomes President Joe Biden’shumanitarian-based foreign policy approach torestoring the traditional role of the UnitedStates globally.

Armenia and American Armenians are particularlygrateful to the new administration for signaling a changetowards Turkey’s destructive behavior in the southCaucasus, including its instigation of a war usingAzerbaijan and jihadi terrorists.

We are hopeful that the Biden White House will makegood on its pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide,completing the initiative taken by the US House ofRepresentatives and Senate.

The change in American administrations offersArmenia a new opportunity to address the fundamen-tal issue of the legal status of Nagorno Karabakh andin particular the constant threat of war by Azerbaijan

and Turkey.Therefore it is incumbent upon the Armenian gov-

ernment to mobilize its entire diplomatic corps toenunciate and place in proper perspective the issuesmost vital to its survival and future.Any change at this stage in key diplomatic personnel

may lead to the loss of this valuable opportunity to rightpast wrongs.

The Armenian government and US Armenian advocacyorganizations can pool their resources to realize theirmost cherished goals.

Talks in the parliament of assigning Lilit Makunts tothe position of ambassador to the US are ill-timed. Themost seasoned diplomats are required for such positions,particularly during such a crucial and complex period.

We hope the Armenian government understands andappreciates the exigencies of this delicate moment, andtakes a proper and wise course of action in order to begeared for success.

A Diplomatic Opportunity Which Calls for Commensurate Action:Communique of the ADL District Committee

Ombudsman Publishes more Evidence ofOnline Armenophobia in Azerbaijan

YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net ) — The Human Rights Defender ofArmenia Arman Tatoyan has published additional evidence of deep-rootedhatred and enmity toward Armenians in Azerbaijan.

Below are translations of some posts from real Azerbaijani social mediausers:

1) "Armenian women and Armenian children should be killed" - a mem-ber of the Bar Association of Azerbaijan.

2) I do not feel sorry for the Armenian child. The best Armenian is a deadArmenian.

3) The surviving Armenians must be killed, and tortured before killing.4) I want Armenians who have been stripped naked and raped.5) Rogue Armenians must be killed and eliminated from this planet and

all those who are on their side must be killed in the same way.6) There should be no place for Armenians in this world. I hate them. All

ruthless Armenians must be killed.7) I just fell in love with the words of Ilham Aliyev that we are driving

them away like dogs.8 ) Not a single Armenian should remain alive in Karabakh.9) A conversation between an Azerbaijani parent and their child:Q. - Who is our enemy?A. - Armenia.Q. - How do we feel about them?A. - Hate.Q. - Raise your hands and repeat, we will drive you away from Karabakh

like dogs.A. - We will drive you away from Karabakh like dogs.10) Mocking announcements with polls depicting a picture of a behead-

ed Armenian soldier on the Turkish-Azerbaijani special channel onTelegram, describing how users feel when they see a beheaded Armenian.

11) Other manifestations of hostility."The main issue here is that people use the same wording as the

Azerbaijani authorities and cultural figures," Tatoyan said Sunday, January25.

President ArmenSarkissian DischargedFrom Hospital

LONDON (RFE/RL) — PresidentArmen Sarkissian has been dischargedfrom hospital but has not yet fullyrecovered from COVID-19, his officesaid on Tuesday, January 26.

The office said in a statement thatSarkissian is “continuing his treatmentat home.”

“The Armenian President’s conditionhas relatively improved, there is a posi-tive dynamic in his health state, but heis still monitored by doctors,” the state-ment said, adding that he is continuingto perform his duties remotely and willreturn to Armenia “immediately afterthe doctors’ permission.”

According to the presidential pressoffice, Sarkissian tested positive for thecoronavirus days after travelling toBritain late last month to spend NewYear’s Eve with his sons and grandchil-dren living in London.

The office announced on January 13that the 67-year-old head of state washospitalized there after developing dou-ble pneumonia and showing othersymptoms of the disease.

It remains unclear whetherSarkissian, who has consistentlyobserved physical distancing rules dur-ing his official engagements, was infect-ed with COVID-19 in Armenia or theUnited Kingdom. Both countries havebeen hit hard by the coronavirus pan-demic.

Opposition Slams Pashinyan’s ReportedChoice For Armenian Envoy to US

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Armenian Robot Robin Nominated for Golden Kitty AwardYEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Robin, the Armenian robot-companion for children, has been chosen among the best products by the

Golden Kitty Award 2020, alongside Apple MacBook Pro, iphone 12, PlayStation 5, Armenia's Minister of High-Tech Industry HakobArshakyan said on Thursday, January 21.

The purpose of Robin is to support children during medical treatment and alleviate their pain by creating positive experiences.Voting is still underway on Product Hunt's website.The Golden Kitty Awards is an annual celebration of products, makers, and community members. There are 23 categories up for grabs,

with winners of each receiving a Golden Kitty trophy.

YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Several of the 44 Armenianprisoners of war who returned home from Azerbaijan in mid-December have visited the family of Smbat Tsakanyan, who at theage of 17, was killed by two Azeri saboteurs back in 2014. The twowere among the 12 Azeri POWs who were swapped through Russia’smediation on December 14.

According to the Public Television of Armenia, Smbat’s family facil-itated in the repatriation of the Armenian captives from Azerbaijan.The group of soldiers thanked them for their efforts because thesides to the conflict had agreed to an "all for all" principle in thePOW exchange process.

The first batch of 44 Armenian POWs returned from Azerbaijan inmid-December, although Armenian officials said many more peoplewere being held in Baku. Dozens of others, both servicemen andcivilians, have been captured after the completion of military hostili-ties. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said in one of his speech-es that the newly detained persons are not prisoners of war but “ter-rorists”. Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan has said, mean-while, that at least 120 Armenian prisoners of war are being held inAzerbaijan. Sahakyan represents the rights of some of the KarabakhPOWs before the European Court of Human Rights. The lawyer said

there is enough evidence proving the capture of said persons, whichthe Armenian side will submit to international agencies and courts.

Violet JamgochianKaragozian EndowedScholarship FundEstablished to SupportWomen in STEM

YEREVAN — Armenia is emerging as a hubof creativity and innovation and gaining a rep-utable ranking in the technology sector.Growth in the IT sector is creating new jobsand bringing new demands for professionalsskilled in the areas of computer science, engi-neering, and data science. The AmericanUniversity of Armenia (AUA) is committed tothe development of Armenia and providingthe highest quality education in these fieldsthanks to AUA’s affiliation with the Universityof California and accreditation through theWestern Association of Schools and Colleges.We are preparing a talented and diverse work-force which will bring the sector’s growth inArmenia to the next level. Standing out andshining in the field are Armenian women.AUA female graduates are assuming leader-ship roles and bringing fresh perspectives andnew ideas to a market driven by innovationbut historically dominated by men.

In this effort, we are happy to announce theestablishment of the Violet JamgochianKaragozian Endowed Scholarship Fund insupport of AUA's Yes, Armenian Women Can!campaign and the advancement of women inSTEM fields. The scholarship fund was estab-lished through a generous gift from AUA

Trustee Dr. Ann Karagozian and Dr. TheodoreSarafian in memory of Dr. Karagozian's moth-er, Violet Jamgochian Karagozian.

"AUA is committed to unlocking the poten-tial in each and every student and is showingwhat is possible when women are given theproper access and opportunity to top-notchSTEM education,” remarks AUA VicePresident of Development GaianeKhachatrian. “In 2018 we launched the Yes,Armenia Women Can! campaign to providescholarship support for women studyingComputer Science, Engineering, and DataScience at AUA. Today, half of all AUA stu-dents studying at the College of Science andEngineering are female. These young learnersare shining in the classroom and in internshippositions, while our graduates are standingout as top performers in the field. These strik-ing results are evidence of the transformativepower of the campaign and attest to theimpressive impact we are making together."

The Violet Jamgochian KaragozianEndowed Scholarship Fund will empowerAUA’s female students in computer science,engineering, and data science. “My mother,Violet Karagozian, was a woman who wasahead of her time,” Dr. Karagozian says. “Shestudied mathematics in college while workingfull time to help support her family during theDepression and Second World War. Sheearned a master’s degree and became a highschool math teacher for many years, eventual-ly becoming the department chair."

