FIRST SUSPECT OF ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS DURING OPPOSITION RALLY IN YEREVAN
APRIL 5 REVEALED
11.05.2004 19:07
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Yerevan Prosecutor’s Office continues the
investigation of the case of attacks on journalists during a rally of
National Unification opposition party April 5. As reported by the Press
Service of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Armenia, by now
it has come out that among those, who attacked media representatives
and broke cameras and video facilities, was resident of Yerevan Ashot
Avetisian with nickname “Bangladeshci Hro” (born in 1969).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU to boost links with neighbouring countries
By George Parker in Brussels and Jan Cienski in Warsaw
Published: May 11 2004 21:49 | Last Updated: May 11 2004 21:49
Financial Times
The European Union will on Wednesday map out a new strategy for dealing
with its “neighbours” from Morocco to Georgia, heralding further
levels of co-operation but stopping short of an offer of membership.
The new policy offers the prospect of money, trade and security
co-operation in exchange for progress in democratic and economic
reforms.
For the first time the EU’s horizons will extend to the southern
Caucasus, with the prospect of enhanced co-operation with Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia.
But the former Soviet republic of Belarus will remain frozen out
because of the repressive regime in Minsk, to the dismay of Poland,
which wants to build cross-border relations.
The strategy, accompanied by a new €800m-a-year ($950m, £535m)
co-operation fund, will be announced on Wednesday by Günter Verheugen,
the EU enlargement commissioner.
It marks a step change to the relationship currently offered by
Europe to its neighbours, and Mr Verheugen believes it will help to
stabilise Europe’s environs and contain the clamour from neighbours
such as Ukraine for EU membership.
The plan addresses how the EU deals with its new neighbours following
the May 1 expansion from 15 to 25 countries.
Romano Prodi, European Commission president, said this “ring of
friends” would enjoy support in a number of fields but added: “But
they would not be part of the same parliament and not be members of
the same European Commission.”
Mr Verheugen will announce a framework under which initially seven
countries would sign up to action plans for democratic and economic
reform, which would be monitored by the Commission.
If successful, the countries could then enjoy access to the EU’s
market of 450m people, help in building transport and energy networks
with the EU and assistance in securing external frontiers against
terrorists and traffickers.
The first wave in the programme are Moldova, Ukraine, Israel, the
Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco, with Egypt and
Lebanon expected to be included in the autumn.
Russia has decided to pursue its own strategic relationship with
Europe, but the prospect of closer relations could also be extended
to the Caucasus and Belarus if the political situation improves,
and to other Mediterranean countries.
Of Europe’s other neighbours, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey
hope to join the EU, while the countries of the western Balkans have
the long-term prospect of membership.
Meanwhile, Poland is lobbying the European Commission over the EU’s
relations with Belarus due to be presented on Wednesday trying to
persuade the Commission not to continue a freeze on contacts with
Minsk.
The ban on ministerial contacts with officials from Belarus has been
in place since 1997, but Poland was not a member of the EU at the
time and continued to deal with the Belarusan government.
Now that Poland is in the EU it wants to be able to continue those
contacts.
“We want to tell the EU to look at the question of countries bordering
the EU a little differently than relations with countries that do not
have a common boundary,” said Boguslaw Majewski, the Polish foreign
ministry spokesman.

Armenian National Committee of New York
PO Box 693
Woodside, NY 11377
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
May 11, 2004
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tony Vartanian
[email protected]
NEW YORK CITY COMMEMORATES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
— Remembrance Program Organized by the Armenian National Committee
(ANC) of New York and the Friends of the ANC of New York
NEW YORK, NY–Elected officials from the U.S. Congress, the New York
City Council, Armenia’s ambassador to the United Nations, along with
two eminent historians of genocide, offered enlightening remarks at the
City Hall of New York City on the 89th commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide, which was organized by the Armenian National Committee
(ANC) of New York and the Friends of the ANC of New York. Addressing
an audience of over four hundred at the April 23 event, the invited
speakers took to the podium and applauded recent victories achieved
in global and domestic recognition of the Genocide while speaking
earnestly of the urgent need for further progress.
