ASBAREZ Online [06-07-2005]

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/07/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) ARF Sponsors Talks on Benefits and Disadvantages of Dual Citizenship 2) Armenia at NATO Gintarine Viltis 2005 3) Oskanian Visit with Minsk Co-chair, Travels to Washington 4) Karekin II Blesses Mother Cathedral Foundation Stone 5) System Of A Down US Tour 1) ARF Sponsors Talks on Benefits and Disadvantages of Dual Citizenship YEREVAN (Armenpress)--The chairman of Armenia's parliament committee on legal issues, Rafik Petrosian, endorsed on Monday a proposed constitutional amendment that would rid the ban on dual citizenship. That amendment will be put to a nationwide referendum later this year. Speaking at a roundtable organized by the Revolutionary Federation (ARF), to review the benefits and disadvantages of the amendment, Petrosian pointed to the Armenian diaspora's economic potential, and its capacity to advance Armenia's economy. Supporters of dual citizenship argue its introduction would enable the Armenian diaspora to render assistance more effectively, increase foreign investment in the country, and bring expatriate Armenians psychologically closer to their historical homeland. According to Petrosian, the law on dual citizenship should not allow diaspora Armenians to either vote in elections or be able to run for office in Armenia. ARF's Armen Rustamian argued against that proposal. Opponents of the amendment say it is fraught with unforeseen consequences and could surrender sovereignty to people in other countries. They also fear that the Armenian government could be influenced by outside forces if dual citizens are granted the right to vote and are allowed to run for office. Dual citizenship is only possible when bilateral agreements are struck other countries allowing their citizens to be dual nationals. Ruben Kirakosian, a political analyst from Moscow, nevertheless, urged Armenians to review the political benefits before considering the amendment. 2) Armenia at NATO Gintarine Viltis 2005 (PanArmenian.net)--Armenian servicemen are among the over 2,000 servicemen from 12 NATO countries who have gathered in Lithuania to participate in the NATO Gintarine Viltis 2005 exercises. The goal of the exercises is to develop cooperation between NATO countries and servicemen taking part in the Partnership for Peace program. The program seeks to also enhance the overall command of multinational forces during NATO peacekeeping operations. Servicemen from Azerbaijan, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and UK are represented at the exercises that will last until June 18. Armenia and Russia are participating as observers. From June 19-30, an Armenian peacekeeping battalion and four officers will be participating in the Cooperative Best Effort 2005 NATO exercise in Lviv, Ukraine. 3) Oskanian Visit with Minsk Co-chair, Travels to Washington YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian is scheduled to leave for Vienna Wednesday morning to meet with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who are seeking to negotiate a settlement on Mountainous Karabagh conflict. Little information is available on the planned visit, except that Oskanian, after meeting with the co-chairmen in Vienna, will be in Washington, DC until June 10. Although Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will be in the US at the same time, it is not known whether Oskanian will meet with either. 4) Karekin II Blesses Mother Cathedral Foundation Stone BURBANK--On June 4, His Holiness Karekin II led a procession of high-ranking clergy, benefactors, godfathers, Diocesan clergy and deacons, in a groundbreaking ceremony blessing the foundation stones of the new Mother Cathedral in Burbank, California. The Catholicos congratulated Primate His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and the faithful on the construction of the Mother Cathedral. On behalf of the Western Diocese, the Primate conveyed gratitude to the benefactors and godfathers for their generosity that made the construction of the Mother Cathedral a reality. The Primate invited the Catholicos to address the crowd, at which time doves were released as a symbol of peace. 5) System Of A Down US Tour (Ultimate-Guitar.Com)--Described by the media as `the most wonderfully bombastic band in modern rock,' `the most wholly unique band making music today,' and `capable of single-handedly carrying rock into a new era,' System Of A Down will kick off its first major North American tour in three years on August 4, headlining the Long Beach Arena just outside of Los Angeles. The tour, which features The Mars Volta as special guests and Bad Acid Trip as the tour's first leg openers, will see System Of A Down headlining arenas in some forty cities over a ten-week period. Tickets for the first five cities on the tour--Long Beach, San Diego, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas--will go on sale this weekend and will be priced from $32.50 to $45.00. System Of A Down's site will host a ticket presale beginning this Wednesday, June 8 at 10:00AM PDT running through 10:00PM PDT on Thursday, June 9. Log onto the site the special password and complete details. General ticket on-sales will begin this weekend for these initial five dates at the band's website, at all Ticketmaster outlets including ticketmaster.com, and at the venues' box office. The tour is in support of System Of A Down's brand-new album, `Mezmerize,' which was released May 17 and debuted in the number one slot on the Billboard/SoundScan charts. `Mezmerize' also experienced worldwide first-week success having soared to the top of album charts in more than a dozen countries--worldwide sales for `Mezmerize' in its first week topped 800,000 copies. `Mezmerize' is the first disc in a two-disc set, with disc two, `Hypnotize,' set for a late fall release. `Mezmerize/Hypnotize' was produced by Rick Rubin and System's main songwriter/guitarist Daron Malakian. Since its self-titled debut in 1998, System Of A Down--Daron Malakian (guitars, vocals), Serj Tankian (vocals), Shavo Odadjian (bass), John Dolmayan (drums)--has sold more than 10-million records world wide, and risen to the level of an arena headliner while maintaining its musical integrity, its core fan base, and its position as one of the most unique bands in rock. With the unexpected commercial radio success of `Chop Suey!,' `Toxicity,' and the Number One `Aerials,' the three Top 10 radio tracks from 2001's multi-platinum album `Toxicity,' System blew the definition of mainstream rock wide open. System Of A Down's music is impossible to pigeonhole, as it runs the gamut from Metallica to Frank Zappa to Gilbert and Sullivan to Armenian folk tunes. Lyrically, System is highly opinionated about numerous topics including war, religion, politics, Hollywood, love, genocide, drugs, sex, injustice, and just having a good time. System Of A Down is currently on a 23-date tour of Europe comprised of appearances at major rock festivals as well as handful of headlining dates including a three-night stand at London's Brixton Academy. This past April, the band took to the road on a nine-city `guerrilla tour,' headlining small venues in major US markets with the shows being announced only a day or two ahead of time. Of the Washington, DC show, the Washington Post wrote that System `delivered a performance as pummeling and cathartic as rock gets.' Initial confirmed dates for System of a Down's North American tour are as follows: 08/04--Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA, On-sale is 12 noon, Saturday, June 11 08/06--TBA, San Diego, CA, On-sale is 3:00 PM, Friday, June 10 08/11--American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX, On-sale is 12 noon Saturday, June 11 08/12--SBC Arena, San Antonio, TX, On-sale is 10:00 AM, Saturday, June 11 08/13--Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX, On-sale is 10:00 AM, Saturday, June 11 More dates to be announced shortly. 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) 2005 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.