Violet Karagozian was an avid supporter ofmany Armenian organizations, including theDaughters of Vartan. Dr. Karagozian notes,"She was brilliant and wise and had a strongand abiding Christian faith. She would be sopleased to know that a scholarship in hername will support the next generation of bril-liant women in STEM fields!”

Violet Jamgochian

SINGAPORE — Moody’s Investors Servicehas assigned a rating of Ba3 to the proposedsenior unsecured, US dollar-denominated notesto be issued by the Government of Armenia.The notes will rank with all of the Governmentof Armenia’s current and future senior unse-cured external debt. The proceeds of the noteswill be applied toward general governmentalpurposes.

The rating mirrors the Government ofArmenia’s long-term issuer rating of Ba3 with astable outlook.

Armenia’s Ba3 issuer rating is underpinnedby its robust growth potential with increasinglydiverse economic drivers and a lengtheningtrack record of solid macroeconomic manage-ment, which raise the country’s economicresiliency, and high debt affordability.Implementation of reforms has the potential toraise the quality and credibility of Armenia’sinstitutions, although tangible effects will likelytake time.

Balanced against these credit strengths arechallenges stemming from the government’s

moderately high debt burden that is vulnerableto sharp currency depreciation, the small andlow-income economy that is exposed to externaldevelopments, and latent geopolitical tensionswith neighboring Azerbaijan. These challengeshave been amplified by the coronavirus pan-demic, resulting in economic contraction in2020. The high, albeit gradually declining, levelof dollarization in the economy also leavesArmenia and its banking sector exposed toexternal shocks, although the central bank hasintroduced measures that promote de-dollariza-tion.

Upward pressure on Armenia’s ratingwould stem from further reforms that were toraise economic competitiveness and institu-tional credibility and effectiveness beyondMoody’s current expectations. This would inpart materialize through greater levels of pri-vate investment and increased transparencyof and trust in institutions, including in thejudiciary. A structural narrowing of the cur-rent account deficit and improvement inArmenia’s external position, including

through higher competitiveness and foreigndirect investment, would also contribute toupward pressure on the rating. An increase ingovernment revenue arising from fiscalreforms beyond Moody’s expectations, thatwould support the government’s debt carry-ing capacity, would additionally put upwardpressure on the rating.

Downward pressure on Armenia’s ratingwould emerge if there was a loss of reformmomentum, which would likely transpirethrough weaker confidence in institutionsand fiscal slippage removing prospects thatthe government debt burden will decline overthe medium term. An increase in external vul-nerability risk, such as a sustained increasein current account deficits that resulted indeclining foreign exchange reserve adequacy,would additionally contribute to downwardpressure on the rating. A renewed escalationof the conflict with Azerbaijan over theNagorno-Karabakh territory would also putnegative pressure on the rating if it material-ly impacts economic or fiscal fundamentals.

Moody’s Assigns Ba3 Rating to Armenia’s USDollar-Denominated Notes

The visiting soldiers at the grave of Smbat Tsakanyan

Soldiers Visit Tsakanyan Family after Returning from Baku

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Germany Sends 30 TonsOf Humanitarian Aid tp

Armenia, Artsakh YEREVAN (Panorama.am) — A special flight from

the Federal Ministry of Defense of Germany arrivedin Yerevan on January 25 with 30 tons of humani-tarian aid, the Foreign Ministry of Armenia report-ed. The aid was collected and delivered through theclose cooperation of the RA Embassy to Germany,the Armenian Diocese of Germany and the “SilvaKaputikyan” Union of German-Armenian Women.“The aid includes medicine, medical supplies as

well as items of social sphere. The plane also carriedtwo minibuses with special equipment for theStepanakert rehabilitation clinic,” the source said.

Street Named for TalaatPasha Now Called Justice

After Complaints PAPHOS (Cyprus Mail) — Following a request by

the Armenian and Greek Pontian communities ofPaphos, the municipal council has renamed TalaatPasha street, which recognizes the man widelyregarded as the principal architect of the Armeniangenocide.“Talaat Pasha street has been renamed as Justice

Street. Those who planned and executed genocidehave no place in odonyms,” a municipalityspokesman told the Cyprus Mail on January 20. Thestreet signs are expected to be changed soon.The municipal council of Paphos is reaffirming its

respect for the place names of Paphos in the light ofthe recognition of the Armenian Genocide by dozensof countries around the world, as well as the inter-national academic community, and also the discus-sion about the genocide of the Greeks of Pontus, themunicipality said.“Through the study of historical facts, the leading

role of Talaat Pasha in the planning and execution ofthese genocides is documented. The council, awareof the weight of its responsibility towards the presentand future generations, unanimously decided toremove the name of Talaat Pasha from the street ofthe city and by a majority decided to rename thestreet Justice Street,” the municipality said.

Armenian Trucks AttackedIn Georgia, Embassy

ReportsTBILISI (PanARMENIAN.Net) — According to the

Armenian Embassy in Georgia, Armenian cargo trucksin Georgia’s Qvemo Ponitchala settlement wereattacked on Monday, January 25. The criminals threwstones at the vehicles, breaking windshields and win-dows after which they fled the scene, the embassyadded.Only after the arrival of police were the trucks able

to reach the Armenian border safely, they added.According to the Armenian mission, the Ministry of

Internal Affairs of Georgia has initiated a criminal caseto probe the case.

Turkish Firm OpensDrone Factory in AnkaraANKARA (PanARMENIAN.Net) — A drone manu-

facturing plant started operations on Friday, January22, in Turkey’s capital Ankara, Anadolu Agencyreports.Lapis Havacilik, a Turkish aviation company, devel-

ops unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), commonly knownas drones. It was established in 2015. The firm’s 3,500-square-meter plant has already begun mass productionof drones.Its top models are VTOL, which can fly for up to five

hours, and LAP 60, which can fly for up to one hourwithin the range of 10 kilometers. These drones can beused for agriculture, rescue missions, communicationand freight.Turkey’s defense and aviation exports were around

$3 billion in 2020.

International News

ISTANBUL (Panorama.am) —Turkey’s President Recep TayyipErdogan criticized the country’sNATO allies for being “bad neighbors”for refusing to supply parts forTurkish drones, Duvar English report-ed on January 23.

“Despite all the smear campaigns ofthose among us, our air vehicles areadmired all over the world. Turkisharmed UAVs are changing the warmethods and changed the trend of thewar in Libya,” Erdogan remarked atthe launch of a new Turkish frigate,according to Ahval news outlet.

Referring to Turkey’s NATO allies,he added that it was their refusal tosupply parts, specifically the drone

cameras, as the reason for Turkey’sneed to produce more componentsdomestically.

“For example, the issue of the cam-era, supposedly, we are together inNATO. We want cameras, but they arenot giving them. We are told, 'Why areyou fighting in Armenia?' Armenia isattacking my allies, we have to give allthe support we can. Aren't we togeth-er in NATO?” Erdogan asked.

Turkey’s drones were an instrumen-tal part of its interventions in Syria,Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh wherethey were widely filmed defeatingRussian-made air defense systems.Erdogan made it a point to call atten-tion to the increased reputation of the

drones, such as the TB-2 drone devel-oped by Baykar.

Andair, a U.K company, announcedit would no longer supply parts forTurkey’s Baykar following a requestfrom the Armenian Embassy in theU.K. Last October, Canadian companyBombardier Recreational Products(BRP) announced that it would stopselling engines for Turkey’s drones.This followed the Canadian govern-ment’s decision to suspend armsexports to Turkey over the war inNagorno-Karabakh.

Erdogan Criticizes NATO Allies for NotSelling Turkey Drone Cameras

LYON (The Guardian) — FrenchArmenian surgeon Aram Gazarian ledthe first double-arm-and-shoulder trans-plantation operation in Lyon.

The Icelandic man who got the trans-plant is recovering well after the opera-tion, two decades after the accident thatcost him both limbs, doctors have said.

They said it was still uncertain howmuch mobility Felix Gretarsson, 48, willrecover following the operation earlierthis month in the southeastern Frenchcity of Lyon.

But “giving a little to somebody whowas missing so much, that’s already alot” Aram Gazarian, the lead surgeon inthe operation, told a news conferenceon January 22.

“If he can recover the possibility toactively bend his elbow, that would be alife-changer,” he said.

