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02/01/2005
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1) ARF Youth Delegation Participates in Fifth World Social Forum
2) PACE to Gather Commission on Implementation of Controversial Resolution on
Karabagh
3) Judges, Defense Attorneys, and Prosecutors Issue Joint Statement on
Constitutional Amendments
4) EU Reminds Turkey of Condition for Talks
5) Renowned Baritone to Dedicate Yerevan Performance to 90th Anniversary of
Armenian Genocide
6) Memorial for Professor and Poet Leonardo Alishan
1) ARF Youth Delegation Participates in Fifth World Social Forum
PORTO ALEGRE–A delegation of Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Youth
Organization (ARF-YO) members joined over 155,000 activists from 135 countries
at the fifth World Social Forum held in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre.
Participants of the five day conference, which convened on January 26 under
the
slogan of “another world is possible,” gathered in Brazil to organize for
tolerance, justice, and peace.
Established in 2001, the World Social Forum is a meeting place for those who
are interested in building a world in which meaningful relationships among
humans flourish. As the Forum’s charter of principles reads: “The alternatives
proposed at the World Social Forum stand in opposition to a process of
globalization commanded by the large multinational corporations and by the
governments and international institutions at the service of those
corporations’ interests, with the complicity of national governments. They are
designed to ensure that globalization in solidarity will prevail as a new
stage
in world history. This will respect universal human rights and those of all
citizens–men and women–of all nations and the environment and will rest on
democratic international systems and institutions at the service of social
justice, equality and the sovereignty of peoples.”
Representing the ARF at the conference were Onnik Tamjian and Khachig
Der-Ghougassian of South America’s Armenian National Committee, Mkhitar
Markarian of Armenia, Anet Armen of the United States and Damian Mnagian, and
Juan Botista Karageozian of Argentina, both of whom were instrumental in
educating Forum delegates about the genocide committed against the
Ottoman-Armenians in 1915.
To date, ARF delegations have participated in World Social Forum organized
conferences held in Florence (2002), France (2003), London (2004) and the
Ecuadorian capital of Quito (2004). Next year, Forum conferences will be held
in several locations around the globe, in anticipation of the 2007 conference,
which is scheduled to take place in Africa.
2) PACE to Gather Commission on Implementation of Controversial Resolution on
Karabagh
(Combined Sources)–The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will
organize an ad hoc commission to review the implementation of its
resolution on
Mountainous Karabagh, adopted by the body on January 25.
The resolution calls on Azeri authorities to establish contact with
Karabagh’s
leaders–which they have persistently refused to do–and to refrain from any
attempts to retake lost territory by force.
Adopted early last week, amid protests from the Armenian delegation that
described it as biased in Azerbaijan’s favor, the controversial resolution
describes Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR) as a mono-ethnic area “which
resemble the terrible concept of ethnic cleansing.” The resolution,
however, is
legally non-binding.
Delegation heads of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE)
Minsk Group member-countries will form the commission, which is to be set
up in
March 2005.
According to Azeri sources, PACE will seek the assistance of Council of
Europe
Secretary General Terry Davis, as well as Armenian and Azeri presidents, in
order to specify the commission’s authorities.
Pointing to the biased nature of the report, the deputy chair of the Armenian
delegation to PACE Armen Rustamian told the body last week, “Azerbaijan is
expecting to use this document as a justification to issue an ultimatum it has
been preparing for a long time. Azerbaijan wants to solve the [Karabagh] issue
according to its own scenario–that is, through war.”
A 10-member OSCE fact-finding mission is currently in the Jebrail and Fizuli
regions of Karabagh to investigate Azeri allegation that they are being
illegally populated with Armenians.
The fact-finding team led by a senior German Foreign Ministry official, Emily
Habber, and accompanied by the French, Russian, and US co-chairs of the OSCE’s
Minsk Group visited the Kelbajar district west of Karabagh on Monday, before
arriving in Stepanakert to meet with Karabagh President Arkady Ghukasian.
Ghukasian denied that the government of MKR is encouraging the
resettlement of
Armenian families in those areas and said those Armenians who have moved there
since the 1994 ceasefire are mostly former refugees from Azerbaijan. Ghukasian
also urged the visitors to inspect Azeri-controlled areas of Karabagh that
were
formerly populated with Armenians.
“We have heard many interesting details and I am confident that those details
will help us assess the situation correctly,” Habber told local journalists.
