Author: Chilingarian Babken

A ONE-PRESIDENT SUMMIT; Vladimir Putin the host

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say Part A (Russia)
July 21, 2006 Friday

By Vladimir Soloviov, Sergei Strokan

Ten CIS presidents are coming to Moscow for an informal summit;
CIS presidents are coming to Moscow for an informal summit. The CIS
is split into pro-Russian and anti-Russian factions, but it hasn’t
collapsed yet – only because the CIS countries aspiring for integration
into the West still hope to settle their conflicts with Russia first.

Turkmenistan is the only CIS country that won’t be represented by
its president, Saparmurat Niyazov, in Moscow. The Turkmenbashi rarely
attends informal CIS summits.

Ten other CIS presidents are coming – even Mikhail Saakashvili,
Viktor Yushchenko, and Vladimir Voronin. Their fiercely pro-Western
Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova were the worst affected by a sharp
turn in Moscow’s foreign policy that sparked gas and trade wars with
insufficiently loyal CIS regimes last year.

A meeting between Vladimir Putin and his Georgian counterpart
Saakashvili will probably be the central event of the informal
summit. Russian-Georgian relations are at a record low. Trade wars and
scandalous political statements have escalated into outright threats.

Conflict resolution in Abkhazia and South Ossetia will be in the
focus of attention at the bilateral talks. Everything points to
the conclusion that Saakashvili is going to Moscow to demand,
not to beg. The president of Georgia has some major cards up
his sleeve. For a start, Georgia withdrew its signature from the
bilateral agreement concerning WTO membership for Russia. Secondly, the
parliament of Georgia unanimously passed a resolution on withdrawing
Russian peacekeeping contingents from the Georgian-Abkhazian and
Georgian-Ossetian conflict areas.

The Kremlin in its turn is determined to keep its obstinate neighbor
under pressure. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made it plain in his
interview yesterday that Russian peacekeepers are not leaving. Lavrov
accused Georgia of sabotaging the peacekeeping operation and failing to
implement international agreements on regional conflict resolution. The
Russian minister warned Tbilisi against the use of force, and promised
protection of citizens of Russia "by all available means."

According to our sources, Moscow is considering tougher economic
sanctions against Georgia. The ban on import of wines and mineral
water from Georgia was just a curtain-raiser, it seems. When he
was meeting with Saakashvili in June, Putin hinted that Russia had
another economic lever to use. "Between $1.5 million and $2 billion
is transacted from Russia into Georgia every year," he said. "That’s
more than any aid from the third countries." By plugging the financial
channels, the Kremlin would deprive Tbilisi of one of its major sources
of foreign currency. On the other hand, this is not a measure to be
considered lightly.

Unlike his Georgian counterpart, President Voronin of Moldova
is coming to Moscow to try to make peace with the Kremlin. In a
major press conference shortly before his departure for Moscow,
Voronin took the first step towards restoring relations with Russia
and said that he does not perceive any political motives in higher
gas tariffs. The Kremlin must have taken notice. Voronin’s Foreign
Policy Advisor Sergiu Mokanu says that a bilateral meeting between
the Moldovan and Russian president has been scheduled.

However, Putin will probably find himself in the position of a
referee at the summit. There is no love lost between presidents of
some pro-Russian CIS countries. A triangle of hostility exists in
Central Asia – between Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. It is
usually Dushanbe and mostly Bishkek versus Tashkent. Uzbek secret
services boasted of having captured a Tajik spy shortly before the
summit in Moscow. The spy turned out to be one Furkat Tuigunov,
a citizen of Tajikistan of Uzbek origin. According to the Uzbek
authorities, Tuigunov already confessed and said the Tajik State
Security ministry had recruited him in 2001 and ran him ever since.
Tuigunov allegedly confessed that he had prepared acts of sabotage
on the territory of Uzbek border regions and was tasked to arrange
physical elimination of certain citizens of Uzbekistan. Our sources
indicate that President Emomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan is going to
raise the topic of Tajik-Uzbek relations at the summit and ask Putin
to intercede on behalf of his country.