On January 12, 1998, Gretarsson, anelectrician, was working on a high-volt-age power line when an 11,000-voltsurge burned his hands and flung himto the icy ground.

He sustained multi-ple fractures and inter-nal injuries, and wentinto a three-monthcoma during whichsurgeons amputatedboth arms.

He underwent sever-al more operations,including a liver trans-plant.

The operation was“his biggest dream”,Gretarsson’s wifeSylwia told Friday’snews conference,adding that she herselfnever felt that theoperation was trulynecessary as he “was-n’t missing anything.”

It took years to findsuitable donors, dur-ing which some 50

medical staff in total became involved inthe preparations for the operation.

Doctors said the outlook for the rightarm to become functional was betterthan for the left, which had alsorequired a complete rebuild of theshoulder. No serious complications hadbeen detected nine days after the oper-ation, they said.

European ParliamentCondemns Turkey’sRole in Karabakh War

BRUSSELS (RFE/RL) — TheEuropean Parliament has strongly con-demned Turkey’s “destabilizing role” inthe Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, accusedAnkara of sending “terrorist fighters” tothe conflict zone and called for an endto Turkish military aid to Azerbaijan onJanuary 22.

In two resolutions adopted this week,the European Union’s legislative bodyalso welcomed the Russian-brokeredceasefire that stopped the Armenian-Azerbaijani war on November 10. But itcautioned that the conflict remainsunresolved.

One of the resolutions calls for aKarabakh settlement based on the BasicPrinciples, a framework peace accordthat has long been jointly advanced bythe three co-chairs of the OSCE MinskGroup: the United States, Russia andFrance. It stresses the “urgent need” toensure “the security of the Armenianpopulation and its cultural heritage inNagorno-Karabakh.”

Turkey provided full diplomatic andmilitary support to Azerbaijan duringthe six-week war. Turkish combatdrones heavily used by the Azerbaijaniarmy are believed to have been a keyfactor behind Baku’s military victory.According to Western media reports,Ankara also recruited thousands ofjihadist fighters from the Middle East tofight on Azerbaijan’s side.

The European Parliament resolution“strongly condemns the destabilizingrole of Turkey which further under-mines the fragile stability in the wholeof the South Caucasus region.” It saysthe Turks should “refrain from anyinterference in the Nagorno-Karabakhconflict, including offering military sup-port to Azerbaijan.”

The resolution also deplores “thetransfer of foreign terrorist fighters byTurkey from Syria and elsewhere toNagorno-Karabakh, as confirmed byinternational actors, including the OSCEMinsk Group Co-Chair countries.”

France has been especially vocal in itscondemnation of that transfer. ItsForeign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drianreiterated last month French calls for“the departure of the Syrian mercenar-ies” from the conflict zone.

Turkey has denied sending membersof Turkish-backed Syrian rebel groupsto Karabakh. Azerbaijan also denies thepresence of such mercenaries in theAzerbaijani army ranks.

Armenia hailed the EuropeanParliament resolutions on Friday. TheArmenian Foreign Ministry spokes-woman, Anna Naghdalyan, praised,among other things, the EU’s legisla-ture’s calls for an agreement onKarabakh’s future status to be “foundedon the [Minsk] group’s BasicPrinciples.” Naghdalyan said it thusvoiced support for the KarabakhArmenians’ right to self-determination.

Dr. Aram Gazarian

The patient, Felix Gretarsson

French-Armenian Surgeon LeadsOperation on World’s First Double-Arm-and-Shoulder Transplantation

S A T U R D A Y J A N U A R Y 3 0 , 2 0 2 1 5T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

INTERNATIONAL

REMEMBRANCE, from page 1aggression, commemorating the anniversary of his death assumes special significance.

This was manifest in an event on November 21 in Germany, organized by a group of orga-nizations active in civil society. Presented in digital form due to the Corona pandemic, the gathering was sponsored by the KulturForum TürkeiDeutschland, the Armin T. Wegner Society, the German-Armenian Society (DAG), the TÜDAY association, the Multicultural Forum, and representatives of the Workers Welfare Union.

Following clips from a film on Hrant Dink, Ulrich Klan, presented greetings from the Armin T. Wegner Society, both in Germany and the United States. The lesson to be learned from both Dink and Wegner is to name names, but without hatred. A letter Wegner wrote in 1919 to Woodrow Wilson was quoted, in which he denounced the crimes committed against the Armenians, while warning against blaming a people or a religious group for them. In the same spirit, Dink urged sitting together with the other, even genocide deniers, in discussion and debate.

Personal ImpactFilmmaker Osman Okkan from the

KulturForum opened the first round of discus-sion, by posing the question: What did Hrant Dink mean to you personally? What most influ-enced writer Karin Karakasli, who knew him at Agos, was Dink’s ability to make her rethink her sense of identity in terms of Armenian-Turkish relations. She recalled his interest in Turkish issues, and his understanding of citi-zenship and equal rights for Kurds Turks, Armenians and others.

For Garo Paylan, HDP member of parliament, the identity issue was key. Born in 1972, he recalled the silence that reigned regarding Armenians. His grandfather, Avedis, went by the name of Halis, his mother was Serpil, or simply Anne. Hrank Dink “broke the silence“ and “gave me my name back,“ he said; he opened contact with the church and social groups. When Dink was assassinated, Paylan

left journalism and entered politics, convincedthat “it didn’t make sense to continue in a job.“

Çem Özdemir, a Green Party member of theGerman Bundestag (Parliament), stressed theliberal democratic idea Dink represented, andhis multi-cultural vision for Turkish society,whereby citizens could come from any ethnicbackground and religious belief. Author DoganAkhanlı, who has written about the genocide,was asked to comment on Dink’s approach todealing with it. Depicting him as a “living mon-ument to peace and democracy,“ Akhanlı saidDink was convinced Turkey could be changedonly if it dealt with recognition of the genocide,and he had convinced Turkish intellectuals toface their own history. Dink may have been a“romantic dreamer,“ he said, but dreams cancome true, and Turkey does have a potential forchange. Here he pointed to the 2013 Gezi Parkmovement as well as to the example providedby Garo Paylan’s political engagement.

Where does Turkey go from here? OsmanOkkan asked. Darkness has descended again onTurkey, Paylan said, and silence as well. Muchwill depend on developments outside the coun-try; if Europe and the US remain silent onhuman rights violations in Turkey, “that willmake it worse for us,“ he said. Akhanlı agreedfully, adding that intellectuals, includingTurkish intellectuals, living abroad where theyenjoy political protection, should speak outmore loudly. Recalling Dink’s extraordinaryoptimism, he said intellectuals abroad should

be more courageous and fight for the release ofpolitical prisoners.

Germany and Artsakh Following a musical interlude, with two pieces

by Komitas performed by pianist Nare Karoyan,Çiler Firtina of the KulturForum moderated a dis-cussion on the Nagorno-Karabakh war and con-tinuing crisis. She asked for reactions to theGerman government’s position, as presented byForeign Minister Heiko Maas at the end ofOctober: 2 million euros would be allocated tohelp those who lost everything, he told membersof Parliament, international pressure should forceArmenia and Azerbaijan to cease hostilities, inrecognition of the impossibility of a military solu-tion, and Turkey must act according to its respon-sabilities as a Minsk Group member.

Dr. Gregor Gysi, parliamentarian for The Left(Linke), had intervened after Maas’s statement,and denounced Turkish support in Azerbaijan’sviolation of the ceasefire as well as its weapon-ry and fighters. He had characterized the situa-tion as “catastrophic.“ It was “not easy,“ hesaid, to be German foreign minister in this situ-ation, but it would be better to be explicit. Maaswas seeking a diplomatic road and avoidingconflict with the parties.

Raffi Kantian, chairman of the DAG, wasmore explicit. Humanitarian aid is important,he said, but what is most disturbing is the reluc-tance on the part of the German government, tostate the facts clearly. Kantian criticized formu-lations in official statements from lateNovember, in which Armenia was charged withhaving violated international law for annexingterritories, but Azerbaijan was not; Turkey had“aided“ Azerbaijan, but there was no referenceto active participation. And what about drones,fighter jets and command units? Though mer-cenaries were mentioned, nothing was saidabout the UN convention forbidding this, etc.

