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HUNTSMAN, CIVILITAS AND ARMENIA SHOULD DEMAND VARTAN OSKANIAN TO REIMBURSE MISMANAGED FUNDS
By Appo Jabarian
Executive Publisher/Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine
July 11, 2012
According to a "Transaction Summary" issued by Civilitas Foundation's
Executive Director Salpi Ghazarian, since December 2010, Armenia's
former Foreign Minister and founder of The Civilitas Foundation
Vartan Oskanian has been keeping around $1 million of Civilitas'
moneys in his personal bank accounts.
Even though one and a half year has lapsed since nearly two million
dollars were gifted by Mr. Jon M. Huntsman of USA to Civilitas, Mr.
Oskanian has been still keeping around one million dollars of that
amount in his possession.
Had the above described funneling of sizable funds been committed by
any American politician belonging to either a ruling or an opposition
party in the United States, he would have been arrested by now based
on evidence similar to the information recently disclosed by Ms.
Ghazarian.
Apparently Armenia is in no hurry. Slowly but surely the process
seems to be moving forward.
With Ms. Ghazarian's admission on www.civilitasfoundation.org,
"The total proceeds, intended for Civilitas, consisted of two parts
and totaled approximately $2 million. Huntsman Building Products
transferred US $577,898 and 11,494,000 AMD (Armenian Dram) [around
$31,839 - Editor] to the Civilitas account. ... The second part
consisted of 530,000,000 AMD [around $1,427,000 - Editor] which was
transferred from Tigran Karapetyan to Vartan Oskanian from proceeds
accrued by the sale, in accordance with written instructions from
the Huntsman representative to Tigran Karapetyan."
Ms. Ghazarian presented damning evidence at the bottom of the
statement: "From the funds received, which in dollar terms was
equivalent to $1,427,000, Vartan Oskanian has transferred $548,000
to Civilitas, to date. During this time period, $120,000 was
accrued in interest. Today, together with the interest, there is
$985,000 remaining in his account, to be used by Civilitas." (Use
the following link to see the complete Transaction Summary:
http://www.civilitasfoundation.org/cf/who-we-are/inside-civilitas/841-transaction-summary.html)
In order to create uniformity in the summary, I used the US dollar
as a common denominator. I consulted withwww.exchangerate.com for
the period December 1 through 31, 2010 which put the value of a US
dollar against the Armenian Dram at around 361 Drams.
Since there is ample proof that Mr. Huntsman had gifted the $2 million
expressly for Civilitas, he has legitimate rights to demand that Mr.
Oskanian reimburse the mismanaged funds to Civilitas.
In the light of these latest developments, several questions could
be raised:
Why was Ms. Ghazarian silent for such a long time about the fact that
"Today, together with the interest, there is $985,000 remaining in his
[Oskanian's] account, to be used by Civilitas?"
Has Ms. Ghazarian ever presented a formal demand to Mr. Oskanian to
reimburse these funds to Civilitas? If not, she must join the Republic
of Armenia and Mr. Huntsman in demanding that Mr. Oskanian reimburse
the mismanaged funds at once.
The Civilitas Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Yerevan,
Armenia, was established in October 2008 by Armenia's former Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Vartan Oskanian. The foundation has contributed to
strengthening civil society, promoting democracy, economic development
and education in Armenia. A visionary organization, Civilitas has
become an integral part of the regeneration process in Armenia.
Armenia's transition from corrupt Soviet mindset to free and democratic
society is still an ongoing process. Institutions like Civilitas must
be encouraged to continue carrying out their mission for the ultimate
good of Armenia and the Armenian people.
Civilitas' founder Oskanian must be commended for his visionary
endeavor, however he must also be held accountable for mismanaging
funds that were originally earmarked for The Foundation.
Jon M. Huntsman Biography Jon M. Huntsman is Founder and Executive
Chairman of Huntsman Corporation, a global manufacturer and marketer
of specialty chemicals.
Forty years ago, Mr. Huntsman began a small entrepreneurial plastics
packaging business. Originally known for pioneering innovations
in packaging and, later, for rapid and integrated growth in
petrochemicals, its operating companies today manufacture chemical
products used in a wide range of industries, with more than 11,000
employees and multiple locations worldwide. The company's annual
revenues exceed $10 billion.
Mr. Huntsman earned his under-graduate degree at The Wharton School
of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and subsequently earned
an MBA from the University of Southern California. He has been awarded
thirteen honorary doctorate degrees.
Mr. Huntsman was a U.S. Naval Gunnery Officer. He served under
President Richard M. Nixon as Special Assistant to the President and
as White House Staff Secretary.
Jon Huntsman authored a book on corporate ethics entitled, Winners
Never Cheat: Everyday Values We Learned as Children (But May Have
Forgotten). The second edition is entitled Winners Never Cheat: Even
in Difficult Times, which was listed on the Wall Street Journal's
Best Sellers List.
Mr. Huntsman is widely recognized as one of America's foremost
concerned citizens and philanthropists. His lifetime humanitarian
giving, including contributions to the homeless, the ill and the
under-privileged, exceeds $1.2 billion and has assisted thousands,
both domestically and internationally. The Chronicle of Philanthropy
placed Mr. Huntsman second on their 2007 list of largest donors.
Mr. Huntsman and his wife, Karen, founded the Huntsman Cancer
Institute in 1995 to accelerate the work of curing cancer through
human genetics. The Institute is now one of America's major cancer
research centers dedicated to finding a cure for cancer, as well as
a state-of-the-art hospital treating cancer patients.
Mr. Huntsman has served in senior leadership positions in The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the past fifty years.
