The transfer of the midfielder of the Armenia national team Henrikh Mkhitaryan from “Manchester United” to “Arsenal” has been included in the best 11 of the winter transfer window. Goal.com website formed the list.
Alexis Sanchez, who replaced Mkhitaryan in “Manchester”, has also been included in the list.
William Rempel, a veteran investigative reporter, just wrote a comprehensive biography of industrialist and philanthropist Kirk Kerkorian published by Harper Collins. The book is titled, “The Gambler: How Penniless dropout Kirk Kerkorian became the greatest deal maker in capitalist history.”
Rempel has meticulously pieced together the details of Kerkorian’s phenomenal and extremely private life through war records, business archives, court documents, recollections and recorded memories of longtime friends and associates.
Although both are Billionaires and casino owners, Kerkorian and Donald Trump had very little in common. Rempel wrote: “Fellow casino owner Donald Trump called Kirk ‘the king’ and told friends: ‘I love that guy.’ However, Kirk was Trump’s polar opposite in style and temperament. Kirk was soft-spoken and understated with a paralyzing fear of public speaking. He wished, he said, that he ‘could talk like Trump.’ Kirk also wanted his name on nothing — not on buildings, not on street signs, not even on his personal parking spot at MGM Studios. And Kirk never defaulted on a loan and always regarded his handshake as a binding contract.”
When Kerkorian’s new multi-billion dollar ‘CityCenter’ hotel-casino complex at the heart of Las Vegas ran into financial trouble in 2009, Rempel wrote that Trump initially expressed some sympathy: “I love Kirk and hope it works out for them.” Trump then turned around and called the ‘CityCenter’ project “an absolute catastrophe” during an interview on CNN’s Larry King Show. Trump later stated: “It will be the biggest bust in the history of real estate…too bad.” Of course, Trump was wrong in his prediction. Kerkorian, once again, bounced back on his feet and ‘CityCenter’ became a great financial success!
While Kerkorian was on the Forbes magazine’s billionaires list in 1989, Trump was also initially on that list. However, soon after, Forbes dumped Trump from its list of billionaires explaining that “they had been misled by incomplete information provided by Trump…. The future U.S. president’s net worth was then, said the editors, ‘within hailing distance of zero.’”
A press release issued by Harper Collins described Rempel’s biography of Kerkorian as the “rags-to-riches story of one of America’s wealthiest and least-known financial giants, self-made billionaire Kirk Kerkorian — the daring aviator, movie mogul, risk taker, and business tycoon who transformed Las Vegas and Hollywood to become one of the leading financiers in American business.”
One of the key advantages of this biography is the extensive coverage of Kerkorian’s philanthropy for the Armenian-American community and the Republic of Armenia. In the past two years, I spent several hours with author William Rempel to brief him about Kerkorian’s contributions to American-Armenian charitable organizations and major projects in Armenia. Rempel described me in the book as: “Publisher of the California Courier, an English-language Armenian weekly based in Glendale, California, was also president of the United Armenian Fund [now Armenia Artsakh Fund] and the driving force behind Kirk’s Armenian charity efforts.” In reality, Kerkorian himself was the driving force behind his charitable giving! He really cared about the Armenian community’s well-being and Armenia’s prosperity.
Although Kerkorian remains a very well-known and highly respected name among Armenians worldwide, many non-Armenians are unaware that he was an Armenian-American. Fortunately, Rempel’s biography devotes three chapters to Kerkorian’s Armenian heritage and philanthropy.
Chapter 12 of the book is titled: “The Armenian Connection.” It describes Kerkorian’s chance meeting in Las Vegas with Manny Agassi in 1963, a waiter at Tropicana hotel and a fellow Armenian originally from Tehran, Iran. Manny became a close friend of Kerkorian and named his future son, Andre Kirk Agassi, who became a famous tennis player. Rempel also described Kerkorian’s business dealings with George Mason (Elmassian), his longtime stockbroker, and the founder of the California Courier newspaper in 1958.
