ASBAREZ Online [10-01-2004]

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
10/01/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) ARF Armenia Pushes Accelerated Reforms to Resolve Critical Issues 2) ANCA-WR Praises Effort by Lawmakers to Reaffirm Armenian Genocide 3) Chirac Promises Turkey EU Referendum 4) Another Sosse Kindergarten Opens Doors 5) Noah's Ark Libarary Continues The Quest for Knowledge 6) ADAPTATION or WHEN HOLLYWOOD MET WASHINGTON 1) ARF Armenia Pushes Accelerated Reforms to Resolve Critical Issues YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Armenian Revolutionary Federation's (ARF) Supreme Body representative Armen Rustamian and National Assembly's ARF faction leader Levon Mkrtchian held a news conference on Friday to present the party's activities in the past year, along with future plans. Rustamian, who mentioned that the party's Supreme Convention is scheduled for October, said, "In order to make the discussions more effective, we need to know public opinion on our activities. Then the convention will shape our strategy for the next two years." Speaking of ARF's motives to join the ruling coalition, Rustamian pointed to two reasons. "First, we wanted the issues we deemed critical to be considered as such by the government, and to ensure our participation in resolving those issues. The coalition greatly contributed to establishing stability in the country, as well as strengthening the country's position on the international arena. When the political situation escalated this year, however, it became clear that there is definite discontent." "The coalition's main objective should be to accelerate the country's development so as to decrease the level of objective discontent," Rustamian continued. He noted that due to specifics of the transitional period, the country is shifting to a plutocracy rather than democracy. As for those measures aimed at curtailing negative developments, Rustamian pointed to the fight against corruption as a pivotal step, adding that the ARF's faction in the National Assembly will soon introduce a number of draft laws related to the issue." He also noted that accountability should play a key role in the policy of choosing people to public offices, and that a system of checks and balances must be instituted. He detailed the party's stance on the Constitution, Elections Code, social issues, and the justice system. Asked to comment on the coalition's activities during the past year, Rustamian said not enough has been done to resolve crucial issues, and deemed it necessary to accelerate the pace of reforms. 2) ANCA-WR Praises Effort by Lawmakers to Reaffirm Armenian Genocide --Members of Congress Urge House Speaker to Schedule Genocide Resolution and Maintain Schiff Amendment in Foreign Ops Bill WASHINGTON, DC--The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR) praised the bipartisan effort of sixty-four Members of Congress who joined Congressmen George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (R-CA), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) in sending a letter to House of Representatives Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) in support of a resolution acknowledging the Armenian genocide (H.Res. 193) and calling on the leadership of the House to maintain the "Schiff Amendment," which unanimously passed in the House of Representatives by a voice vote on July 15, 2004. "Next year will mark the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide," Congressman Schiff said, "and it would be a noble and fitting gesture for this nation to recognize the deaths of 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children, while some of the survivors still remain." Among the signatories to the letter were Representatives Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Howard Berman (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Bob Filner (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Nick Lampson (D-TX), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Devin Nunes (R-CA), George Radanovich (R-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA)Mike Thompson (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Anna Eshoo (D-CA). Congresswoman Eshoo, who will be honored at the upcoming ANCA-WR 2004 Banquet on October 24 in Pasadena, CA, also joined her fellow Congressman of Armenian descent, Rep. John E. Sweeney (R-NY), in issuing a separate letter to Congressional colleagues urging them to co-sign the letter to Speaker Hastert. Thousands of Armenian Americans from across the United States utilized the ANCA's WebFax tool to communicate their support for this effort to their Representatives in Congress. "Given all of this support, it should be clear to the House Leadership that the American people prefer justice to indifference and hypocrisy when it comes to genocide," remarked Ardashes Kassakhian, Executive Director of the ANCA-WR. "We're calling on House Leaders to do what's right and end their opposition to this simple, commonsense piece of legislation," said Kassakhian. H.Res. 193, and its Senate companion S.Res. 164, is a resolution that officially recognizes the Armenian genocide and marks the 15th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan signing the 1987 genocide Convention Implementation Act, also known as the Proxmire Act. H.Res. 193 passed the House Judiciary Committee on May 22, 2003, shortly after its introduction on April 10, 2003. The House of Representatives voted to adopt the Schiff Amendment to the House version of the Foreign Operations spending bill, which aims to prohibit the Government of Turkey from using US foreign aid to lobby against H.Res. 193. 