Following an eloquent invocation by His Eminence Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan and an introduction by New York ANC chairperson
Tony Vartanian, two City Council members who sponsored the
event spoke of New York City’s support of and dedication to the
Armenian cause. Speaker of the Council A. Gifford Miller and
Councilwoman Melinda Katz affirmed their commitment to serving
their Armenian-American constituency, and praised the hard work and
dedication of Armenians working on their support staffs.
Following the council members, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY),
Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), and Congressman Anthony Weiner
(D-NY) offered their remarks. Ms. Maloney spoke first, describing the
recent breakthroughs in Genocide recognition in Canada, Switzerland
and The New York Times. Congressman Crowley reflected on his recent
opportunity as the first member of Congress to visit Armenia, while
describing for the audience how his experience as an Irish-American
informed his support of the Armenian cause. Congressman Weiner
cogently described how the Ottoman Government conducted the Genocide
and stressed the importance of Jewish support for Armenian genocide
recognition. There followed a short musical interlude, in which the
Armenian a cappella trio Zulal sang two hauntingly beautiful Armenian
folk songs.
After their performance, Professor Peter Balakian of Colgate University
drew upon his best-selling book The Burning Tigris, discussing the
American humanitarian response to the Armenian massacres of the 1890’s
and the Armenian Genocide a quarter century later. “In Faneuil Hall,
social reformers like Julia Ward Howe spoke passionately for the
plight of the Armenians. Organizations like Near East Relief and the
Committee on Armenian Atrocities made up the first American response to
an international human rights crisis. The first full fledged mission
of the American Red Cross outside the United States was in Armenia,”
said Balakian.
Professor. Robert Melson of Purdue University followed Balakian by
making a comparative analysis of the Armenian Genocide and the Jewish
Holocaust. In a unique and effective approach, Dr. Melson explained how
social revolutionary governments, which developed programs for creating
racially pure states, had preceded both. The link between the two
genocides reaffirmed the actuality that the systematic extermination
of the Armenian Genocide was the basis of the model implemented by
the Nazi regime of World War II upon the European Jewish population.
Consistent with the vision of the Armenian National Committee, the
New York chapter encouraged the participation of the young leaders
of the New York American-Armenian community in this years Genocide
Commemoration. Arousiag Markarian spoke on behalf of the community’s
young activists. As the chairperson of the Armenian Youth Federation
of New York and a leader in many other collegiate and community
organizations, Ms. Markarian expressed the vigor and enthusiasm of the
Armenian youth concerning American-Armenian issues. She stressed the
importance of organizations, like the Armenian National Committee,
that provide a channel for the Diaspora to play an active role in
issues that directly affect our communities locally and globally.
Armenia’s ambassador to the United Nations Armen Martirossian concluded
the evening with remarks on Armenia past, present and future. After
speaking about the need for Genocide recognition, Mr. Martirossian
went on tell the audience about the challenges facing the building
of civil society in independent Armenia. His words came as a reminder
that the Armenian-American community still has a large part to play in
both areas. Speaking with conviction, he reminded those present that
“We are the guarantee for the tragedy not to repeat itself.”
The Armenian National Committee (ANC) is the largest Armenian American
grassroots political organization in New York and nationwide. The ANC
actively advances a broad range of issues of concern to the Armenian
American community.
####
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION TO HOLD RALLY IN REGION TOMORROW – SPOKESMAN
A1+ web site
11 May 04
11 May: Today’s regular sitting of the Justice political bloc solved
the organizational issues of a rally scheduled for tomorrow in
Vanadzor. The coalition will submit the agenda of the talks to the
opposition tomorrow: “They will submit the agenda in a written form,
we shall discuss everything at our sitting and then reply to them,”
the secretary of the Justice faction, Viktor Dallakyan, said.