Neither can Kurmanbek Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan boast of any warm relations
with official Tashkent. Bilateral relations soured after the Andijan
events in May of 2005, when Bishkek refused to extradite 500 refugees
to Uzbekistan but helped them move on to other countries instead. Islam
Karimov of Uzbekistan never forgot it. President Ilham Aliyev of
Azerbaijan and President Robert Kocharian of Armenia are also going
to enlist the services of Russia as a go-between. The Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolution is in another impasse at this point.

Conversation with Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus promises to
be particularly trying. Elected the president again last spring,
Lukashenko was enraged to hear an ultimatum from the Kremlin: either
he sells Belarussian gas infrastructure to Gazprom or gas tariffs for
Belarus go up to the European level. Lukashenko resisted it as long
as he dared but eventually succumbed to the pressure for fear to lose
everything (the seat of the president, first and foremost). Alexander
Ryazanov of Gazprom flew to Minsk yesterday to sign the protocol on
assets evaluation.

In other words, the forthcoming summit will be rather like Putin’s
waiting room, where the visiting dignitaries will wait their turn to
air their grievances and problems.

P.S.

The informal CIS meeting is taking place right after the G8 summit
in St. Petersburg, and this nuance cannot help having its effect
on the former. No matter what else might be said about the outcome
of the G8 summit, one has to admit that Russia managed to remain in
the elite club and blunt the attacks of critics of Russian democracy
(for how long doesn’t really matter for the time being). In short, the
painstakingly directed return of Russia to the sphere of international
affairs has taken place according to the script. It follows that
Russia is the only member of the commonwealth of outsiders that
simultaneously belongs to the upper segment of world politics.

CIS leaders do not belong to the pick of the crop of the global
politics, and Russia with its global status becomes their Elder Brother
or promoter of their interests in dealings with the centers of world
power. From this standpoint, membership in the CIS with Russia offers
them practically the only chance of integration into the civilized
world (even though this chance is really illusory). Russia in its turn
is given a chance to shift the CIS to a new phase of development, the
one that will benefit Russia itself. The Commonwealth of Independent
States of the 1990s is about to become the Commonwealth of Dependent
States of 2006. And it isn’t closed to new memberships.

Source: Kommersant, July 21, 2006, p. 8

Translated by A. Ignatkin

REPUBLICANS LIKEN BARGAVACH HAYASTAN TO TRADE COMPANY

Lragir.am
21 July 06

"The general impression is that political marketing for the brand
of Bargavach Hayastan Party [Prosperous Armenia] is carried out,"
says Rep. Member of Parliament Armen Ashotyan, who commented on the
possibility of competition between the Republican and Prosperous
Armenia on July 21 at the Pastark Club. Armen Ashotyan compares
the activities of Prosperous Armenia to companies, which place
advertisements with slogans "coming soon".

"In terms of political marketing a similar PR step is taken," says
Armen Ashotyan, emphasizing that the names of the members of the
political team of this party are not known except Gagik Tsarukyan. "In
other words, there is no political visit card, there are no political
personages except Gagik Tsarukyan. The team is not introduced yet. In
other words, the political PR of this coming soon is carried out,
Prosperous Armenia coming soon, soon Prosperous Armenia will open,"
describes Armen Ashotyan. According to him, it is not clear how and
with what team this political party will fulfill its ambitions. Armen
Ashotyan thinks it is early to consider Prosperous Armenia a political
opponent of the Republican Party.

CHURCH IS BUILT IN STEPANAKERT

Lragir.am
20 July 06

We have learned that on July 22 the first stone will be laid in the
foundation of the cathedral of the Artsakh Diocese. High-ranking
guests, including the Catholicos of All Armenians will arrive in
Stepanakert on this occasion. Several years ago а sanctified vessel
was laid in the place of the October Cinema destroyed during the war,
marking the site where a church was going to be built. But the plans
changed, and they decided to build the church somewhere near the
town polyclinic. In order to build the church a number of buildings
will be pulled down, including the Lastochka Restaurant, which is
the favorite place of the people of Stepanakert.