Jon and Karen Huntsman are the parents of nine children. They have
56 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
From: A. Papazian
By Appo Jabarian
Executive Publisher/Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine
July 11, 2012
According to a "Transaction Summary" issued by Civilitas Foundation's
Executive Director Salpi Ghazarian, since December 2010, Armenia's
former Foreign Minister and founder of The Civilitas Foundation
Vartan Oskanian has been keeping around $1 million of Civilitas'
moneys in his personal bank accounts.
Even though one and a half year has lapsed since nearly two million
dollars were gifted by Mr. Jon M. Huntsman of USA to Civilitas, Mr.
Oskanian has been still keeping around one million dollars of that
amount in his possession.
Had the above described funneling of sizable funds been committed by
any American politician belonging to either a ruling or an opposition
party in the United States, he would have been arrested by now based
on evidence similar to the information recently disclosed by Ms.
Ghazarian.
Apparently Armenia is in no hurry. Slowly but surely the process
seems to be moving forward.
With Ms. Ghazarian's admission on www.civilitasfoundation.org,
"The total proceeds, intended for Civilitas, consisted of two parts
and totaled approximately $2 million. Huntsman Building Products
transferred US $577,898 and 11,494,000 AMD (Armenian Dram) [around
$31,839 - Editor] to the Civilitas account. ... The second part
consisted of 530,000,000 AMD [around $1,427,000 - Editor] which was
transferred from Tigran Karapetyan to Vartan Oskanian from proceeds
accrued by the sale, in accordance with written instructions from
the Huntsman representative to Tigran Karapetyan."
Ms. Ghazarian presented damning evidence at the bottom of the
statement: "From the funds received, which in dollar terms was
equivalent to $1,427,000, Vartan Oskanian has transferred $548,000
to Civilitas, to date. During this time period, $120,000 was
accrued in interest. Today, together with the interest, there is
$985,000 remaining in his account, to be used by Civilitas." (Use
the following link to see the complete Transaction Summary:
http://www.civilitasfoundation.org/cf/who-we-are/inside-civilitas/841-transaction-summary.html)
In order to create uniformity in the summary, I used the US dollar
as a common denominator. I consulted withwww.exchangerate.com for
the period December 1 through 31, 2010 which put the value of a US
dollar against the Armenian Dram at around 361 Drams.
Since there is ample proof that Mr. Huntsman had gifted the $2 million
expressly for Civilitas, he has legitimate rights to demand that Mr.
Oskanian reimburse the mismanaged funds to Civilitas.
In the light of these latest developments, several questions could
be raised:
Why was Ms. Ghazarian silent for such a long time about the fact that
"Today, together with the interest, there is $985,000 remaining in his
[Oskanian's] account, to be used by Civilitas?"
Has Ms. Ghazarian ever presented a formal demand to Mr. Oskanian to
reimburse these funds to Civilitas? If not, she must join the Republic
of Armenia and Mr. Huntsman in demanding that Mr. Oskanian reimburse
the mismanaged funds at once.
The Civilitas Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Yerevan,
Armenia, was established in October 2008 by Armenia's former Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Vartan Oskanian. The foundation has contributed to
strengthening civil society, promoting democracy, economic development
and education in Armenia. A visionary organization, Civilitas has
become an integral part of the regeneration process in Armenia.
Armenia's transition from corrupt Soviet mindset to free and democratic
society is still an ongoing process. Institutions like Civilitas must
be encouraged to continue carrying out their mission for the ultimate
good of Armenia and the Armenian people.
Civilitas' founder Oskanian must be commended for his visionary
endeavor, however he must also be held accountable for mismanaging
funds that were originally earmarked for The Foundation.
Jon M. Huntsman Biography Jon M. Huntsman is Founder and Executive
Chairman of Huntsman Corporation, a global manufacturer and marketer
of specialty chemicals.
Forty years ago, Mr. Huntsman began a small entrepreneurial plastics
packaging business. Originally known for pioneering innovations
in packaging and, later, for rapid and integrated growth in
petrochemicals, its operating companies today manufacture chemical
products used in a wide range of industries, with more than 11,000
employees and multiple locations worldwide. The company's annual
revenues exceed $10 billion.
Mr. Huntsman earned his under-graduate degree at The Wharton School
of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and subsequently earned
an MBA from the University of Southern California. He has been awarded
thirteen honorary doctorate degrees.
Mr. Huntsman was a U.S. Naval Gunnery Officer. He served under
President Richard M. Nixon as Special Assistant to the President and
as White House Staff Secretary.
Jon Huntsman authored a book on corporate ethics entitled, Winners
Never Cheat: Everyday Values We Learned as Children (But May Have
Forgotten). The second edition is entitled Winners Never Cheat: Even
in Difficult Times, which was listed on the Wall Street Journal's
Best Sellers List.
Mr. Huntsman is widely recognized as one of America's foremost
concerned citizens and philanthropists. His lifetime humanitarian
giving, including contributions to the homeless, the ill and the
under-privileged, exceeds $1.2 billion and has assisted thousands,
both domestically and internationally. The Chronicle of Philanthropy
placed Mr. Huntsman second on their 2007 list of largest donors.
Mr. Huntsman and his wife, Karen, founded the Huntsman Cancer
Institute in 1995 to accelerate the work of curing cancer through
human genetics. The Institute is now one of America's major cancer
research centers dedicated to finding a cure for cancer, as well as
a state-of-the-art hospital treating cancer patients.
Mr. Huntsman has served in senior leadership positions in The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the past fifty years.
Jon and Karen Huntsman are the parents of nine children. They have
56 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
From: A. Papazian