We should recall that the only issue on the agenda put forward by the
opposition in the talks is finding ways out of the political crisis
that has existed since the presidential elections.
Two issues are pre-conditions for the start of the negotiations: the
immediate release of the arrested people; an immediate investigation
into the 12-13 April events and all the other acts of violence,
and bringing all perpetrators to account.
(Passage omitted: No problem with a venue for rallies)

Armenia Tree Project
Yerevan 375025, Aygestan 9th Str., #6
Tel./Fax (374 1) 569910
Internet:
E-mail: [email protected]
Press Release
11.05.2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
An Israeli Expert in the Remote Village of Aygut
Sunday, May 09 – Armenia Tree Project (ATP) and Satsil NGO organized
a seminar on potato growing in Aygut Village, Gegharkounik Marz. The
seminar was conducted by Mr. Gadi Moses, an Israeli expert in potato
growing technologies representing ECOTEX Ltd. Mr. Moses visited Armenia
as a guest of Satsil NGO in framework of an agricultural consulting
assistance project in the South Caucasus conducted by the Israeli
Ministry of Agriculture.
Since 2002 ATP has been implementing a Village Economic Development
program in the Getik River valley where Aygut is situated. In this
program of sustainable mountainous development, ATP partners with
the villagers and with other international and local organizations to
combat the linked problems of poverty and natural resource degradation.
Among the contributors to date are USDA/MAP, World Food Program,
Heifer International, Project Harmony, ORRAN, Boghosian Education
Center, and Satsil.
The seminar started with an overview of potato growing techniques
employed by Aygut farmers, most of whom fled from Azerbaijan as
refugees fifteen years ago. After learning about the problems villagers
are currently facing in potato growing, Mr. Moses presented practical
solutions to them and shared the Israeli farmers’ experience. The
presentation lasted for over three hours. “You have the best soil in
the world: with a bit of learning you could multiply your yield”,
Mr. Moses encouraged the listeners. With consulting experience in
almost 40 countries around the world, Mr. Moses managed to enter into
a dialogue with the villagers and assess their problems in a very
practical way. The topics covered at the seminar included fertilizers
used in potato growing, planting techniques (optimal distance between
seed nests, planting depth, density, etc.). The community members
were active in asking questions, particularly addressing maximizing
yield and problems connected with different species of potatos.
For further information, please contact Karen Sarkavagyan at the
Armenia Tree Project, phone numbers 569910 and 553069, E-mail
[email protected]
The Armenia Tree Project was founded in 1994 during Armenia’s darkest
and coldest years with the vision of securing Armenia’s future
by protecting Armenia’s environment. Funded by contributions from
Diasporan Armenians, ATP has planted and rejuvenated over 500,000
trees at more than 450 sites ranging from Gumri to Goris.

International Journalist’s Network
May 11 2004
Covering Environmental Issues
May 17, 2004 – May 21, 2004
Workshop
In Yerevan, Armenia. Organized by the Caucasus Media Institute (CMI)
with support from the U.S. Embassy and the UN Environmental Program.
The workshop is aimed at improving journalists’ coverage of
environmental news. British and local specialists will conduct the
training in Armenian and English for 12 journalists. Application form
(in Armenian):
CMI did not specify a deadline, but it said applicants would be
notified by May 7. Send a completed application, letter of support
from an editor-in-chief, and three work samples to Seda Muradyan, CMI
program officer, at [email protected]. The CMI Web site:

Boston Herald, MA
May 12 2004
Martin could leave indelible mark on `Tattoo’
By Terry Byrne
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
The passions of Serafina, Tennessee Williams’ heroine in “The Rose
Tattoo,” range from grief and anger to joy and discovery. But reaching
from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other isn’t such a
stretch, says actress Andrea Martin.
“You can’t be afraid of your emotions,” says Martin, who opens in “The
Rose Tattoo” at the Huntington Theatre on Friday. “Americans tend to
be ashamed of their emotions, but although I was raised in Portland,
Maine, my heritage is Armenian and my family is very expressive.”