Stepanakert lived without a church for many years. Soviet statistics
reports that Karabakh was the only place in the Soviet Union where
there was not an operating church since 1930, whereas there used to
be a small church in every village in Karabakh until 1930. They say
there was a big church in the place of the theatre of Stepanakert,
and the ancient church of Vararakn in the upper part of the town is
still in the territory of a place of entertainment.

Several months ago the construction of the first church in
Stepanakert began on Hekimyan Street. As a rule, churches are not
built arbitrarily, the place is specially chosen. The place of
the church of Stepanakert was chosen by the Primate of the Artsakh
Diocese. Population in this part of the town has increased, and they
need a place where they can pray God.

The church is built on the donation of an American benefactor who
made a pilgrimage to Artsakh and promised to build a church in Artsakh
and name it in memory of his son Hakob.

KARABAKHOPEN.COM

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Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2006
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

ASSEMBLY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MEETS WITH PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN, AMB. EVANS
DURING OFFICIAL VISIT TO ARMENIA

Washington, DC – Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny
participated in a series of meetings with U.S., Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh government officials, July 1-7, to assess and discuss the
U.S.-Armenia/ U.S.-Karabakh relationships and exchange perspectives
on a wide range of regional and bilateral issues.

During the course of the week-long visit, Ardouny and Country
Director for Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Arpi Vartanian met with
several high-level officials, including President Robert Kocharian and
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans. The meetings were part of
the Assembly’s long-standing practice of exchanging views with Armenian
and Karabakh officials, as well as U.S. officials. Among the critical
issues discussed were – U.S. economic and humanitarian assistance,
the Nagorno Karabakh peace process, the Millennium Challenge Account
Armenia Program, the upcoming elections, and barriers to Armenia’s
regional and economic integration.

Beginning on July 4, Ardouny met with President Kocharian to
review Assembly activities in Washington, including efforts to
seek continued robust assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
for Fiscal Year 2007. Ardouny reiterated the Assembly’s commitment
to maintain assistance levels following recent action by the full
Senate Appropriations Committee to cut Armenia’s overall funding to
$58 million. He added, however, that the Committee voted to maintain
military assistance parity ($4.29 million) between Armenia and
Azerbaijan – a key legislative priority for the Assembly.

Ardouny also discussed the status of an Assembly-backed bill
that would prohibit U.S. funding for a proposed railway that would
connect Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey while bypassing Armenia. House
resolution 3361, and its Senate counterpart S.2461, would prevent the
U.S. from facilitating the construction of the rail line which seeks
to isolate Armenia by enhancing the ongoing Turkish and Azerbaijani
blockades.

Last month, the House Financial Services Committee voted that no
Export-Import funding would be used for the proposed rail link
project. More recently, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Nominee Richard
E. Hoagland testified during his Senate confirmation hearing that it
would make economic sense to rehabilitate the existing rail line which
traverses Armenia, adding that the U.S. supports regional cooperation
and economic integration. Armenian government officials have repeatedly
said that a new railway is unnecessary given that a railroad linking
Armenia, Georgia and Turkey already exists and could be operational
within weeks, for a fraction of the cost.

Ardouny, who traveled to Stepanakert in 1998 and again in 2001, also
discussed the recent developments regarding the Nagorno Karabakh
peace process.

"Our meetings in Yerevan were extremely productive and I look forward
to similar exchanges in the future," said Ardouny. "The Assembly will
continue its efforts to support a secure, prosperous and democratic
Armenia. As to the peace process, it is critical that the security and
rights of the people of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh are protected."

Ardouny also met with Ambassador John M. Evans on July 5 and discussed
a range of bilateral issues including the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) compact – a U.S. financial assistance program. In
March, the U.S.-Armenia relationship took a major step forward
when the countries signed a five-year $235 million compact aimed at
reducing rural poverty and increasing agricultural productivity in
Armenia. Evans, who traveled to Washington for the historic signing,
also addressed the Assembly’s pan-Armenian Advocacy Conference where
he stressed that Armenia must do more to foster democratic reform in
order to remain eligible for MCC funding.