Did this have to do with NATO and Turkey’smembership? Gysi cited remarks by Maas thatTurkey had not discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh issue with its NATO partners norconsulted with them. For Gysi, the problem liesin the predominance of the military over the

political, in international affairs. Defense minis-ters, he asserted, have more say than foreignministers. Gysi criticized Armenia for not seiz-ing the chance to negotiate a political solution,and said Azerbaijan exploited this in its drivefor a military victory. To return to a culture ofpolitical solutions, Gysi went on, one mustaccept compromise.

Journalist Eike Christian Petering broughtup the German parliament’s resolution recog-nizing the Armenian Genocide, which waspassed in 2016. That resolution also stressedthe special historical responsibility, given thatImperial Germany was Ottoman Turkey’swartime ally. Kantian picked up on this, notingthat in 100 years Turkey has still not recog-nized the genocide. And, if silence prevails, ifone does not speak out against Turkey’s role,Erdogan may think history can repeat itself.

Diaspora Armenians have reacted with dis-may and disappointment, said Artin Simonyan,a peace activist and member of the Armeniancommunity in Germany. He expressed his per-sonal disappointment with the silence on thepart of media and politicians, especially theGerman government, and reported that hisgreat grandfather had lost his entire family in1915. Asked how he deals with the issue, hesaid he speaks out and tries to educate hisfriends and associates. Many German friendsare utterly uninformed, and among someTurkish friends, “the deep-seated nationalism isstronger than the friendship.“ Others are empa-thetic, still others, influenced by Turkish media.

The importance of remembering Hrant Dinkcannot be overstated. What he represents, asthis commemorative event demonstrated, is therealization that change in Turkey can comeabout to the extent that truth prevails; that thereality of the genocide must be workedthrough, and officially recognized. The role ofintellectuals, both inside Turkey and interna-tionally, is of immense value, in speaking out,and above all, educating. And Dink embodiedan incredible optimism. Even in the darkestmoments, it was said during this event, there isresistance, and hope.

Hrant Dink Remembered in Germany

Garo Paylan

Cultural Center inMarseille TargetOf Gunfire

MARSEILLE, France (Armenews.com) — TheSahak Mesrop Cultural Center on the groundsof the Armenian Church on avenue du Pradoin Marseille was the target of gunfire onSunday, January 24 at 6:40 p.m. Several policeteams were sent to the premises in the after-math. The gunshot shattered the window inthe center of the second floor, while a pianorehearsal was being held. No one was injured.But the musician who was present on thescene at the time of the shooting as well as thepresident of the cultural center filed a com-plaint with the police.

This shooting comes after a series of attacksin France and in the world against theArmenians. In addition to the defacing of anumber statues, including that of Komitas atthe end of August in Paris or that against thegenocide memorial in Décines on November 4,French people of Armenian origin were the tar-get of manhunts in the streets of Décines-Charpieu, near Lyon last July, and at the end ofOctober in Viennes (Isère) and Dijon (Côte-d'Or), against the backdrop of the ethniccleansing operation led by Turkey andAzerbaijan against the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The ultra-nationalist Turkish group LesLoups Gris, implicated in these acts against theArmenian community in France, was dissolvedin early November following these events.

Similar abuses were also observed duringthe same period in Berlin and San Francisco.

The Prado Cultural Center is also the head-quarters of CCAF South, the umbrella organi-zation for French-Armenian entities. It was thelogistics hub for humanitarian aid fromMarseille and the south of the country toArmenia during the last war.

LONDON — In keeping with its corecommitment to advance Armenian educa-tion, the Armenian General BenevolentUnion (AGBU) London Trust recentlymade a substantial gift to support a schol-arship program for graduate studentspursuing a master’s degree in ClassicalArmenian Studies at Oxford University. Itis the leading university for Armenianstudies in the UK and has pursued thesubject since the mid-nineteenth century.

By providing support for one graduatestudent per year for five years, the newscholarship program will play a key rolein helping to foster greater understandingof Armenian culture and heritage. Thefirst scholarship will be awarded inOctober 2021, with the program runningthrough to 2026.

Scholars studying for the MSt inClassical Armenian Studies gain experience in reading and interpret-ing a wide range of Armenian texts, thus enabling them to develop acritical understanding of the literary culture and historical back-ground of their chosen period. During their time at Oxford, studentswill have access to the Bodleian Library’s unique collection ofArmenian manuscripts, which includes a very rare copy of the firstbook printed in Iran: an Armenian Psalter from New Julfa.

The course is directed by Professor Theo Maarten van Lint, whoholds the Calouste Gulbenkian Professorship of Armenian Studies.He says: “Funding is an indispensable element in offering worthy can-didates access to the Master’s in Classical Armenian Studies.Therefore I am extremely grateful to Joseph and Jenny Oughourlianand the AGBU for this generous and strategic donation.”

The creation of the AGBU London Trust Scholarship representsthe next stage in an already fruitful partnership between the organi-zation and Oxford, which for the past seven years provided financial

support to Armenian students reading a range of subjects at theUniversity. The new scholarship program, which will be open to stu-dents from all over the world, aligns with the AGBU’s mission touphold Armenian heritage through educational, cultural and human-itarian spheres.

Joseph Oughourlian, AGBU London Trust Chairman and Vice-President of the AGBU Central Board said: ‘AGBU is absolutely hon-ored to partner with the prestigious global institution that is theUniversity of Oxford. The University's Faculty of Oriental Studies hasbeen thriving for years and as the world's largest Armenian organi-zation, it is a logical development for AGBU to support the faculty’sMSt in Classical Armenian Studies. We deeply thank Professor vanLint and his team for allowing this cooperation to happen.’

For more information about the MSt in Classical ArmenianStudies, visit https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/cours-es/mst-classical-armenian-studies

Opening of the Gospel of Mark, written in Classical Armenian, by scribe and miniaturist MesropXizanc‘i. Bodleian Libraries MS. Arm. d. 13, fol. 115r (New Julfa, Isfahan 1609)

AGBU London Trust Announces New Scholarships forClassical Armenian Studies at Oxford University

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Community NewsS A T U R D A Y, J A N U A R Y 3 0 , 2 0 2 1 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

Eastern Armenian DioceseCreates New Group to FocusOn Protecting Artsakh’sArmenian Heritage

NEW YORK — The New York-based Eastern Diocese of the ArmenianChurch of America has created a special committee to protect the endangeredArmenian heritage sites of Artsakh. The group composed of academicresearchers and clergy was formed in the aftermath of the 2020 Artsakh war,with the blessing of Diocesan Primate Bishop Daniel Findikyan.With the surrender of territories in Artsakh containing numerous Armenian

monasteries, churches, cultural sites, andmonuments, the working group aims toadvocate for the preservation of theseArmenian treasures, while informing thepublic of their historical importance.Led by Dr. Rachel Goshgarian, assis-

tant professor of history at LafayetteCollege and a former director of theEastern Diocese’s Krikor and ClaraZohrab Information Center, the ArtsakhPreservation Working Group met onDecember 29 and January 14 to discussmeasures that intellectuals, academics,and clergy could take to complement thepreservation efforts already set in motionby the Mother See of Echmiadzin.Participating in the meetings were

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian (DiocesanLegate and Ecumenical Director); Fr.Garegin Hambardzumyan (Mother See ofEchmiadzin), Fr. Simeon Odabashian(Diocesan Vicar); Dr. Christina Maranci(Arthur H. Dadian and Ara OztemelProfessor of Armenian Art andArchitecture at Tufts University), Dr.Nicole Vartanian (Executive Director ofthe Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University), and DeaconArmen Terjimanian.Bishop Hovakim Manukyan (Primate of the Armenian Diocese of the United

Kingdom) and Fr. Pakrad Berjekian (Vicar General of the Western Diocese ofthe United States) also participated in individual meetings.