The OSCE mission will spend ten days traveling around the occupied lands and
submit a report to the Minsk Group later on.
3) Judges, Defense Attorneys, and Prosecutors Issue Joint Statement on
Constitutional Amendments
YEREVAN (Armenpress)–In a conference organized by the American Bar
Association
Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (CEELI) and funded by USAID,
Armenian judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys met in Tsakhkadzor on
January 28-30 to discuss three packages of constitutional amendments proposed
by Armenia’s various political groups. They were joined by NGO and Media
Representatives.
The discussions began by focusing on the section of proposed constitutional
amendments related to the judicial system, with each of the groups debating
problems and issues of concern.
“Legal professionals of Armenia are very enthusiastic about constitutional
reforms and want to contribute to the process. During these roundtables
judges,
advocates, and prosecutors demonstrated their command of the issue,” said
ABA/CEELI country director Karen Kendrick.
On the closing day, a joint session summed up the results and drafted a
statement on the judicial section of constitutional reforms, providing
recommendations for a transparent and more effective functioning judiciary
system.
The statement marks the first time the three legal professional groups
issue a
joint declaration, to demonstrate a common approach and agreement on
legal-judicial system reforms.
Founded in 1990, the CEELI is a public service project of the American Bar
Association. More than 5,000 legal professionals have contributed over $180
million in pro bono legal services to projects in Central and Eastern Europe
and the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union. Targeting Judicial
reform in Armenia, CEELI seeks to enhance the independence, competence, and
accountability of judges and to develop resources necessary for the
transparent
administration of justice.
4) EU Reminds Turkey of Condition for Talks
BRUSSELS (Reuters)–The European Commission has reminded Turkey that it must
sign a document extending its customs union with the EU to cover Cyprus before
it can begin membership talks with the bloc as planned on October 3.
“If Ankara dragged its feet for political reasons, the negotiations would not
open,” senior Commission official Jean-Christophe Filori told visiting Turkish
journalists on Tuesday.
The move is highly sensitive in Turkey because it is seen by diplomats as
tantamount to de facto recognition of the internationally backed Greek Cypriot
government in Nicosia without a peace deal to reunite the divided island.
Turkey, which won its date to start long-delayed EU entry talks at a summit
last December, recognizes only a breakaway Turkish Cypriot community in the
north of Cyprus.
Asked what would happen if Turkey did not sign the protocol, Filori said: “If
the delay is a result of political resistance (in Turkey), yes it would be a
problem and the negotiations would not start.”
Filori is a senior aide to EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, responsible
for Turkey.
Turkish financial markets are acutely sensitive to any suggestion of problems
in Turkey’s bid to join the EU.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, aware of the high stakes involved, said last
week there would be no delay in signing the document, though he gave no date.
“We are analyzing the situation with regard to international law and once we
have made sure of our position, we will be in touch with the European
Commission and we will make an effort to achieve a result as soon as
possible,”
he told reporters in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum.
“We would never want to extend the process,” Erdogan said.
The Greek Cypriot government is viewed by the other 24 members of the EU as
the sole legal representative of Cyprus, which joined the EU with nine other
states in May 2004.
Filori said the EU had no plans to get directly involved in any revived
diplomatic drive to reunite Cyprus, saying this would remain the
responsibility
of the United Nations.
A previous UN peace plan was defeated last year when the Greek Cypriots
rejected it in a referendum shortly before joining the EU. The Turkish
Cypriots
had backed the plan.
Filori said a framework document establishing the structure for Turkey’s
accession talks would be ready by June at the latest. He declined to say how
long he thought the negotiations would last.
“Taking on the acquis communautaire (EU law) is a huge task and takes a huge
amount of time,” Filori said, referring to the tens of thousands of pages of
European law which prospective members must adopt and implement.
5) Renowned Baritone to Dedicate Yerevan Performance to 90th Anniversary of
Armenian Genocide
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–One of the most famous world baritones, Renato
Bruson, will perform in Armenia on February 5 together with the Armenian
Philharmonic Orchestra, at Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall. The concert,
dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, will mark Bruson’s
first visit to Armenia.
Initiated by the head conductor of the State Philharmonic Orchestra of
Armenia
Eduard Topchian, negotiations with Bruson began last year, but the agreement
was reached recently.
