Vardan Ayvazyan (Armenian: Վարդան Այվազյան) is the current Ecology Minister of Armenia. In September 2006, at a press conference criticizing the American Global Gold corporation, he said, "Do you know who you are defending? You are defending kikes! Go over their [company headquarters] and find out who is behind this company and if we should let them come here!"[1][2] After Rimma Varzhapetian's protests, Aivazian claimed he did not mean to offend Jews and that such criticism was intended strictly for the Global Gold company.