Martin’s work is always characterized by her physical expressions of
emotion, whether in her Tony-nominated performance as Aunt Ella in the
Broadway revival of “Oklahoma!,” the film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,”
“Betty’s Summer Vacation” (her last outing at the Huntington) or her
legendary years as part of SCTV. Her ability to make her emotions
readily available, says Huntington director Nicholas Martin, made
him want to produce the play with her.
“`The Rose Tattoo’ rarely is performed because it’s so difficult
to find the right actor and actress for the roles,” says Nicholas
Martin. “It’s hard to find someone who can play this many colors. But
Andrea has a sexuality about her that’s not conventional, but very
grounded in her personality, in her absolute focus on the work. She
has all the makings of a star except the bitchiness.”
Despite the play’s rich dramatic tale, the director says it’s essential
to see Williams’ sense of humor.
“The first act is tricky,” he says, “because you’re in and out of
so many emotions, but it really pays off because it prepares you for
the journey.”
“The Rose Tattoo” follows Serafina as she struggles with the grief of
her husband’s death. She has made him into a hero and does everything
she can to protect his image, even as she and her teenage daughter
discover he was not what he seemed.
“She’s fascinating to play,” says Andrea Martin, “because she’s trying
so hard to hold onto her dream of what she calls perfection. And
perfection, her whole world in fact, is defined by the man she
married. I understand it, because my mother was married at 17, Serafina
was only 14, and my mother never looked at my father realistically. If
she ever believed there was imperfection, it would destroy her world.”
In the play, Serafina tries her best to shut out the world,
until she meets a man who unexpectedly opens her heart back up to
life and her own desires.
“I wear a blue dress for her meeting with Alvaro,” says Martin,
“because blue is such an expansive color. Listen to me,” she says
with a laugh, “I’m getting to be just like Serafina, I’m believing in
signs. But I think you have to believe in what she believes in. To
make this play effective, you can’t drive it by a style of acting,
you have to drive it by the truth and dignity of the characters.”
Perhaps it’s Martin’s ability to find the truth behind every character
that has made her a mainstay on TV, on Broadway, in films (she’s in
the new Olsen twins film “New York Minute”) and now at the Huntington.
“It’s funny,” she says, “my career has never had momentum, but it’s
had consistency, so I guess I shouldn’t complain. My career path went
backwards, starting with TV, then film and legitimate theater. It used
to bother me that I was only seen as a comedic actress, but people will
peg you as anything unless you prove you can do something different.”
In fact, Martin’s ability to move beyond expectations keeps her in
demand. After the run of “The Rose Tattoo,” she’s in discussions
to star in Thornton Wilder’s “The Matchmaker” in Washington, D.C.,
in September and later in the musical version of that play, “Hello,
Dolly,” at the Stratford Theatre Festival in Canada.
( “The Rose Tattoo,” at the Huntington Theatre, Friday-June 13.
Tickets: $41-$69. Call 617-266-0800. )

Yerevan invites Kyiv to Iran-Armenia pipeline tender
Interfax
May 12 2004
Moscow. (Interfax) – Armenia is inviting Ukraine to bid in a tender
for the building of an Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, Armenian Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan announced at a joint press conference
with his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovich on Tuesday in the
Ukrainian capital.
Margaryan said this was one of the main topics discussed by the
Armenian-Ukrainian commission for trade and economic relations
on Tuesday.
He noted that his country and Iran are engaged in technical
consultations, after which will be discussions of financial details
and then the announcement of the construction tender.
“We are confident Ukraine will take part in it,” Margaryan said.
As reported earlier, a final agreement on building the gas pipeline
is expected to be signed in late May during a visit to Yerevan by
Irani Oil and Gas Minister Bijan Zanganeh.
The actual construction is slated to begin late this year and be
completed sometime in 2006.
