Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Sept 2 2004
Police, fire seek diversity
Both Glendale departments strive to hire more minorities for public
safety jobs.
By Jackson Bell, News-Press
GLENDALE — For Hagop Kurdian, the youthful dream of becoming a
firefighter wasn’t warmly received by the adults in his family and
elders in his community.
That’s because Kurdian, a Glendale resident of Armenian descent whose
parents immigrated from Lebanon, comes from an ethnic background that
generally regards work in civil service as a “last-resort job” when
one can’t succeed in business.
That was in Lebanon, where firefighting was primitive and a career on
the force was not a well-paid or well-respected career. But in the
U.S., he said firefighters receive good salaries and are held in high
esteem in the community.
“A lot of Armenians are not educated as to what the firefighters do,
so they don’t see this as much of an honorable profession or career,”
said Kurdian, a 23-year-old Glendale fire cadet who aspires to join
the force. “But the more they learn about [the job], the more
supportive they become.”
For a city that estimates nearly one-third of its population is of
Armenian descent, Glendale Fire and Police representatives say their
department personnel does not reflect that statistic. And both
agencies are striving to interest community members of all minorities
to join their ranks.
As of July 31, 2003, the police department’s staff of 368 sworn
officers and support staff had 17 people of Armenian descent, 23 with
an Asian/Pacific Islander background, seven blacks and 84 Latinos,
according to city auditors. The fire department’s staff has two of
Armenian descent, eight Asian/Pacific Islanders, six blacks and 33
Latinos. Fire officials added that the department has never had a
sworn firefighter of Armenian descent, and the employees with an
Armenian background are civilian employees.
Another reason Battalion Chief Harold Scoggins believes Armenians are
underrepresented is because there has been a dramatic uptick in
immigration over the past 25 years. And since the Glendale Fire
Department hires less frequently than other agencies, he said it’s
hard for the department to keep up with sharp demographic shifts.
“But just because we don’t have one, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t
working hard to get Armenians on the department,” said Scoggins, who
heads recruiting and hiring. “We have to start somewhere, and
everyday we’re getting closer.”
Glendale Police, although more diversified than its public-safety
counterpart, is still making efforts to spur more community interest,
said Lt. Bruce Fox, who heads the department’s Professional Standards
Bureau.
An outreach meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Glendale
Police Station’s Community Room, 140 N. Isabel St., where people can
learn how to join the force. Officers of Armenian, Asian and Latino
descent will also be on hand to meet with the public.
But fire and police representatives say standards for candidates will
not be lowered just to diversify their staff.
People interested in learning more can call Scoggins at 548-4050, log
onto or stop and talk to a
firefighter on the street, if they are not responding to an
emergency.