In chapter 31, Rempel described the tragic earthquake of December 7, 1988, in Northern Armenia and how Kerkorian agreed to join the United Armenian Fund in sending over 150 airlifts for the next 25 years to transport $700 million of humanitarian aid initially to the survivors of the earthquake, and subsequently to the entire population of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabagh). The biographer Rempel also described how the United Armenian Fund was founded, a coalition of the seven largest Armenian-American charitable and religious organizations, including Kerkorian’s Lincy Foundation. Alex Yemenidjian was Chairman of the United Armenian Fund and Harut Sassounian was its President.
Chapter 36 is titled: “Genocide and Generosity.” It described Kerkorian’s first-ever visit to Armenia in 1998 on his private jet accompanied by Harut Sassounian. The chapter relates conversations about Turkey and the occupied Armenian lands during the flight to Armenia and discussions to fund new projects by Kerkorian’s Lincy Foundation. I was subsequently appointed Vice Chairman of the Lincy Foundation to oversee $242 million of infrastructure projects in Armenia and some in Artsakh. This revealing book also includes amusing anecdotes about Kerkorian’s uncomfortable stay in an old Soviet-style mansion which forced him to switch to the Marriott Hotel, and his traumatic visit to the Armenian Genocide Museum in Yerevan!
Kirk Kerkorian’s biography is the fascinating story of a unique human being. He was a brilliant businessman, an extremely modest philanthropist, a true American as well as a true Armenian. As a last indication of his kindness and generosity, he departed this world in 2015 at the age of 98, leaving his entire fortune of $2 billion to charity, in addition to the $1 billion he had already donated to American and Armenian charitable causes through the Lincy Foundation.
I recommend that every Armenian buy a copy of Kirk’s biography and suggest it to their non-Armenian neighbors, friends and colleagues. Kerkorian’s incredible accomplishments bestow a great honor upon Armenians worldwide!
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
During a meeting with the foreign ministry staff on January 30 in Yerevan, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan addressed the negotiations process of the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
“We have never tried to burden someone else with our share of responsibility of solving international and regional problems. The peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will continue to be in the frontline of our foreign policy agenda. Certainly, we will steadily continue supporting efforts aimed at the peaceful settlement of the conflict in the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair format. Our positions have drastically strengthened due to consistent work of the past 10 years in the settlement process”, he said.
The president thanked all participants of the process – led by the minister. He stressed that Armenia succeeded in stipulating the self-determination right as a fundamental principle of the settlement of the conflict.
“At the same time, as much as the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is in the frontline of our foreign agenda, Armenia’s foreign policy, certainly, shouldn’t be limited and shouldn’t circle around this issue only. Naturally, the national interest of Armenia should be the key foreign policy, and Armenia’s active participation in issues of the international agenda will have positive impact in advancing our viewpoints”, he said.
ՎԱՐԴՈՒՀԻ ԱՐԶՈՒՄԱՆՅԱՆ
Տորոնտո (Նորանոր) _ Օնտարիո նահանգում, որտեղ հունիսի 7-ին անցկացվելու են խորհրդարանական ընտրություններ, և լուրջ պայքար է սպասվում իշխանական Ազատական կամ Լիբերալ ու ընդդիմադիր Պահպանողական կուսակցությունների թեկնածուների միջև, հունվարի 24-ից անսպասելի զարգացումներ տեղի ունեցան: Խոսքը վերաբերում է Պահպանողական կուսակցության առաջնորդ Պատրիկ Բրաունի շուրջ ծագած սկանդալին:
Սիրելի ընթերցող,
Կցուած կրնաք գտնել «Զարթօնք»ի այսօրուայ թիւը ՝
Շնորհակալ ենք, որ ընտրած էք «Զարթօնք»
կարդալ:
Սիրով՝
«ԶԱՐԹՕՆՔ»ի
Խմբագրութիւն
Tuesday, January 30, 2017 Italian Police Try To Arrest Armenian Opposition Leader . Hovannes Movsisian Italy - Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinian is surrounded by police officers in his hotel room in Rome,30Jan2018. Police in Italy reportedly attempted to detain on Tuesday a prominent Armenian opposition leader, Nikol Pashinian, on an apparently outdated international arrest warrant. "A short while ago the Italian police besieged my hotel room in Rome," Pashinian wrote on his Facebook page. "They came to arrest me." "It turns out that the Armenian authorities have been hunting for me through Interpol. They've been hunting since 2008 but still can't find me," he added with sarcasm. Pashinian, who was in Rome on a private trip, also posted a