Combatting Disinformation and Destruction

Group members discussed the most effective steps to educate the Armenianand non-Armenian public about the cultural and religious sites that remain inthe Artsakh territories that were handed over to Azerbaijan at the end of theArtsakh war. They agreed to focus on goals of protection, information, advo-cacy, and celebration, working in collaboration with the Mother See ofEchmiadzin’s newly created office for this purpose, as well as the efforts com-ing from the Western Diocese and the Diocese of Great Britain.The office at the Mother See, headed by Fr. Hambardzumyan, aims to estab-

lish ties with international organizations to lobby for and assist with thepreservation of Armenian monuments in Artsakh; disseminate information

see HERITAGE, page 11

Pennsylvania LawmakerPlayed Key Role inTrump’s Plot to OustActing Attorney General

By Katie Benner and Catie Edmondson

WASHINGTON (New York Times) — WhenRepresentative Scott Perry joined his col-leagues in a months-long campaign to under-mine the results of the presidential election,promoting “Stop the Steal” events and sup-porting an attempt to overturn millions oflegally cast votes, he often took a back seat tohigher-profile loyalists in President Donald J.Trump’s orbit.But Perry, an outspoken Pennsylvania

Republican, played a significant role in the cri-sis that played out at the top of the JusticeDepartment this month, when Trump consid-ered firing the acting attorney general andbacked down only after top department offi-cials threatened to resign en masse.It was Perry, a member of the hardline

Freedom Caucus, who first made Trump awarethat a relatively obscure Justice Departmentofficial, Jeffrey Clark, the acting chief of thecivil division, was sympathetic to Trump’s viewthat the election had been stolen, according toformer administration officials who spoke withClark and Trump.

Perry introduced the president to Clark,whose openness to conspiracy theories aboutelection fraud presented Trump with a wel-come change from the acting attorney general,Jeffrey A. Rosen, who stood by the results ofthe election and had repeatedly resisted thepresident’s efforts to undo them.Perry’s previously unreported role, and the

quiet discussions between Trump and Clarkthat followed, underlined how much the formerpresident was willing to use the government tosubvert the election, turning to more juniorand relatively unknown figures for helpas ranking Republicans and cabinet membersrebuffed him.Perry’s involvement is also likely to height-

en scrutiny of House Republicans who contin-ue to advance Trump’s false and thoroughlydebunked claims of election fraud, evenafter President Biden’s inauguration thisweek and as Congress prepares for an impeach-ment trial that will examine whether such talkincited the Capitol riot.It is unclear when Perry, who represents the

Harrisburg area, met Clark, a Philadelphianative, or how well they knew each anotherbefore the introduction to Trump. FormerTrump administration officials said that it wasonly in late December that Clark told Rosenabout the introduction brokered by Perry, whowas among the scores of people feeding Trumpfalse hope that he had won the election.But it is highly unlikely that Trump would

have known Clark otherwise. Department offi-cials were startled to learn that the presidenthad called Clark directly on multiple occasionsand that the two had met in person withoutalerting Rosen, those officials said. JusticeDepartment policy stipulates that the presidentinitially communicates with the attorney gen-eral or the deputy attorney general on all mat-ters, and then a lower-level official if autho-rized.As the date for Congress to affirm Biden’s

victory neared, Perry and Clark discussed aplan to have the Justice Department send a let-ter to Georgia state lawmakers informing themof an investigation into voter fraud that couldinvalidate the state’s Electoral College results.Former officials who were briefed on the plansaid that the department’s dozens of voterfraud investigations nationwide had not turnedup enough instances of fraud to alter the out-come of the election.Perry and Clark also discussed the plan with

Trump, setting off a chain of events that near-ly led to the ouster of Rosen, who had refused

see PLOT, page 7

Society for ArmenianStudies and ArmenianGenocide Museum-Institute Foundation SignCooperation Agreement FRESNO — As part of its new policy to

strengthen ties with academic institutions inArmenia, the Society for Armenian Studies(SAS) signed an Agreement on Cooperation onJanuary 13, with the Armenian GenocideMuseum-Institute Foundation (AGMI). The Agreement aims at cooperating on dif-

ferent academic projects that would be benefi-cial to both parties and advance the field ofArmenian Genocide studies. The scope of thecooperation includes, but is not limited to,exchange of mutual information on academicactivities carried out by both parties; exchangeand loans of books relevant to both parties;exchange of knowledge and expertise withrespect to Armenian Genocide; sharing ofadvice, educational consultation, and researchabout the Armenian Genocide study andresearch; cooperation through local and inter-national conferences and symposia to advancethe field of genocide studies in general andArmenian Genocide studies in particular; mutu-al cooperation to educate the general publicabout the Armenian Genocide; and close coop-eration and coordination between the Journalof the Society for Armenian Studies (JSAS) pub-lished by the prestigious Brill publishing houseand the International Journal of ArmeniaGenocide Studies (IJAGS), Ts’eghaspanagitakanHandes, both published by the AGMI. Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, director of

Armenian Studies Program at California StateUniversity, Fresno, will serve as the liaison onbehalf of the SAS while Dr. Edita Gzoyan,Deputy Scientific Director of the ArmenianGenocide Museum-Institute Foundation andthe editor of IJAGS will serve on behalf of theAGMI.Commenting on the Agreement, SAS

President Bedross Der Matossian said, “We arelooking forward to cooperate with theArmenian Genocide Museum-InstituteFoundation (AGMI) on academic issues pertain-ing to genocide studies in general and theArmenian Genocide in particular. This is part ofour new policy to strengthen ties with differentacademic institutions in Armenia. This coopera-tion will be mutually beneficial to all of us. TheSociety for Armenian Studies (SAS) has mem-bers whose research deals with the ArmenianGenocide. Through harnessing the existingpotential of scholars from both bodies, the fieldof the Armenian Genocide Studies will advancein the right direction.” Prof. Harutyun Marutyan, director of the

AGMI, welcomed the Cooperation Agreementstating, “The challenges facing researchers inthe field of Armenian Studies in the 21st cen-tury require new, modern approaches and theconsolidation of Armenian potential. The shap-ing of the Armenian factor in the field ofhumanities, taking world experience intoaccount, is one of the priorities of our time. Thestudy and popularization of Armenian history,culture and the issues of the ArmenianGenocide are among the imperatives for boththe AGMI and SAS. We are sure that the goalsand intentions mentioned in the CooperationAgreement, signed between the two institu-tions, will be realized and will contribute to theexpansion of ties between researchers on bothsides and the development of Armenian Studiesin general.”The SAS, founded in 1974, is the interna-

tional professional association representingscholars and teachers in the field of ArmenianStudies. The aim of the SAS is to promote thestudy of Armenian culture and society, includ-ing history, language, literature, and social,political, and economic questions.To contribute to the activities of SAS contact

Prof. Bedross Der Matossian at bdermatoss-ian2@unl.edu. Information about the SAS can be found on

its website at societyforarmenianstudies.com.

The magnificent Armenian monastery of Dadivank—built in the 9th to 13th cen-turies, with foundations in the Apostolic Age—has become an international sym-bol of the way Artsakh’s Armenian heritage is endangered in the aftermath ofthe war.

(HAWK KHATCHERIAN PHOTO)

(HAWK KHATCHERIAN PHOTO)

PLOT, from page 6to send the letter.After The New York Times disclosed the

details of the scheme on Friday, the politicalfallout was swift. Senator Richard J. Durbin,Democrat of Illinois and the incoming chairmanof the Judiciary Committee, told the JusticeDepartment in a letter on Saturday that hewould investigate efforts by Trump and Clarkto use the agency “to further Trump’s efforts tosubvert the results of the 2020 presidentialelection.”Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the

majority leader, said that it was “uncon-scionable that a Trump Justice Departmentleader would conspire to subvert the people’swill.” He called on the department’s inspectorgeneral, Michael E. Horowitz, to investigate“this attempted sedition.”