3) Chirac Promises Turkey EU Referendum STRASBOURG (Reuters)--President Jacques Chirac has promised to hold a referendum on Turkey's entry to the European Union if the bloc agrees to its accession, despite the risk that France could block its membership. Bowing to political pressure for French people to have a say on Turkey, Chirac said he had urged the government to propose changes to France's constitution so that referendums have to be held on any other future enlargement of the 25-member bloc. His call is likely to alarm Ankara and could cause concern among all prospective EU members. "Let me reassure you right away--the French people will have their say," Chirac told a news conference following talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Strasbourg in eastern France on Friday. A referendum is unlikely for more than a decade. But an opinion poll this week showed 56 percent of French people oppose Turkey's immediate entry due to fears on jobs and concerns about letting in a mainly Muslim country that links Europe to Asia. Chirac's ruling conservative party has also opposed Ankara's candidacy and called for a referendum, even though the president supports Turkey's accession. Chirac's promises of a public vote are intended to prevent voters' concerns over Turkey clouding a referendum next year on the EU constitution and increasing the chances of France rejecting the treaty--a vote which could torpedo it. Chirac gave no details of the changes he wanted in France's constitution, apart from saying votes on future EU enlargement should be put to a public vote. "It would be compulsory to ask the French people via a referendum on this enlargement or any other possible enlargements, and not via the parliamentary process," he said, COMMISSION REPORT The European Commission is expected to recommend in a report on Wednesday that the EU opens entry talks with Turkey. A final decision will be taken when EU leaders meet in December; the accession talks would be expected to last for several years. There was no referendum in France before the EU expanded to 25 members in May. French people are concerned that France's influence in the EU has been diluted by enlargement and that the entry of a country of 71 million people will water it down more. Chirac said he and Schroeder agreed that Turkey had made a lot of progress by introducing democratic and economic reforms but had not yet fulfilled all the terms for entry. "We have an interest in having Turkey with us," Chirac said. "It creates a prospect of democracy and peace taking root on the whole of the European continent ... so that we avoid the mistakes and violence of the past." France's foreign and finance ministers, both of whom are members of Chirac's Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party, have in the past few days proposed holding a referendum on Turkey's entry when the time comes. There is some hope for Turkey. This week's poll showed 63 percent of French could one day foresee Turkey's accession. Chirac did not make clear whether he wanted changes made to France's constitution in time for a further enlargement expected to take in Romania and Bulgaria in 2007. Croatia is expected to join the bloc soon after Romania and Bulgaria. 4) Another Sosse Kindergarten Opens Doors --Misserlians fund ARS Shushi school SHUSHI (Noyan Tapan)--The Armenian Relief Society 'Soseh' Kindergarten of Shushi in Mountainous Karabagh Republic, officially opened on September 30, offering elementary education and devoted care to 50 children. Yetvart and Vergine Misserlian of San Fransisco are the benefactors of the new kindergarten. The ARS founded its first 'Sosse' kindergarten in Stepanakert, in 1997, offering the children of Artsakh basic care and elementary education in Armenian culture. This worthy endeavor has continued for the last 7 years, to provide education to more than 520 children in Karabagh, and gainful employment to over 100 adults. 