According to documents signed earlier, the Iran-Armenia pipeline will
run 141 kilometers, 100 km in Iran and 41 km in Armenia. The project
price tag is estimated at $120 million. Plans are for Armenia to
receive 700 million cubic meters of gas per year via the pipeline
initially, up to 1.5 billion cubic meters later on. Armenia will
pay for the Irani gas with electricity at 3 kilowatt/hours per cubic
meter of gas.
Building this pipeline has been a discussion subject since 1992.
Aside from the main project players, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
China and some European Union countries have shown interest. The
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced
its readiness to be part of the project financing.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Take action against gangs
Pasadena Star-News, CA
May 12 2004
EXCEPT for state Sen. Nell Soto, the silence out of Sacramento is
deafening. Why have area legislators remained mum on the problem of
gang violence in their districts?
Perhaps they believe they can do nothing. But shouldn’t they at least
try something, anything, to prevent the kind of senseless violence that
took the life of California Highway Patrol officer Thomas Steiner and
effectively ended hopes for a life outside of prison for his alleged
killer, 16-year-old Valentino Mitchell Arenas?
The teen allegedly shot Steiner as he exited the Pomona Superior Court,
perhaps as a ticket into Pomona’s oldest and most violent crime family,
the 12th Street Gang.
Only Soto has reached out to Pomona Mayor Eddie Cortez who hopes to
form a gang task force. A community forum Tuesday in Pomona explored
the problem.
Intervention is badly needed. As chronicled Monday by Staff Writer
Sara Carter, Arenas was born in the heart of 12th Street territory;
family members were part of the gang and did time behind bars.
It’s time state lawmakers, especially Latino legislators who could
stand as role models, take a long hard look at such gang activity
and say “enough’ because gangs aren’t just a Pomona problem.
If communities don’t work toward solutions, gangs will continue to
prey upon one another and the wider population. A generation of young
people are being rubbed out by each other.
Here’s the sad, tough truth. Only Latinos can end the internecine
Latino gang killings by standing against gangs.
Only Asians can stop the assaults and home-invasion robberies that see
Asian gangs preying on their own people, setting up extortion rackets,
prostitution rings and trafficking in human slaves. Who will say
“stop’?
We must get at the root of gang culture that sees generation after
generation follow the gang lifestyle. For Arenas, belonging to the 12th
Street Gang was part of his environment. That sad cycle must be broken.
It will take involvement from those leaders in the community who have
either been there and managed to claw their way out of gangs or those
who found a way to resist joining.
Schools too must look for underlying gang involvement in interracial
violence on campus. Azusa found most of the so- called hate crimes in
their city sprang from a local Latino gang striking out at African
Americans. March 5, fighting erupted between Armenian and African-
American students at Pasadena’s Marshall Fundamental High School.
Armenian gangs are the newest ethnic crime component.
Racism, ethnic hatred. Communities must actively work to end these
old hatreds. Peer mediation at Marshall and other schools have helped.
But a multipronged, concerted effort is needed, beginning with
all-important adult role models who have been silent far too long.
Now is the time for Soto and fellow Sens. Martha Escutia and Gloria
Romero along with Assembly members Rudy Bermudez, Ron Calderon,
Ed Chavez, Judy Chu and Carol Liu as well as community leaders to
speak out against gangs and map strategies to end their influence
on young people. We agree with Soto: “We need more than thought. We
need action.’

Baku Today
May 12 2004
Azerbaijani, Armenian Foreign Ministers Meeting Today
Baku Today 12/05/2004 12:30
Azerbaijan and Armenian foreign ministers will come together today
in Strasbourg to discuss Karabakh conflict. According to ANS, the
two will be considering step by step solution of the conflict which
is backed by Azerbaijani side.
In particular Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is
expected to dwell on the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from seven
Azerbaijani territories so that the internally displaced Azerbaijani
people could return to their lands.
Earlier Armenian side had agreed to consider the issue.
The meeting of the foreign ministers is following the meeting of the
presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia on April 28 in Warsaw.