photograph of himself surrounded by four armed policemen inside his hotel room. They looked on as the 42-year-old member of Armenia's parliament seemingly searched for some information on his notebook computer. He was most probably not taken into custody after all. According to an Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman, the Italian police assured Armenia's embassy in Rome later in the day that they no longer have any issues with Pashinian. Embassy officials are now trying to contact the outspoken oppositionist, said the official. Pashinian is one of the top leaders of the opposition Yelk alliance. The pro-Western alliance holds 9 seats in Armenia's 105-member parliament. Armenia - Nikol Pashinian and other members of the opposition Yelk alliance campaign in downtown Yerevan, 8Mar2017. Pashinian was among several dozen opposition figures who went into hiding in March 2008 during the Armenian authorities' post-election crackdown on former President Levon Ter-Petrosian's opposition movement.The deadly crackdown was criticized by the Council of Europe and other international human rights organizations. Pashinian surrendered to law-enforcement authorities in July 2009. He was subsequently tried and sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of inciting "mass disturbances" in Yerevan which he denied as politically motivated. He was set free in May 2011 under a general amnesty. Reacting to the Rome incident, the Armenian police insisted that they withdrew their international arrest warrant for Pashinian three weeks after his surrender. A police statement said Interpol's Secretariat General in Lyon, France was promptly informed about that before sending similar notifications to the international police organization's member states. In separate comments to RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am), the Armenian police spokesman, Ashot Aharonian, suggested that Italian law-enforcement authorities failed to update their most wanted list based on Interpol records. "The Interpol database should have been updated," said Edmon Marukian, another leader of Yelk. "Namely, information [regarding Pashinian] should have long been removed from it. Pashinian has visited the United States, Great Britain and many other European countries. This is the first time that he is having such problems." Ex-PM Seen Likely To Become Armenian President . Astghik Bedevian Armenia - Former Prime Minister Armen Sarkissian meets with members of the National Academy of Sciences in Yerevan, . A senior representative of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) expressed confidence on Tuesday that Armen Sarkissian, a former Armenian prime minister currently serving as ambassador to Britain, will agree to become the country's next president. Sarkissian met with parliament deputies representing the HHK late on Monday at the start of political consultations which he has said will help him decide whether to accept the HHK nomination for the presidency. "I gathered from yesterday's meeting that it reinforced his [inclination to make a] positive decision," said Vahram Baghdasarian, the parliamentary leader of the party headed by the outgoing President Serzh Sarkisian. "I am convinced that Armen Sarkissian will opt for that decision," Baghdasarian told reporters. Later on Monday the 64-year-old ambassador also met with the leaders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), the HHK's junior coalition partner. One of them, Armen Rustamian, said afterwards that Dashnaktsutyun will endorse Sarkissian "in all likelihood" if he decides to run for president. Sarkissian again declined to shed light on his plans when he briefly spoke to journalists before meeting with senior members of Armenia's National Academy of Sciences on Tuesday. "Yesterday's meetings were very productive and interesting," the Armenpress news agency quoted him as saying. He did not elaborate. The next Armenian president will be elected by the parliament, rather than popular vote, one month before Serzh Sarkisian completes his second and final presidential term on April 9. Armenia will switch to a parliamentary system of government right after that, meaning that the new head of state will have largely ceremonial powers. The HHK controls the majority of seats in the National Assembly. Production Halted At Armenian Copper Mine . Karine Simonian Armenia - Open-pit mining at Teghut copper deposit, 20Dec2014. Amid continuing criticism from environmentalists, a leading Armenian mining company has suspended production operations at a massive copper deposit in the country's northern Lori province, citing the need to repair its waste disposal facilities. The company, Vallex Group, confirmed on Tuesday that some of its 1,215 employees working at the Teghut deposit were sent on indefinite leave on January 12. A Vallex spokeswoman said more of them will be told on Wednesday not to