Arias and overtures from Giuseppe Verdi’s operas will be performed, with the
cost of tickets ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 drams ($6-20).
“We have established all the conditions for the Armenian spectators to
have an
opportunity to hear the world-famed baritone,” said Topchian.
A concert with world-famed tenor Placido Domingo in Yerevan is currently in
the works, which will also be dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian
genocide. The State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia has been negotiating
with
Domingo’s manager for the past several months.
Bruson, one of the foremost Verdi and bel canto baritones of his generation,
was unable to afford any kind of musical schooling at a young age, but his
family encouraged him to sing in the local church choir. After finishing
regular school, he auditioned for the Padova Conservatory, and was offered a
five-year scholarship, where he studied with Elena Fava Cerati, who trained
him
thoroughly in the bel canto style and technique.
He made his opera debut as the Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore at Spoleto in
1961.
He appeared at the Met for the first time in 1969, as Enrico in Lucia di
Lammermoor, and made his La Scala debut in Linda di Chamonix in 1972.
In 1973, he made his Chicago Lyric Opera debut as Renato in Un Ballo in
Maschera, and in 1975 he made his Covent Garden debut in the same role,
substituting for an ill Piero Cappuccilli. His Vienna State Opera debut was in
1978, as Verdi’s Macbeth.
He sang with Riccardo Muti for the first time in 1970, and over the years
became an adherent of Muti’s insistence on singing come scritto, without
singer-interpolated high notes, believing that this focuses attention on the
music and drama rather than the singer.
He frequently championed the songs of Tosti, and was named an honorary
citizen
of Cortona, Tosti’s home city, in recognition of this. While his Verdi roles
are perhaps his best-known, especially Macbeth, Rigoletto, Renato (Un Ballo in
Maschera), and Simon Boccanegra, he sang in no fewer than seventeen Donizetti
operas during the 1970s and 1980s, just ahead of the crest of a great
resurgence of interest in lesser-known nineteenth-century works.
With his soft, rich, deep voice he has emerged as the leading romantic
baritone of our time, specializing above all in Donizetti and Verdi, but not
disregarding eighteenth-century opera.
6) Memorial for Professor and Poet Leonardo Alishan
Accomplished former University of Utah professor and poet, Leonardo Paul
Alishan, 53, passed away on January 9, 2005 as a result of a horrific house
fire.
Nardo was born on March 4, 1951 in Tehran, Iran to Armenian parents, Michael
and Annette. He married Neli Assadurian on July 19, 1974. Three wonderful
children was the result of their union, Michael, Ara, and Eileen.
Nardo immigrated to the United States in 1973 and received his doctorate
degree in 1978 in comparative literature from the University of Texas at
Austin. He moved to Utah and joined the University of Utah’s Middle Eastern
Studies’ department the same year.
He enjoyed teaching and spending time with his students, which were his
biggest source of inspiration. He left an everlasting impression on everyone
who came in contact with him, and made their lives richer and more meaningful.
His students admired his knowledge, candidness, humbleness, and warm
personality, and rewarded him twice with voting him the most distinguished
professor at the university. He also received a faculty award from the
University of Utah for the 1994-1995 school
year.
Nardo was an accomplished researcher and poet, which received
numerous awards for his literary body of work. His love for literature
benefited Iranian, Armenian, and English literary communities in different
capacities. He authored several articles and papers covering traditional and
modern Iranian poets and writers, while becoming one of the top authorities in
the world on `David and Sassoun,’ the Armenian national epic. He was
especially
proud of his two published poetry books, `Dancing Barefoot on Broken Glass’
and
`Through a Dewdrop.’
Nardo’s legacy lives in his oldest son Micheal, who has inherited his
wonderful personality, in Ara, who has inherited his gentle soul and artistic
inclinations, and in his youngest child Eileen, his ultimate love, which
completes the circle. His legacy will always be alive in every student and
individual who came to know this wonderful mind and exceptional literary
genius.
He is survived by his children, Michael, Ara, and Eileen; wife, Neli; Nephew,
Damian; Preceded in death by father, Michael; mother, Annette; brother, Sacco.
A memorial reception will take place on Saturday, February 5, 2:30 p.m.-5:30
p.m., at Cabrini Villas, 9600 Cabrini Drive, Burbank, CA 91504. For
information
call (818) 731-3365.
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From: Baghdasarian