5) Noah's Ark Libarary Continues The Quest for Knowledge By Ani Shahinian Asbarez Staff HOLLYWOODSeptember 26 marked the official opening of the Rose & Alex Pilibos Armenian School's state of the art gymnasium and library. It was a significant day in the school's 35-year history as it represented the culmination of years of tireless work and dedication. Inspired by the biblical story of Noah's ark, the library finds itself in "floating" form as it hovers above the gymnasium roof. School Principal Viken Yacoubian expressed that the library symbolizes transition and the immigrants' voyage, yet it is anchored firmly with huge columns representing Armenia's heritage and culture. Many community members and supporters were on hand, as student council president Ara Tomassian, the afternoon's emcee, welcomed them. After Reverend Vassilian offered his blessings and congratulations, Board of Regents of Prelacy Schools member Roubina Peroomian spoke enthusiastically about the worthwhile project and its journey to completion. Inspirational words by US Congresswoman Diane Watson, representing California's 33rd Congressional district, encouraged the preservation of ethnicity and culture and praised the school's integral role in educating young Armenian American students. She said the 33rd district, with its mix of Armenians, Greeks, Hispanics, among other ethnicities, is a true reflection of what America is about. The Congresswoman spoke of parallels between the Armenian and African American communities, remarking, "We share a common heritage of having been transported through the diaspora to a new home in America." Watson noted the resilience of the Armenians, despite its history of suffering, and the unique contributions the Armenian American community has made to society. Pledging her continued commitment to representing Armenians in her district, Watson said that through such endeavors, "Your children and children's children will never forget who they are." On behalf of the school's finance committee, Marie Demirjian extended gratitude to all who helped endlessly in the actualization of the project. Angela Sassounian, a member of the educational committee, said that the library will not only serve the needs of the students, but also the school's teachers and parents, as well as the larger Pilibos family. As the afternoon came to a close, Principal Viken Yacoubian acknowledged not only those who dedicated themselves to the project in the present time, but specifically extended appreciation to "those who came before us. It is the force of their vision, love, and commitment that has made the project possible." He remarked that the school will continue on its path, as the vision of becoming an integral part of the larger society, while being "anchored" by our Armenian heritage is realized. StudioWorks Architects' principals Robert Mangurian and Mary-Ann Ray, who designed the stunning building, were also present during the ceremony. They found harmony in the contradictory building types by fusing "exercise of the body" and "education of the mind." The pomegranate-red library can be entered through an existing four-story classroom building by elevator or via outdoor stairs with metal treads and jaunty nautical railings. Inside, the library is one big, long room housing 9,000 Armenian and English-language books, a reading room, a children's storytelling nook, an online research area, and a librarian's office. The 14,000-square-foot gym includes regulation high school basketball and volleyball facilities, bleacher seating for 275 people, a student store, an exercise room, locker rooms, restrooms, coaches' offices, a maintenance shop, and equipment storage. 6) ADAPTATION or WHEN HOLLYWOOD MET WASHINGTON By Skeptik Sininkian Ok, now I know I promised you the sequel to last week's drama/comedy/action thriller but I couldn't help but digress for just a bit considering that Thursday night everyone I knew was watching the Presidential debate. In fact, last night's match up provided me with enough material for three different columns and I am tempted to dump the continuation of last week's column all together. But I won't let you down. A promise is a promise and we'll pick up from where we left off with Episode 2 of our Hollywood script-turned-reality. And as before, with any highly anticipated movie, we have to have at least 20 minutes of nonsensical previews! So in the spirit of remaining true to the Hollywood theme, we will now cover the debate in preview format. Well, what can I say, just when I thought it was safe to put some money down on the election, Kerry pulls off a big win. The smart money is still on Bush but Kerry came through big mainly because he stood to lose more than George W. Bush in the debates. The President, on the other hand, had been handicapped by his Achilles' heel, namely, his lack of intelligence. But it wasn't Bush's lack of knowledge on the issues that cooked his goose. It was his smug arrogance which, when juxtaposed with Kerry's cool and calm demeanor, made him look like a spoiled and impatient brat. The President did make some good points, jabbing Kerry repeatedly on his inconsistency on the Iraq War. (Don't you love living in an era where we can be at war without formally DECLARING