Ardouny also discussed aspects of the MCC grant program with Alex
Russin, the newly-appointed Millennium Challenge Corporation Resident
Country Director. On July 7, Ardouny and Vartanian, together with
Board of Trustees Member Van Krikorian, attended a reception at the
U.S. Embassy celebrating U.S. Independence Day.

In addition to his meetings with President Kocharian and Ambassador
Evans, Ardouny also met with Armenia’s National Assembly Speaker Tigran
Torosyan, Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian, Defense Minister Serge Sargsian, Transport and Communication
Minister Andranik Manukyan, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy
Davit Avetissyan and NKR Representative in Armenia Karlen Avetissian.

Oskanian previously met with Assembly leaders in March, during an
official trip to the U.S. for the signing of the MCC compact. During
his visit, Oskanian participated in the Assembly’s National Conference
and Banquet in Washington, DC.

Before departing for the U.S., Ardouny also met with Assembly summer
interns during an event hosted by Board of Trustees Treasurer Edele
Hovnanian. He also visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial and laid
flowers at the Eternal Flame in honor of the victims of the 1915
genocide.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.

### NR#2006-065

Photographs available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:

/2006-065-1.JPG

Caption: Armenia President Robert Kocharian, right, with Assembly
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny at the Presidential Palace in Yerevan.

065/2006-065-2.JPG

Caption: Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, left, with Armenia’s
National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosyan at the National Assembly
of the Republic of Armenia on July 6.

06-065-3.JPG

Caption: Armenia’s Defense Minister Serge Sargsian flanked by Executive
Director Bryan Ardouny and Arpi Vartanian, Country Director for
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

-065/2006-065-4.JPG

Caption: Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, right, met with
Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny on July 4.

06-065-5.JPG

Caption: On July 2, Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, center, met with
Assembly summer interns during an event hosted by Board of Trustees
Treasurer Edele Hovnanian, far left.

G8: Core principles on peaceful settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict should be agreed in 2006

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 17 2006

[ 17 Jul. 2006 19:32 ]

The G8 Summit of heads of states held in the Russian city of St
Petersburg was closed today. The final Communique drawn up on behalf
of Russia chairing the G8 summit touches on the Nagorno-Garabagh,
Kosovo and other regional conflicts (APA).

The G8 leaders stress importance of finding and agreeing on
core principles on peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Garabagh,
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict in 2006.

"We confirmed that the Eight Group supports mediating efforts of
the OSCE Minsk Group and stresses importance of soonest reaching an
agreement on core principles for peaceful settlement of the conflict in
2006. We call on Azerbaijan and Armenia to demonstrate political will,
reach an agreement and prepare their peoples for peace not for war,"
the Communique underlines./APA/

Letters to Editor

Fresno Bee (California)
July 11, 2006 Tuesday
FINAL EDITION

Honest language

"We have ambassadors who can’t use a word, just a word," said
Republican Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota at the confirmation hearing
of Richard Hoagland, who is to replace the dismissed ambassador to
Armenia, John Evans.

On June 10, 2005, Yale-educated Ambassador Evans was selected to
receive a prestigious award for " constructive dissent" for calling
the 1915 massacres of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks a "genocide."

Disgracefully, under the pressures of the Turkish government, not
only the award was withdrawn, but Mr. Evans’ tenure as ambassador to
Armenia was cut short.

It is unbelievable that highly educated scholars and historians serving
in the U.S. government are forbidden to use the word "genocide"
because of our administration’s Turkish-dictated agenda. Where is
the pillar of democracy — free speech?

I hope, I yearn for an intelligent leadership in our United States
that will have the moral fabric to be honest and be a true defender
of justice.

Nazik Kotcholosian Messerlian

Fresno

German expert sees talks as only option for Garabagh

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
July 13 2006

Baku, July 12, AssA-Irada — A German expert says Azerbaijan and
Armenia should refrain from military action to settle the Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict and the only solution is peace talks.