PRESS RELEASE/NEWS REVIEW
MELKONIAN ALUMNI CYPRUS
Contact: Masis der Parthogh
P.O. Box 16077, CY 2085
Nicosia, Cyprus.
Tel. +-357 22 678666
Fax. +-357 22 678664
Email: [email protected]
Melkonian students remain in uncertainty
There were no registrations for the new school year
PHILELEFTHEROS – Monday, August 30, 2004
(Translation)
By Frixos Dalitis
The prospect of the new school year being the last one for the historic
Melkonian school of the Armenians is imminent. Everybody despises this
outcome but the intention of the Armenian General Benevolent Union
(AGBU) charity foundation is to close the school and sell the land.
The registrations for new students have not taken place this year by
decision of the Executive Board of the foundation and the decision
is to close the school at the end of the new school year. The issue
has caused the extensive reaction of the Armenian community, which
on the initiative of the school’s Alumni Association is resorting to
actions to prevent this closure.
As the vice president of the Alumni Association, Masis der Parthogh,
told “Phileleftheros”, registrations did not take place this year by
decision of the foundation that manages the school. Also, he said,
the local representatives of the AGBU are warning parents that the
school will close and they deserve to find something better for
their children.
As regards the Melkonian, the Environmentalists’ Movement had raised
the issue in November 2003 suggesting that the development zoning
levels for the whole estate be reduced to prevent anyone from selling
it. On April 2, by decision of the Minister of Interior, two thirds
of the land (the twin buildings, the founders’ villa, the boarding
house and the forest) were declared as a protected area. However,
according to Mr. der Parthogh, the company that administers it has
objected to the proposal to declare the land as protected.
“I don’t think this decision can change, because the matter has to go
to the Council of Ministers which I consider is impossible to change
the declaration,” Masis der Parthogh said.
Also, on March 26, the House plenary session called on the government
to intervene so as not only to declare the buildings as protected but
also for it to continue to operate as a school and for the AGBU board
that is based in New York to come into contact and cooperate with the
Armenian community of Cyprus and to discuss the future of the school.
Since then, Mr. der Parthogh said, nothing has happened and the AGBU
representative in Cyprus ignores the House decision and continues to
implement the decisions of the foundation’s board without coming into
contact with anyone.
“We, as the Association, sent a letter to the President of the House,
as well as to all the deputies of the House Education Committee and
the Ministers calling for their immediate intervention, because these
people have not only put aside any decision of the House, but they
ignore it as well. We say, through our Representative in the House,
that we are in a position to undertake the complete management of
the school, if the State, the Parliament or any other body can start
a dialogue for us to take control of the school’s administration,”
Masis der Parthogh said.
Referring to the Association’s position and the actions they are
taking to prevent the school’s closure, he said: “That ground, we
do not accept that it belongs to them, as they claim. Our lawyers
here have been working for months trying to prove the opposite,
that they simply had the administration of the school and not its
ownership. The Melkonian is a private school that belongs to a trust,
the administration of which is in the hands of the foundation.
“From the 1920s to the early 1930s efforts were made to transfer
the ownership to the Armenian Patriarchate in Constantinople. This
is what we are trying to discover with our lawyers with searches in
many countries. Furthermore, what we are saying is that as this is a
trust they cannot sell it, but they can only administer it and nothing
else, so it has to revert to the Armenian community. We are trying
to involve all the bodies, political parties, etc., in order for a
political decision to be taken to ensure the continued operation of
the Melkonian school.”
Ministry of Education’s hands are tied
The Melkonian school is a private school for secondary education with
an offer for free education by agreement of the Republic of Cyprus. It
was established in 1926 and initially operated as an orphanage,
providing shelter and board and later education to orphan Armenians who
survived the genocide by the Turks. Gradually, the Melkonian school
was transformed to a large educational institute for the Armenian
diaspora with an international reputation and for the national culture
for the Armenian community of the diaspora. The school’s continuation
is considered as vital for the Armenian community in Cyprus.
The Ministry of Education, through the Director of Secondary Education,
Andreas Skoteinos, assures that it is doing everything possible within
its ability for the school to continue to operate.
“Some legal problems prevent the Ministry from taking further action
as the school is private and the law does not allow for any further
involvement in the matter,” he said. However, he expressed the hope
that “we will not be led to the prospect of the school closing.”
“O Phileleftheros Ltd.”

Azeri capital’s authorities ban anti-Armenian picket outside French embassy
ANS TV, Baku
2 Sep 04
[Presenter over video of Qudrat Hasanquliyev, chairman of the United
People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party, UPFAP] The Baku city executive
authorities have not permitted the UPFAP to stage a picket outside
the French embassy on 3 September in protest over Armenian officers’
planned visit [to Azerbaijan to attend NATO exercises].
The city authorities said that Azerbaijan’s authoritative bodies
have set some conditions to international organizations in connection
with the Armenian officers’ planned participation in the Baku-hosted
exercises and that the conditions protect the interests of our country.
Hasanquliyev said that the conviction of the members of the Karabakh
Liberation Organization will not make his party give up its struggle.

Azeri pressure group appeals to authorities to arrest Armenian officers
MPA news agency
2 Sep 04
Baku, 2 September: The Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO)
has appealed to the leadership of the republic and the heads of the
law-enforcement agencies for conducting a detailed investigation into
the identities and the military career of the Armenian officers who
intend to take part in the Cooperative Best Effort exercise as part
of the NATO Partnership for Peace programme in Baku on 13-27 September.
The appeal says that the appropriate bodies should investigate if
the Armenian officers took part in military operations during the
Karabakh war and if they have been involved in war crimes. If such
facts are discovered, they should arrest [the Armenian officers]
and bring [them] to account.
The KLO is also planning actions of protest. Its deputy chairman
Samil Mehdi said that the KLO will hold nonstop protests during the
exercise to demand that the authorities deport the Armenian officers
from Azerbaijan if they visit Baku.