war? I'm being sarcastic. Quick Skeptik Factoid: Did you know The United States hasn't formally declared war on anyone since World War II). Kerry was unable to respond clearly to the President's inquiries into his stance on the war because Kerry doesn't really have one. During the same debate, he questioned going to war numerous times and then said that he could do the job better. My Democrat friends were dancing in the street after Kerry's performance in the debate but I wasn't sure why? Kerry's apparently back in the race and that's supposedly a good thing? From what I understood during the debate, Kerry's planning on staying in Iraq and I don't know what magic wand he's going to use to make our boys and girls immune to enemy bullets. (Sigh) But Kerry did make the point that Bush became distracted during his War on Terror and shifted his focus from the Mountains of Bora Bora (I just like saying Bora Bora) where Osama Bin Laden was hiding and redirected troops to Iraq. And speaking of Iraq and the debates and the election and the hunt for Osama Bin Laden...we are now ready to continue or regularly scheduled program. (By the way, my mother still thinks that there's a conspiracy to catch or reveal the capture of Bin Laden before Election Day). When we last left our kingdom in chaos, we had an inexperienced king with delusions of greatness leading his people into a war against an invisible enemy. The king wastes the surplus of the kingdom's coffers and squanders away any respect that the other kingdoms had for Act V The Rat Race or It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World [Setting: Washington, DC] The ceremonial day of selecting a new leader is fast approaching. Initially, the king's challenger appreciated widespread popularity, not as much for his own abilities but out of dislike toward the king. The king responds by having his servants attack the challenging prince's credibility as a veteran of the foreign wars. Both men hold great festivals to curry favor with the people but the king emerges stronger from his celebration. As the day of the actual festival to select the next king draws closer, rumors begin to circulate that the king is about the capture his adversarythe infamous and elusive invisible enemy. People work themselves into frenzy at the prospect of capturing and finally seeing this monster in the flesh. Act VI Sleeping With the Enemy? The festival has nearly arrived and rumors abound about a potential attack or the message a change in leadership would send to the elusive enemy. Some think that he has already been captured while others are certain that he is lurking outside the gates of the realm waiting for the right moment to attack. Just before the festival day, the king makes a grand speech about patriotism, the call of duty, and the legacy of all the kings that came before him. The subjects cheer their king and believe that he is the only person who can rid them of this mysterious evil that threatens them. The king's demoralized challenger sulks as he watches his opponent play upon the insecurities of the people and run off with the crown yet again. Now this is the part in the movie where the camera begins to pan out over the crowd and we see a lone horseman riding into the town interrupting the king's speech. Out of breath, the young soldier announces that the enemy has been cornered in the mountains far off on the outskirts of the kingdom. The king announces to his subjects that they will embark on the crusade to bring the villain to justice as dawn's first light, but tonight...they will elect the new leader and prepare for war the next day. People begin to cheer in frenzy at the prospect of capturing the enemy and the movie ends with the teaser for the final and third episodeThe Phantom Menace. Le Fin. The End. To be Continued...but not by this Skeptik. This is how it will go down, in the next few weeks we'll start hearing reports of how we're "closing the noose around the neck of Bin Laden" which will give us hope that he will be brought to justice. In the meantime, Bush will continue to campaign as a Wartime President. And come November, unless Kerry gets off his clam chowder sipping' New England Ivy League derriere, we'll have four more years of Bush, a miserable economy, more war, more lives lost along with respect. It's sad to think this but sometimes I wonder if Bush was glad that he became known as the "Wartime President;" otherwise he'd just be remembered as being radical and mediocre at best. It's strange how Hollywood and Washington DC work sometimes and how a zero turns into a "hero." Well, that's it for me this week. We'll be back next week after these messages from our sponsors. Skeptik Sinikian has been brought to you by "Madzoon" [yogurt]the breakfast of champions! And "Skhtor" [garlic]"For when plain Madzoon just isn't enough!" Sinikian can be reached at [email protected] or visit his blog at All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.