The resumption of hostilities would prove disastrous for both
countries and seriously complicate their admission to the EU and
European integration in general, the former German official, Rolf
Shteltemayer, said.

Shteltemayer said that unfortunately, both countries lack political
will to attain resolution to the long-standing dispute.

"The sides should realize that a full solution to the conflict should
not be expected," he said.

The analyst called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to accept a stage-by-stage
settlement, saying the two countries had failed to make a final
decision on the issue.

With regard to the status of Upper Garabagh, Shteltemayer said if
the issue cannot be resolved at this stage, it should be put off
until later.

The expert said the importance of resolving the conflict is related
to the tremendous importance the South Caucasus region represents
for Europe.

"There is not only oil involved and the issue has to do with other
economic reasons as well. The region can now be seen as a gateway
to Europe. It could turn into an area of struggle of the world’s
superpowers. Iran is very close to the region and Europe does not
want a new source of threat – the Garabagh conflict – to emerge here."*

IT TAKES A STEP FROM APRICOT TO DRIED APRICOT

Lragir.am
12 July 06

Though I tried hard, I could not imagine Condoleezza Rice entering
the Kodak Hall in Los Angeles or the French foreign minister walking
on the red rug in Cannes, or Lavrov entering the hall of the film
festival of Moscow. They appeared to me in interstate meetings,
heated international talks, diplomatic battles. I did not try to
imagine foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan walking on the rug of the
film festival. I did not need to because I could simply see that on
July 10, at 21 o’clock in the evening, in front of the Moscow Cinema,
on the red rug of the Golden Apricot Festival.

Vardan Oskanyan did not appear there accidentally. Perhaps only the
organizers of the festival knew about Vardan Oskanyan’s relation to
cinema, world cinema generally (because the festival is international)
and Armenian cinema particularly. It should be noted, however, that
Vardan Oskanyan did not look lost among renowned and not so renowned
directors. Moreover, for a moment it appeared as if the passer was
not the blacksmith of native diplomacy but one of the prominent
representatives of the native film industry. And it is difficult to
state which of them suffered much, cinema or diplomacy, when Vardan
Oskanyan chose cinema as his main occupation.

Although this should not be uttered absolutely. After all, it is not
surprising when at an important and maybe even crucial moment for the
country’s foreign policies we see the foreign minister on the rug of
the festival, not at the table of negotiations. They kill Armenians
in Russia, Iran demands account for the sale of the gas pipeline,
Verin Lars is again closed down, Karabakh talks are declassified,
whereas the foreign minister attends to the festival.

Apricots are good, especially at the end of the season, especially
when the border between diplomacy and cinema is not visible. But
Lavrov knows something when he does not walk on festival rugs. On
the other hand, it is possible that he does not know anything, but
he has a lot to do and there is no time for rugs. Well, they are big
countries, they have problems, interests, goals. Therefore they go
in for diplomacy. Ours is apricots, it is good if they sell well,
at least the dried apricots.

HAKOB BADALYAN

THIRD GOLDEN APRICOT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL STARTS IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 10, "Voske
Tsiran" (Golden Apricot) Third International Film Festival started
with the showing of the Hamo Beknazarian’s "Namus" film at the Yerevan
Moscow cinema (the film was shot in 1930s). On the occasion of the
festival’s opening, "Andrey" documentary film by Arsen Azatian and
Narine Mkrtchian (15 minutes) dedicated to the famous movie director
Andrey Tarkovski’s visit to Armenia in 1965 was also shown.

Greeting the guests and the participants of the Festival Vartan
Oskanian, honorary President of the Voske Tsiran festival, Foreign
Minister of Armenia mentioned that when three years ago he was
welcoming the start of the first Festival, he had a preoccupation that
it would not have a continuation. But now due to the great people of
the Armenian cinema and the audience the festival is a solid event
and has become traditional. "Today the cinematography has a great
role in the issue of establishing dialogue between states and nations.