Horowitz has already opened an investiga-tion into whether Trump administration offi-cials improperly pressured Byung J. Pak,who abruptly resigned this month as the U.S.attorney in Atlanta after being pressed to takeactions related to the election, according to aperson briefed on the inquiry. Durbin is inves-tigating that matter as well.Trump also tried to force Justice Department

officials, including Rosen and the acting solici-tor general, Jeffrey Wall, to file a lawsuit beforethe Supreme Court that would challengeBiden’s victory, according to a person briefed

on the request.One of Trump’s outside lawyers even drafted

a brief for the department to file to the court.Department officials and the White Housecounsel, Pat A. Cipollone, told Trump that theplan would fail for several reasons, includingthe fact that the department did not have thegrounds to challenge the outcome, the personsaid.The fight between Trump and Justice

Department officials over the Supreme Courtfiling was first reported by The Wall StreetJournal.The episode with Clark and Perry is yet

another example at impeachment managers’disposal as they put together their case thatTrump should be disqualified from holdingoffice again.Clark declined to comment on his relation-

ship with Perry, and he categorically denieddevising any plan to oust Rosen. He said thatthere had been “a candid discussion of optionsand pros and cons with the president” that hadbeen inaccurately described by The Times, buthe declined to provide details. He declined tosay anything more about his conversations withTrump or Justice Department lawyers becauseof “the strictures of legal privilege.”Asked whether his conversations with the

president had violated the department policygoverning contact with the president, he saidthat senior lawyers at the agency provided legal

advice to the White House as part of theirduties. “All my official communications wereconsistent with law,” he said.

Clark, a member of the conservativeFederalist Society, had been appointed the act-ing head of the civil division in September. Healso oversaw the department’s environmentaland natural resources division, where he hadworked under President George W. Bush.Neither Perry nor his top aides responded to

repeated requests for comment.Some Senate Republicans, including Senator

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minorityleader, have grown increasingly worried that ifthey do not intervene and distance themselvesfrom Trump, the havoc wreaked by the formerpresident could hurt Republicans’ political for-tunes for years to come. The episode amountsto an unwelcome reminder that damaging infor-mation around his presidency could continue toemerge even though Trump is no longer inoffice.And Perry’s role in the discussions could fur-

ther escalate tensions in the House, whereDemocratic lawmakers were already livid atRepublicans for fanning the flames before theCapitol riot, with some rank-and-file memberscalling for the expulsion of lawmakers who ledefforts to overturn the election.The pressure that Trump placed on the

Justice Department, including any plan that hemay have considered to remove Rosen, also rais-

es legal questions for him.Trump’s duty as president was to ensure that

“laws be faithfully executed for the benefit ofthe country,” and efforts to interfere in the elec-tion could be considered a violation of his con-stitutional duty, said Neil Eggleston, a partnerat Kirkland & Ellis and a White House counselunder President Barack Obama.There is little chance that a Justice

Department letter sent to Georgia lawmakerswould have prompted the state to invalidate itsElectoral College votes.But the plan was consistent with the posture

Perry had taken since November, when hebegan to falsely claim that there had been ram-pant fraud in the election, and throughout it all,Perry has remained defiant. Facing calls toresign over his role in the efforts to overturnthe election, Perry issued a one-word response:“No.”

Perry, a retired brigadier general in thePennsylvania Army National Guard and an IraqWar veteran, has been scrutinized for his open-ness to the conspiratorial. He baselessly sug-gested that the 2017 mass shooting in LasVegas by a lone gunman could have been influ-enced by “terrorist infiltration through thesouthern border” and refused to support a res-olution that condemned QAnon, a pro-Trumpconspiracy movement. ( Perry said hebelieved that the resolution infringed on indi-viduals’ right to free speech and that he did notpersonally subscribe to the movement.)An early supporter of the “Stop the Steal”

campaign, Perry was one of 126 HouseRepublicans who joined a legal brief inDecember supporting an extraordinary law-suit seeking to overturn Biden’s victory. And hejoined over two dozen of his colleagues whourged Trump to direct William P. Barr, theattorney general, to “investigate irregularitiesin the 2020 election.”He objected on behalf of 79 other House

Republicans to certifying Pennsylvania’s elec-toral results and was among 139 HouseRepublicans who voted to reject Biden’s elec-toral victory, even though he later acknowl-edged Biden as the president-elect.The plan that Perry devised with Clark set off

a crisis at the Justice Department. When Clarkapproached Rosen with the Georgia letter atthe end of December, Rosen refused to send it,according to four former administration offi-cials. On Jan. 3, Clark notified Rosen that hewould be taking his job at Trump’s behest.As Rosen prepared to meet Trump later that

day and fight for his job, his top deputies,including the acting deputy attorney general,Richard P. Donoghue, and his outgoing chief ofstaff, Patrick Hovakimian, convened the depart-ment’s senior leaders on a conference call,according to five former officials with knowl-edge of the call.They told the department leaders that

Rosen’s job was in jeopardy because of Clark’smachinations and said they would resign ifRosen was removed. They ended the call by ask-ing their colleagues to privately consider whatthey would do if that happened. Over the next15 minutes, all of them emailed or textedHovakimian, saying that they would quit.While Rosen, Donoghue and other top

department and White House lawyers spentnearly three hours with Trump and Clark,debating the merits of sending the letter toGeorgia lawmakers, Hovakimian — in anticipa-tion of Rosen’s removal — drafted an email tothe department’s senior leaders, includingthose who were not aware of what was tran-spiring at the White House, according to twopeople briefed on the letter.In it, he explained that Rosen had resisted

Trump’s repeated entreaties to use the depart-ment’s law enforcement powers for improperends and that the president had removed him,according to a person who reviewed the email.He wrote that he and Donoghue were resigningimmediately and encouraged his colleagues tothink hard about what they would do and toalways act in the interests of the United States.When Hovakimian received word that Rosen

had been allowed to stay, he drafted a newemail that he sent to the anxiously awaiting offi-cials: Rosen and the cause of justice had won.

Maggie Haberman contributed reportingfrom New York.

7S A T U R D A Y, J A N U A R Y 3 0 , 2 0 2 1 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMUNITY NEWS

Pennsylvania Lawmaker Played Key Role in Trump’s Plot to Oust Acting Attorney General

BELMONT, Calif. — Sarkis Kouzoujian ofBelmont, Calif. was born in the Bronx, NewYork, on April 18, 1933 to Harry andVartouhy Kouzoujian, survivors of theArmenian Genocide. He passed away on Christmas Day,

December 25, 2020, from complications dueto COVID19. He is survived by his loving wife of 62

years, Seda, son Van, daughter Karen, andgrandson Jack. Early on, Sarkis realized his passion for tech-

nology. He attended Samuel Gompers TechnicalHigh School where he excelled in the emergingfield of radio and television technology anddesign. This would form the foundation for hisfuture in the evolving field of data processingand the birth of microcomputers. Sarkis’ desirefor lifelong learning fostered an open mindsetand was the backbone to his positive and opti-mistic nature, and a belief that anything is pos-sible. Contrary to prevailing workplace prac-tices at that time, as more women entered thefield of technology, Sarkis was an innovator indemanding equal pay for the women in hisdepartment. Through his active involvement in the

greater New York Armenian community,Sarkis met the love of his life, SedaKatchouny. They married in 1957 and estab-lished their home in Flushing, NY. Shortlyafter the arrival of their children, Van and

Karen, Sarkis pursued his academic degree inengineering from Farleigh DickinsonUniversity, working during the day, going toschool at nights. He was selected to be amember of an elite group that designed thedepository trust system for the New YorkStock Exchange. In 1973, this led to anopportunity in San Francisco to work for thePacific Stock Exchange. The entire familymoved, including his mother and mother-in-law, to the San Francisco Bay Area to start anew life in California. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a keen

awareness of the dawning of the microcom-puter era, Sarkis followed his dream andopened one of the nation’s first personalcomputer stores, ComputerLand, in 1978,with additional stores to follow. Recognizedas a pioneer in the industry, Sarkis was askedto participate on the advisory boards of bothIBM and Apple Computer. After the sale ofthe business in 1986, Sarkis leveraged hisdecades of expertise by providing consultingand advisory services to businesses on imple-menting their computer systems. Sarkis was a very spiritual man and gave

back to his Armenian community and church.He was a member of the Knights of Vartan,an Armenian philanthropic fraternal organi-zation, where he was honored as “Man of theYear,” served as Commander of the localchapter, and was a member of the national

executive board. Sarkis also served on theparish council of St. John Armenian ApostolicChurch in San Francisco, on the executiveboard of NorCal Senior Services, and wasactively involved with the Armenian GeneralBenevolent Union (AGBU). Sarkis valued his family and friends above

all else and was loved by all who knew him.He would always make himself available toindividuals or organizations needing any ofhis wide range of skills. He will forever beknown for his loving and giving nature, warmand broad smile, the twinkle in his eyes, andhis roaring sense of humor. He had a passionand love for travel, crossword puzzles, andexploring the unknown. The family has chosen to defer a celebra-

tion of Sarkis’ life until we can all gathertogether safely to honor him. To memorializeSarkis’ love of technology and enthusiasm toinspire the next generation, the family has setup the Sarkis Kouzoujian Scholarship fund,with the AGBU at 55 E. 59th St, New York,NY 10022.