report for work until further notice. She gave no numbers. In a separate written statement to RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am), Vallex attributed the measure to the need to conduct "planned prophylactic repairs." It said it will specifically bring "technological parameters" of industrial waste flowing into a tailings dump near the mine into conformity with "new standards" for environment protection. In recent months, environment protection groups have repeatedly reported toxic leaks from the dump contaminating a nearby river. They have accused Vallex of operating in utter disregard of environmental standards. The Vallex statement dismissed those reports as "lies," denying any problems at the waste dump. It also said that the suspension of mining and ore enrichment at Teghut will last for "two months or longer." Some of the workers sent home said the company management gave them no dates for the resumption of production operations. They were worried that they will not be properly compensated for the hiatus. Some also feared that the mine will be closed altogether and they will lose their jobs. The Teghut operator sought to allay those fears, saying that it is actually planning to significantly increase copper ore extraction. Armenia - A newly constructed ore-processing plant at the Teghut copper mine, 20Dec2014. These plans met with strong resistance from some residents of two villages close to the mining site during a mandatory public discussion organized by Vallex in August. Those villagers said that higher pollution levels have already had negative effects on their fruit orchards. One local farmer, Levon Alikhanian, has been locked in a court battle with Vallex for nearly ten years. "We are going to collect signatures and send them to the prime minister so that they revoke [the company's mining] license," he said. "That company got the license by fooling the government." Vallex has also faced strong opposition from the Yerevan-based environmentalists. They argue, among other things, that open-pit mining at Teghut will lead to the destruction of hundreds of hectares of rich forest. The Liechtenstein-registered company pledged to plant a new and bigger forest in adjacent areas before launching mining operations there in 2014. It also promised to create 1,300 new jobs, build new schools and upgrade other infrastructure in the villages. Vallex, which also owns a copper smelter in the nearby town of Alaverdi and metal mines in Nagorno-Karabakh, defended its track record in a 5-page report released last week. It said its combined operating revenue rose by about 32 percent to $358 million last year thanks to increased international prices of copper and other non-ferrous metals. The Teghut mine generated over 42 percent of that revenue. The company employing about 3,500 people in Armenia and Karabakh also claimed to have paid $52 million in various taxes, up from $41 million in 2016. Armenian Presidential Palace To Be Turned Into PM's Office . Sisak Gabrielian Armenia -- The presidential palace in Yerevan. Armenia's next prime minister, who will take office in April, will be based in a building in Yerevan that has housed President Serzh Sarkisian and his staff for the past decade, under a newly publicized government bill. The draft amendments to an Armenian law on "social guarantees" for the country's top state officials will be construed by some observers as a further indication that Sarkisian is planning to become prime minister after serving out his final presidential term on April 9. The outgoing president has still not clarified his political plans. In line with controversial constitutional changes enacted by Sarkisian in 2015, Armenia will become a parliamentary republic after the end of his presidency. This means that it is the prime minister who will be the country's most powerful official. By contrast, the next president of the republic will have very few executive powers. Under the amendments drafted by the Justice Ministry, he and his staff will move into a new presidential palace in downtown Yerevan that has until now served as a venue for government receptions and intergovernmental meetings. According to Armenian newspaper reports, the Soviet-era building is currently undergoing hasty repairs. The existing presidential palace was also occupied by former Presidents Robert Kocharian and Levon Ter-Petrosian. The bill stipulates that it will become the prime minister's headquarters. The latter will be allowed to have up to 600 staffers. Armenian prime ministers have until now been based in another building located in Yerevan's central Republic Square. That building has also been the venue for weekly cabinet meetings. It is far more accessible for street protesters than the current presidential palace. Under another bill awaiting government approval, Armenia will have one first deputy prime minister and two deputy