Armenian leader congratulates Karabakh on 13th anniversary of independence
Mediamax news agency
2 Sep 04
Yerevan, 2 September: “The experience and historical events of the last
years have confirmed the right choice made by the Karabakh people and
have proven that the establishment of Nagornyy Karabakh’s statehood
is an undeniable reality,” Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has
said in a congratulatory message to the president of the Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic [NKR], Arkadiy Gukasyan, on the occasion of the
13th anniversary of the NKR establishment celebrated today, Mediamax
has said.
“The reforms implemented in Nagornyy Karabakh, especially in the
economic sphere, and deepening of democracy will ensure a new level
of life. I am sure that the positive processes will continue and
will bring tangible results in the foreseeable future. The Armenian
authorities remain committed to the principles of a peaceful and
just settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem,” the Armenian
president said.

Armenian Speaker calls for expansion of relations with Iran
IRNA web site, Tehran
2 Sep 04
Moscow, 2 September: Armenian National Assembly Chairman Artur
Bagdasaryan on Thursday [2 September] called for further expansion
of mutual cooperation between his country and Iran in various areas.
In a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Yerevan, Ali Reza Haqiqiyan,
Bagdasaryan said the forthcoming visit by Iran’s President Mohammad
Khatami to Armenia is considered as a significant factor to promote
bilateral ties.
He also attached significance to Iran-Armenia mutual cooperation,
parliamentary relations and further communication between parliamentary
friendship groups of the two countries.
The Iranian diplomat, for his part, attached significance to
Khatami’s visit to Yerevan and parliamentary cooperation between the
two countries.
“The Republic of Armenia enjoys special status in Iranian foreign
policy. Tehran calls for strengthening stability and security and
economy of Armenia, said Haqiqiyan.
President Mohammad Khatami is scheduled to pay an official visit to
the Republic of Armenia in near future.

Armenian politician predicts dissolution of parliament, government
Aravot web site, Yerevan
30 Aug 04
If the ruling coalition does not strip opposition MPs of their
mandates, President Robert Kocharyan will dissolve the National
Assembly and sack the government, the leader of the Democratic Party of
Armenia, Aram Sarkisyan, has told the Aravot paper. The following is
an excerpt from report entitled “Stripping MPs of mandates is a trial
balloon” posted on Armenian newspaper Aravot web site on 30 August:
The leader of the Democratic Party believes that Armenia is just one
step away from an “authoritarian, criminal and oligarchic system”.
“The public is no longer protesting against injustice and
arbitrariness. Next the following will happen: Robert Kocharyan
will dissolve the government as he is fed up with infighting in the
coalition, the distribution of spheres according to party affiliation
and so on. We shall again return to the appointment of ministers on
the strength of their professional qualities.
“However, to do this, a formal reason is required. This move will
be possible if the coalition votes against stripping the opposition
MPs of their mandates. The situation will then become critical which
will provide grounds for dissolving the parliament. The next National
Assembly will represent a gathering of ‘cronies’ which suits Kocharyan
very well.
“If everybody in the country keeps silent when (a former head of the
Credit-Yerevan Bank) Levon Markos states that officials misappropriated
50m dollars, cites facts of corruption and accuses the defence
minister, yet nothing happens, this manifests that our society is
seriously ill and that those who have taken the responsibility for
ruling the country have turned us into idiots,” the DPA leader said.
At one point, when information was leaked that the National Assembly
and the government would be dissolved, the prime minister immediately
said that he would defect to the opposition and the speaker hinted at
the possibility of starting the process of impeaching the president. At
that time, Robert Kocharyan through his press secretary was compelled
to issue a statement that no changes were expected.
On the basis of what Aram Sarkisyan claims that Kocharyan, for fear
of losing his political support, can resort to the dissolution of
the legislative and executive bodies?
“[Prime Minister] Andranik Markaryan and [Speaker] Artur Bagdasaryan
made a big mistake by stating prematurely that they would switch
to the opposition if they were relieved of their posts. Kocharyan
started to think about how to neutralize a possible threat and decided
to bring the punitive bodies up to the level they are at present. To
the incumbent president, the notion of ‘political support’ is double
Dutch, he does not understand what it is. Why should he want political
support if he can simply use the services of oligarchs’ bodyguards?,”
Sarkisyan said.
Aram Sarkisyan did not rule out the possibility that not all the
opposition MPs will be stripped of their mandates at once, but rather
two or three of them, and the rest will be compelled to surrender
their powers. [Passage omitted.]
Speaking about the return of the opposition MPs to parliament,
Sarkisyan recalled that the reasons for the political boycott
had still not been removed: the amendments to law “On referendum”
are not being debated, those guilty of lawlessness have not been
brought to book, and the preliminary investigation into the criminal
case against the [opposition] Justice bloc has been extended for
another two months. “None of the points in the Council of Europe’s
resolution has been honoured,” the DPA leader said, adding: “If the
coalition in the course of negotiations assumes responsibility for
honouring these important conditions, we shall have reason to return
to parliament. However, I am convinced that nothing depends on the
coalition parties. Everything is at will of one man.”