8 S A T U R D A Y, J A N U A R Y 3 0 , 2 0 2 1 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMUNITY NEWS/OBITUARY

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BELMONT, Mass. — Ann (Vartabedian)Talanian passed away peacefully at her home onSaturday, January 16, at age 101. She was born on September 19, 1919, in

Woonsocket, RI, to Reuben G. and Elsie A.(Hagopian) Vartabedian. They lived on her uncle’s farm, where she

attended a one-room schoolhouse. At age 8, herfamily moved to Hartford, Conn. She was anhonors student at Hartford Public High Schooland an active tennis player. After graduation, she worked as a client ser-

vices supervisor at Travelers InsuranceCompany until her marriage to Albert G.Talanian of Boston in 1948. They moved to Belmont with their three

daughters in 1959. When her daughters wereteenagers, Ann returned to work as client ser-vices supervisor at Doble Engineering Companyin Watertown until her retirement.Ann and Albert enjoyed 54 years of marriage

until his death in 2002. Ann is survived by her daughters Nancy

Talanian and husband Francis Fortino ofWhately, MA; Deborah of Belmont; and LaurieTravia and husband Anthony Jr. of Winchester.Ann is also survived by her sister-in-law NevartTalanian. In addition to her husband, she waspredeceased by her sister Arline Bagdigian andbrother-in-law Edward; her sister IrisHumphrey and brother-in-law John; her broth-er-in-law Charles Talanian; and her sisters-in-law Evelyn (Talanian) Mukjian, Virginia(Talanian) Ohanian, and Arsenne Tutunjian,and their husbands James Mukjian, MichaelOhanian, and Simon Tutunjian, respectively.She is survived by many nieces, nephews,cousins and friends.Ann was a member of Holy Trinity Armenian

Apostolic Church of Greater Boston, the church

Women’s Guild, and the Armenian Assembly ofAmerica. She enjoyed family gatherings, traveling, her

summer home in Cotuit, MA, playing bridge,and watching the Red Sox.Ann’s family gives special thanks to her team

of physicians at Massachusetts GeneralHospital, including Drs. William Carlson, LouisErcolani, Annie Lee, and Katayoon Goodarzi, aswell as her caregivers Robin Cedrone, NoraTurchi, and Susan Ruane, who surrounded herwith comfort and love. Special gratitude is alsoextended to West River Hospice of Needham.Funeral services and burial will be private. A

memorial celebration of Ann’s life will be con-ducted at a future date.

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Lazarus A.“Larry” Pahigian, 89, of North Andover, passedaway on January 14, 2021 at the LawrenceGeneral Hospital after a brief illness. Born in Lawrence, he was the son of the late

Ashod and Pilo (Gulian) Pahigian.Larry was raised in Lawrence, MA, and was a

graduate of Lawrence High School andNortheastern University.He was a licensed pharmacist and owned and

operated Gulian’s High School Pharmacy inLawrence, North Andover Pharmacy andAmerican Medical & Surgical Supply Co. Larry once served as President of the

Massachusetts State PharmaceuticalAssociation, taught at Mass College ofPharmacy, and after selling his businesses,became an executive at CareMark. He was involved in numerous community and

service organizations including as PastPresident of the North Andover Lions Club,The Masons, Armenian PharmacistsAssociation, and as an active member of theArmenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe,Haverhill, MA. He dedicated himself to defending and advo-

cating for the special needs community, theirrights, and prosperity.In addition to time with his family, Larry also

enjoyed golf and was a 45 year member atAndover (MA) Country Club and most recentlyat Portsmouth (NH) Country Club and CypressLake Golf Club in Ft Myers, Florida. Larry is survived by his beloved wife of 65

years, Alice (Hamamjian) Pahigian; his children,Cary Pahigian and his wife Barbara of MD,Beth Richards and her husband Jack ofSeabrook Beach, NH, and Pamela Pahigian ofAndover; his sister, Carol Bazarian and her hus-band Charlie of North Andover; his sister-in-law,Audrey Pilibosian of Arlington, MA; his grand-

children, Tyler Richards and his partnerSamantha Valletta, Conor and Parker Richards,Brad, Brendan, and Amanda Pahigian; hisgreat-grandchild, Cayson Richards. He was alsopredeceased by his brother-in-law, JackPilibosian. Survivors also include nieces LisaGardner and husband Anthony ofNorthborough MA, Michelle Beeney and hus-band Jeff of Andover, MA, Julie Ballentine andhusband Scott of Exeter, NH; his nephew JeffPilbosian and wife Heather of North HamptonNH. Many of Larry’s friends’ children knew himas "Uncle Larry."At the family’s request, all services will be pri-

vate. In lieu of flowers, donations may be madeto the Armenian Apostolic Church at HyePointe.Burial will be in Bellevue Cemetery,

Lawrence.Arrangements are by Cataudella Funeral

Home, Methuen, MA. To send condolences,please visit www.cataudellafh.com.

Lazarus A. ‘Larry’ PahigianPharmacist, Advocated for People with Special Needs

Ann (Vartabedian) Talanian, 101Longtime Member of Holy Trinity Church

Sarkis Sam Kouzoujian Technology Pioneer, Dedicated to Church

By Neil Genzlinger

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (New York Times)— Bob Avian, a choreographer, director and pro-ducer who was deeply involved in some of thebiggest Broadway shows of the last 60 years,including — with his frequentcollaborator, Michael Bennett— “A Chorus Line,” one of thelongest-running musicals inhistory, died on Thursday,January 21, in FortLauderdale. He was 83.His husband, Peter Pileski,

said through a spokesman thatthe cause was cardiac arrest.Mr. Avian also choreo-

graphed the Broadway hits“Miss Saigon” (1991) and“Sunset Boulevard” (1994),among others, and directed a2006 revival of “A ChorusLine” that ran on Broadway for almost twoyears, as well as productions of that show inLondon in 2013 and at New York City Centerin 2018. He shared Tony Awards for choreogra-phy with Mr. Bennett for “A Chorus Line”(1975) and “Ballroom” (1978).It all started with a happenstance of casting.

Mr. Avian began his career as a dancer, andearly on, about 1960, he was cast in an inter-national tour of “West Side Story.”“I loved the adventure of traveling around

the world,” he wrote in “Dancing Man: ABroadway Choreographer’s Journey,” a memoirwritten with Tom Santopietro and publishedlast year, “but the tour would prove even moremomentous for one all-encompassing reason:During rehearsals in New York, I met a fellowcastmate, Michael Bennett, a 17-year-old highschool dropout marked for greatness.”The two became friends, and within a few

years Mr. Bennett had graduated from dancerto choreographer. In 1968, when he choreo-graphed the Neil Simon/Burt Bacharach/HalDavid musical “Promises, Promises” forBroadway, he brought Mr. Avian aboard asassistant choreographer, and they worked

together for the next two decades, until Mr.Bennett’s death from AIDS in 1987.He was assistant or associate choreographer for

Mr. Bennett on “Coco” (1969), “Company” (1970),“Follies” (1971) and “Seesaw” (1973). Then, in1975, came their biggest hit of all, “A Chorus Line,”on which they were co-choreographers.“A Chorus Line” is a musical about dancers

creating a musical, and withBennett’s and Avian’s snazzyfootwork and MarvinHamlisch’s catchy music, itcaused a sensation.“The conservative word for ‘A

Chorus Line’ might be tremen-dous, or perhaps terrific,” CliveBarnes wrote in the New YorkTimes, reviewing the originalproduction at the PublicTheater in May 1975; it quicklymoved uptown and ran for 15years and 6,137 performanceson Broadway, a record at thetime (though it has since been

surpassed by several shows).Revisiting the show in 2013 in England, Mr.