prime ministers starting from April. The current premier, Karen Karapetian, has only one deputy. There is mounting media speculation that Karapetian will be appointed first deputy prime minister. He has not commented on those rumors so far. Press Review "Zhamanak" considers former Prime Minister Armen Sarkissian's election as Armenia's next president to be a forgone conclusion. The paper says that as president Sarkissian will derive his clout not so much from that position as his "capital and international connections." It says that those connections will help him somewhat make up for a lack of executive powers to be vested in the presidency. "Inviting an official from abroad seems to be becoming a nice tradition in our country," writes "Hraparak." "Less than two years after inviting a prime minister from Russia we are inviting a president of Armenia from Great Britain. In essence, both men [Karen Karapetian an Armen Sarkissian] are carriers of the culture and the environment of the foreign countries where they have lived." The paper is skeptical about either man's readiness or ability to "change anything and improve life" in Armenia. "Aravot" comments on a government bill which would expand a legal ban on smoking in public places and drastically toughen financial penalties for people violating it. The paper voices support for the proposed measures but say the authorities have yet to come up with workable mechanisms for enforcing them. It also says that heavier fines are not necessarily the right way to curb smoking. It argues that existing, much smaller fines have never been enforced by relevant authorities. (Tigran Avetisian) Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL Copyright (c) 2018 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc. 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Armenpress News Agency , Armenia Monday Azerbaijan remains silent on Krakow agreement over enhancing Kasprzyk's capacity - Nalbandian YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. During the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Krakow, with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in attendance, a principled agreement was reached to increase the number of team members of Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk’s office – the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian reaffirmed during a press conference. “Armenia has always been in favor of enhancing the capabilities of the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. It is the only structure carrying out monitoring missions by the international structure in the conflict zone, and certainly, if we increase both the quantity and efficiency of those missions, meaning if we make those monitoring missions more intensive, it might be favorable for decreasing tension in the conflict zone and the 1994-1995 ceasefire agreements”, Nalbandian said. He reminded that these agreements were reached back in Vienna,several suggestions were made by then-chairing (OSCE) Germany. “The Armenian sides – Armenia and Artsakh – gave their agreement to them. However it wasn’t possible to enhance the capacity of Kasprzyk’s team because Azerbaijan created many obstacles. In Krakow, a principle agreement was reached on the level of ministers to make one step forward – to increase the international staff of Kasprzyk’s team by 7”, Nalbandian said. He emphasized that both the Co-Chairing countries and Armenia mentioned in their statements that unlike Azerbaijan, which displays a creative behavirour typical to itself after the meetings, it is no coincidence that the statements of Azerbaijan completely differ from the statement made by Armenia or the Co-Chairing countries. “The same happened in Krakow. Azerbaijan is still silent, it hasn’t said anything about reaching such agreement. Armenia and the Co-Chairing countries are saying this. Soon the Co-Chairs will visit the region – visiting Azerbaijan, Armenia and Artsakh. Let’s hope that this agreement will be realized and Azerbaijan will not make a step back once again”, he said. The FM also addressed the question regarding the creation of investigative mechanisms, stressing that the agreement about this was reached not only during the Vienna summit, but it is being discussed for at least 8-9 years. “This suggestion was made by the Co-Chairs. Many times we had reached mutual understanding, that this structure must be created, but it was again Azerbaijan which refused the agreements. The Co-Chairing countries had said for at least 2 times that Armenia has given agreement and they are waiting for Azerbaijan’s agreement to create the mechanism. The issue remains in the agenda. Let’s hope that it will be possible to be created in the future, since it can act as an important tool not only in terms of investigating cases, but also for decreasing tension in the region, it can act as a prevention tool”, he said.