And this festival also, in which the artists from neighbor countries
participate, is an evidence of it," said Vartan Oskanian.

Atom Egoyan, President of the Voske Tsiran film festival, a
well-known Canadian Armenian movie director mentioned in his speech
that the festivals are great opportunities for new meetings and
contacts. According to him, for example Godfrey Reggio, knowing the
films and the art of Artavazd Peleshian, had never seen him, and now
their meeting took place. Coming back to Armenia in 1989, after the
[1988] earthquake, Moritz de Hadeln organized showing of Armenian
documentary films in the Berlin festival. Atom Egoyan also mentioned
that movies are the most wonderful means for people to beome closer
and establish contacts.

The President of the Festival handed the award for great contribution
in the World cinema, "Taler of Parajanov" (copy of symbolic "money"
made by the great film director from bottle lids when in custody)
to Marco Bellocchio, alive classic of the Italian cinema.

It should be mentioned that Atom Egoyan arrived in Armenia for a day
and was to leave after the opening ceremony.

58 countries presented 300 applications for participating in the
festival.

114 movies which were selected beforehand will be shown on the main
days of the festival on July 10-15 as well as numerous exhibitions,
seminars, masterclasses dedicated to the cinema art will be organized.

Before the opening ceremony of the festival, a consecration ceremony
was organized in the yard of the Moscow cinema, in the Charles Aznavour
square. Jazz band of the Public Radio performed jazz performances.

Picnic aids Armenian Home

The Fresno Bee
July 11, 2006

Fundraiser helps pay for maintenance of a Fresno landmark.
By Vanessa Colón

Moonlight picnic

Where: California Armenian Home
When: 6 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday
Cost: Parking $5, meals range from $7 to $12 Trimmed trees dotted
with pink blossoms, spotless floors covered by rugs and warm, hearty
meals are samplings of the atmosphere and services the California
Armenian Home wants to continue for the elderly with help from a
fundraiser Saturday.

The Armenian American Citizens League and the home will host the
annual Moonlight Picnic, a gathering rooted in the century-old
tradition of Armenian-American picnics.

The home, founded more than 50 years ago by the Armenian American
Citizens League, houses more than 100 residents.

"We built this place. ~E We gradually fixed the grounds. We are
always trying to improve the place," said Penny Mirigian-Emerzian, an
organizer of the picnic.

The picnic, one of the major fundraisers that helps keep the facility
running, serves to unite the Armenian-American community from all
over the Central Valley and the state.

The home was established to give Armenian-Americans a facility for
their older population. The home offers arrangements for residents
who don’t need assistance and those who do, as well as a hospital
facility.

Two groups, the Ani Guild and the Armenian Home Guild, help support
the home through fundraisers and activities.

The tradition of children looking after aging parents hasn’t gone
away among Armenian- American families, but some families depend on a
facility such as the home, Mirigian-Emerzian said.

Birdie Saroyan, cousin of famous playwright William Saroyan, had no
choice but to live at the home.

Saroyan, 84, said: "I don’t have any children. I never got married. I
took care of Mommy and Daddy ~E I took very good care of them."

The Moonlight Picnic will take place outside the home at 6720 E.
Kings Canyon Road and will feature Armenian cuisine such as a shish
kebab and lulu kebab sandwich. Hot dogs are on the menu for those not
wanting Armenian dishes.

Entertainment includes musician Richard Hagopian and a raffle for
cash prizes. Organizers expect about 1,000 people.

A new feature at the home is a flag staff, where an Armenian flag
flutters beneath the American flag.

The American flag flew in Washington, D.C., and the Armenian flag
once flew over the Armenian Embassy, Mirigian-Emerzian said.

Lucy Jamgotchian, a survivor of the Armenian genocide from 1915 to
1923, used to walk outside to raise the flags. Jamgotchian, 97, now
uses a wheelchair but is content living in the home where she can
stare out her window and look at the flags.

Jamgotchian said: "I’m not fussy."

The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (559) 441-6313

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