Avian reflected on its appeal.“The show is about the anonymous kid in the

chorus, the guy who works on the assemblyline, the clerk in the store,” he told TheTelegraph of London. “They are everyone. It’snot bigger than life; it is life.”In his memoir, Avian wrote about what made

his creative partnership with Mr. Bennett work.“I wasn’t cautious with Michael,” he wrote. “I

knew him so well that I could tell him exactlywhat I thought. In effect I seemed to instinc-tively assume the role of his editor. Michael wasa more mercurial personality than I, and ambi-tious though I was, I did not possess Michael’sburning intensity. I didn’t want to be Michael,and he didn’t want to be me.”Robert Avedisian (he shortened the name

when he became a professional dancer) wasborn on Dec. 26, 1937, in Manhattan to Johnand Esther (Keleshian) Avedisian, immigrantsfrom Armenia. His father was a chef, and hismother was a seamstress. By the time he was11, he knew he loved to dance and was prettygood at it.

“When my parents went out,I would push back the furni-ture, clear an open space, turnon the record player and leaparound the apartment,” hewrote in his memoir. “Boysweren’t supposed to dance,especially not in Armenian cul-ture, but I loved music, and Iespecially loved the freedom Ifound in dancing.”He didn’t have any formal

training, though, until heenrolled at Boston University,where he graduated from theCollege of Fine Arts in 1958.He also studied at the BostonBallet School.After the “West Side Story”

tour — which was playingBerlin when the Berlin Wallwent up in 1961 — he bookeda national tour of “Carnival!,”working under the directorand choreographer GowerChampion. Not long after, hegot his first chance to see ashow choreographed by hisfriend Mr. Bennett, a summerstock production of the Richard Rodgers musi-cal “No Strings.”“I knew right away that he had it — and he

knew he had it,” Mr. Avian wrote.Bennett’s career took off, and with it. Avian’s

soon did too.Some of their projects were more challenging

than others. There was, for instance, “Coco,” a1969 André Previn-Alan Jay Lerner musicalthat garnered a lot of attention, both for itsenormous budget and for its star, KatharineHepburn, who played the fashion designerCoco Chanel. Mr. Bennett was the choreogra-pher, Mr. Avian his assistant, and from thebeginning they realized that they had theirwork cut out for them. Avian recounted the firstrehearsal in “Dancing Man”:“We’re excited and even in awe of the great Kate

— for precisely 10 minutes. And then Michael and Ilook at each other and realize there’s an elephantin the room: The legendary Katharine Hepburndoesn’t have a musical bone in her body.”Still, though critics were unkind, “Coco” ran

for 329 performances on the basis of star poweralone.Avian wasn’t limited to the choreographic

side of things in his work with Mr. Bennett. On“Ballroom,” in addition to his Tony-winningchoreography, he was a producer. And on theirnext collaboration, “Dreamgirls” (1981), whichMr. Bennett directed and choreographed, hewas a lead producer. That show ran onBroadway for more than three and a half years.When Bennett became ill, Avian wasn't sure

about his own future, and particularly aboutwhether to accept an offer from the producerCameron Mackintosh to stage a revival of“Follies” in 1987. In an interview with The NewYork Post last year, he said it had been Mr.Bennett, near death at the time, who spurredhim on, telling him: “You should do this. Youknow what we did with the original, and youknow the characters.”Avian went on to do the “musical staging” (as

the credit reads) for Mackintosh’s production of“Miss Saigon,” for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s“Sunset Boulevard" and, in 1999, for theStephen Sondheim revue “Putting It Together.”Avian and Pileski, who had been together for

36 years and had homes in Fort Lauderdale,New York and Connecticut, married in 2011.He is also survived by a sister, Laura Nabedian.

9S A T U R D A Y, J A N U A R Y 3 0 , 2 0 2 1 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMUNITY NEWS/OBITUARY

WATERTOWN — Hagop Ucuzian ofWatertown passed away at home surrounded byhis family on January 20, 2021 at the age of 89. He was born on April 3, 1931 in Sivas, Turkey

to the late Dikran and Paris Ucuzian.He is survived by his beloved wife Nadia

(Bilalian) Ucuzian. He was the loving father ofTalin Bekelian and her husband Kevork of

Belmont and Tanya Ucuzian of Watertown. Hewas the proud grandfather of Karina, Liana andLara. He was the dear brother of Mariam Coganof Montreal and the late Amira Ucuz. He is alsosurvived by many loving nieces and nephews. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and

public safety concerns, funeral services &Interment were private.In lieu of flowers donations may be made to

St. James Armenian Church, 465 Mt. AuburnSt., Watertown, MA 02472.

ADL and TCA Activist Makrouhi Koumrouyan(Kouyoumjian) Passes Away

BOURDJ HAMMOUD, Lebanon — Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL) and Tekeyan CulturalAssociation (TCA) activist Makrouhi Koumrouyan (Kouyoumjian) passed away on Friday, January 22, 2021.Services took place on January 22 at the Bourdj Hammoud Armenian cemetery chapel, after which inter-ment took place.Born as Makruhi Avedisian in 1927, she was the wife of ADL leader Hampartzum Kumruyan (1924-1991),

who was former editor of the party organ Zartonk, former chairman of the TCA in Lebanon and veteran mem-ber of the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Armenian Youth Association. He was an intellectualand educator, who used the penname Hrach Vahuni.Together the couple brought up four children, Dr. Hrach (current chairman of the ADL Supreme Council)

and wife Shushan, Vahe and Eleanor, Nora and Kevork Kevorkian, and Harout and Silva, who in turn col-lectively gave them 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren as of today.

LOS ANGELES — Marie “Maro” Ajemian, aCalifornia actress and school finance director,passed away on Saturday, December 19, 2020,succumbing to an aggressive cancer.Born in Jerusalem on September 21, 1955, she

moved with her family at a young age to Beirut,where she graduated the Armenian GeneralBenevolent Union (AGBU) Tarouhi Hagopian GirlsSchool. She worked for a period of time in Jeddah.In 1981, she moved to the United States.She was a member of the AGBU Ardavast

Theater Group, which became the SatamianTheatre Company, and acted with many otherArmenian theatrical groups. She has appearedin 13 plays, 2 operettas, 2 professional plays anda film. She performed stand-up comedy becauseshe believed that “laughter is the cure.”Maro Ajemian performing at the sold out “An

Evening of Comedy” in 2018 organized by the

TCA Metro Los Angeles chapter in PasadenaShe was a longtime member of the Tekeyan

Cultural Association as well as the ArmenianDemocratic Liberal Party.Maro was well liked for her humor and warm

personality. Her love for her family and theArmenian people and culture were well known.She left behind her husband Hratch; son Ara;daughter Salpie and son-in-law Vahe Rupchianand their children Shant, Aren and Vahan;brother Ohan and wife Yvonne Yergainharsianand children, Sona and Nayiri; brother KokoYergainharsian; and members of the Ajemian,Yergainharsian, Rupchian, Arakelian,Melkonian, Demirjian, Balian, Dawani,Hovhanessian and Kupelian families.Funeral services, followed by interment, were

held on January 5, 2021 at Hollywood HillsForest Lawn Mortuary Park.

Hagop Ucuzian

Marie ‘Maro’ AjemianNoted Comic Actress

Bob Avian & Michael Bennett with their 1979 Tony Award forBallroom (Photo: Bob Deutsch)

Bob AvianChoreographer of Broadway Smashes

Bob Avian (Photo courtesyPeter Pileski)

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GORKY, from page 1In an expansive interview this week, Egoyan,

an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker with astring of introspective films as well as lushopera productions and installations, has founda way to combine his heritage with a non-linearapproach to art.“Gorky is one of our greatest visual artists,”

he said, adding “he is clearly, in terms ofAmerican contemporary art, hugely important.” “He was one of our most important survivors

of the Armenian Genocide,” he added, alongwith Komitas.The two were “creative forces that needed to

survive catastrophe” and in that way, con-tribute to the canon of world art.Kouyoumdjian, Egoyan’s collaborator in this

program, in an interview said she was thrilled

to collaborate with the Canadian filmmaker. “I have been such a big fan of Atom Egoyan

since I was a teenager,” she said. She had sent him a letter and asked for him

to collaborate with her, and she said to her sur-prise, he had replied positively.“It was incredible that he had awareness of

who I was,” she recalled.Aside from mutual admiration, she explained

that both she and Egoyan have been influencedgrea