ArmenPress News Agency , Armenia Monday Times to restrict people's right to free movement have gone: Armenian FM on Azerbaijani black list YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The majority of people included in the Azerbaijani black list considers it an honor to be in that list which they have repeatedly stated, Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said at a press conference, in response to the view according to which the Azerbaijani authorities announce that all those who visit Nagorno Karabakh are victims of the Armenian propaganda and after returning to their home countries they apologize to Azerbaijan and ask to remove them from the black list, Armenpress reports. “If we believe in Baku’s claims according to which all those who visit Karabakh, return, regret and ask for apology, this list would not increase and 600-700 persons would not be included in it. According to their data, 5-6 persons from this list asked to remove them from the list”, the FM said. Minister Nalbandian recalled that during a Q&A session in the Parliament he once said that the number of people visiting Artsakh will increase after blogger Alexander Lapshin’s case. “And this happened, you are also aware of. I think the Azerbaijani claims have nothing to do with reality, especially when the great majority of people included in that list considers an honor to be in it which they have repeatedly stated. And even those who asked to remove them from the list and apologized, Alexander Lapshin as well have made several disclosing statements on the black lists and bans used by Azerbaijan”, the Armenian FM said. He stated that the times to restrict people’s right to free movement by force have gone.
ArmenPress News Agency , Armenia Monday Armenia to host global forum on genocide prevention in December YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh remains one of the priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy, foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said during a press conference in response to a question from ARMENPRESS, mentioning that Armenia will continue efforts with the co-chairing countries in 2018. “Armenia has become a pioneer in the efforts of preventing crimes against humanity and new genocides. 2018 is the 70th anniversary of adopting the Genocide Prevention Convention. On this occasion, Armenia is presently putting efforts for a new resolution to be adopted in the UN circle – in the human rights council”, Nalbandian said. He reminded that in 2015 – the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide – Armenia succeeded in adopting a resolution which received serious endorsement from everyone. The minister emphasized that nearly 70 countries became co-authors of the resolution, however it was adopted with a consensus, meaning that nobody risked to oppose it. “This year we have initiated and are currently working for a new resolution to be adopted on this occasion. In December of 2018 we are planning to hold a new global forum on prevention of genocides. We plan to hold it in December, when at our initiative, the UN General Assembly declared Genocide 9 as a commemoration day of victims of all genocides”, the minister said. Reminding that Armenia is already chairing in the ministerial conference of La Francophonie, the summit of the organization will be held in Yerevan in October, and from December of 2017 Armenia is chairing in BSEC, the minister mentioning that there are many tasks to do. “We will continue efforts in terms of developing, strengthening bilateral relations, as well as in the frames of various international structures – responding to regional and international challenges”, he said.
ArmenPress News Agency , Armenia Monday Nearly 100 delegations to attend Francophonie summit in Armenia YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. The fact that Armenia has been given a chance to chair at the structure with over 50 years of history was a demonstration of great trust to our country by the international community, foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said during an annual press conference in response to the question of Armenpress. “During these years of independence Armenia had many chances to chair at different international structures, it has been a chairing country in the CSTO, the Council of Europe, BSEC and other structures. But the major difference is that all these chairmanships have been rotating, whereas in the Francophonie it’s not a rotating chairmanship. We managed to assume the chairmanship of this structure in a very competitive environment”, Nalbandian said. He said this shows the trust and solidarity of the international community towards Armenia. In addition to the structure having 84 associated and observer members, delegations from different Fracnophonie agencies and partner structures will also arrive in Armenia, invitations were also sent to a number of international organizations. “Nearly 100 delegations will visit Armenia in October. We hope many delegations will be headed at the highest level”, the Armenian FM said. He stated that Armenia has been provided with a unique chance to present the country to the international community, expand the geography of relations, intensify, develop and deepen the cooperation with the member states of the Francophonie family. “I would like to inform that we are preparing a new fundamental document of the International Organization of La Francophonie. It is the “Living Together” pact. It’s going to be quite a serious document which we already started to develop, discuss with the member states and the secretariat. During the summit, a final Yerevan declaration will be adopted. Moreover, nearly 10 more resolutions on different matters will be adopted”, Nalbandian said. He informed that on the sidelines of the summit Armenia plans to hold a Francophonie business forum which will enable to intensify, strengthen the institutional ties with the businessmen of the Francophonie countries. “It will also allow Armenia to expand the cooperation, implement different economic programs with these countries. The goal is to create a network of businessmen of the Francophonie states”, the FM said.