Azeri government protests at Armenians’ participation in NATO’s Baku exercises
Bilik Dunyasi news agency
2 Sep 04
Baku, 2 September: The Azerbaijani government has lodged its protest
with NATO against the participation of Armenian officers in the
NATO field exercises “Cooperative Best Effort-2004” due in Baku from
13 to 26 September, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
has said. However, he stressed that NATO has the right to determine
participants in these exercises.
The head of the press service of the [Azerbaijani] Defence Ministry,
Col Ramiz Malikov, confirmed that official Baku’s protest had been
forwarded to the leadership of the North Atlantic alliance. But
Malikov did not rule out the participation of two Armenian officers
in the exercises.

Five Armenians hostage in Russian school siege
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
1 Sep 04
[Presenter] Terrorists continue to hold 354 hostages in a school in
[the North Ossetian town of] Beslan. There are 123 children among the
hostages. By 0600 Yerevan time [0100 gmt], gunshots had been heard
around the school. There are four Armenian children and one parent
among the hostages. The surname of one of the children is Kalashyan. It
is also known that one of the children is in the first form. The
“Aylur” news programme maintains permanent contact with the Armenian
diplomatic missions in Moscow and southern Russia. The head of the
general consulate of the Armenian embassy in southern Russia, Ararat
Gomtsyan, has offered the Russian Foreign Ministry his diplomatic
mission’s services to take part in the negotiations with the terrorist.
[Ararat Gomtstyan, by telephone] For two days now, the terrorists have
been holding 354 hostages in a school in the North Ossetian town of
Beslan in the Russian Federation and putting forward their demands.
There are about 32,000 residents in Beslan. The Armenian community
here is small – about 350-400 people. There is also an Armenian
community in Vladikavkaz. We have direct telephone contacts with their
representatives in order to get all information that comes from there
and also, we are working to do everything possible to resolve this
problem peacefully and to achieve final results.
We, the general consulate in North Ossetia [as heard] and the Armenian
embassy in Moscow led by our ambassador Mr Smbatyan, are working with
the law-enforcement agencies and the republic’s authorities, who are in
the town of Beslan, in order to learn and clarify the children’s and
their parents’ condition. There are four Armenian schoolchildren,
and one of them is in the first form. This is the preliminary
situation. We can say that the condition of the schoolchildren,
including the Armenian ones, is satisfactory. The negotiations are
under way. I would like to add that our republic’s president and our
policy strongly condemn any manifestation of terrorism everywhere. We
addressed the Russian Foreign Ministry and offered our support and
assistance in setting up a delegation of representatives from all the
diplomatic missions in North Ossetia and in holding negotiations and
resolving this problem peacefully. Our representative is in Beslan
at the moment and we maintain permanent telephone contact.

Azeri president in favour of continuing Karabakh talks
Trend news agency
2 Sep 04
Baku, 2 September, Trend correspondent I. Qasimli: “If I have not
refused the talks, it means that I hope they will bear fruit. I
do not intend to have talks for imitation and if I see there is
no result or benefit, Azerbaijan will be the first to interrupt
the talks”, Trend news agency quoted Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev as telling journalists on 2 September on the significance of
the bilateral talks for the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
The head of state said that the talks should be continued at this
point. Aliyev noted that the parties have not reached any agreement,
however, the negotiations are proceeding on specific topics. “We
hope that these talks will yield results: Azerbaijan’s lands will
be liberated and its territorial integrity will be restored”, the
president stressed.