Month: November 2006

ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Nov 23 2006

RUSSIA MAY SPUR SOLUTION TO KARABAKH CONFLICT – AZERI EXPERT

[Presenter] Baku has agreed to participate in the next round of talks
on the Nagornyy Karabakh resolution at the level of the Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents.

[Passage omitted: work under way to set the exact date of the
presidents’ meeting]

[Correspondent over video of Tahir Tagizada, spokesman for the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry] The head of the press and information
policy department of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Tahir
Tagizada, has told ANS that the conflicting sides and the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs are now working to set the exact date of the meeting.
Touching on the co-chairs’ Baku consultations, Tagizada said that the
talks were constructive and the mediators expressed their intention
to draw the positions of the conflicting sides closer. The co-chairs
expressed their hope that during their meeting due in Minsk the
presidents will make a step forward in the resolution principles
confirmed at the last session of the G8 countries. Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan
will have their third meeting this year.

[Passage omitted: Minsk Group was set up in Minsk 14 years ago]

Numerous experts think that it seems realistic now that the
conflicting sides may reach an agreement in this city after 14 years.

[Political expert Rasim Musabayov, speaking in Baku street] Russia,
Paris and the USA naturally approach the issue with jealousy. Russia
would not like this [agreement] to be announced in the USA or Paris,
and likewise they would not want it to be declared in Moscow. Maybe,
from this standpoint the best venue for announcing the agreement
acceptable for everybody is Minsk.

[Correspondent] On the other hand, the regional situation is
completely different now. Russia, which plays an important role in
the resolution of the conflict, has to pursue a different policy now.
Political expert Musabayov thinks that the success of the talks
mainly depends on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position.

[Musabayov] Neither [French President] Jacques Chirac, [US President
George] Bush nor [US Secretary of State] Condoleezza Rice will be
there. That is to say, it is up to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin
to spur the process to some extent and reach a certain result. One
can ask whether Russia will want this. It did not want this so far.
In exchange for progress [in the talks], it wanted Azerbaijan to meet
its interests to the proportions which were completely inadmissible.
The situation has changed now. Worsening Georgian-Russian relations
and the existence of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict leads to the
complete loss of communication between Russia and Armenia.

[Correspondent] The expert thinks that Baku’s recent serious
intentions regarding the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway
construction may also impact Russia’s stance on the conflict. The
point is that, if the project materializes, this will be the third
project out of Moscow’s sphere of influence.

[Musabayov] It will take NATO and Turkish forces 10 hours to reach
the Caspian Sea coast by that railway. Of course, Russia does not
want this. In this case, there is a chance that Russia may think it
over, use its reputation and opportunities and urge Armenians to give
up their false claims. Otherwise, there is no chance.

[Correspondent] The co-chairs have stated that the conflicting sides
are now discussing two principal issues. One of them is the use of
Lacin and Kalbacar districts as a transit corridor and the second is
the conduct of a referendum to define Nagornyy Karabakh’s status.
Baku and Yerevan still differ on the referendum. Armenia insists on
the conduct of the referendum maximum in five years, whereas
Azerbaijan thinks the voting is possible at an international level
with the participation of foreign experts only after Baku gives its
consent. The participation of Azerbaijanis displaced from occupied
territories in the referendum is one of the main conditions put
forward by Baku.

Ayaz Nizamioglu, Ramin Yaqubov, ANS.

Public Television, Armenia
Nov 24 2006

TURKEY’S EU BID TO IMPROVE TIES WITH NEIGHBOURS, ARMENIAN LEADER SAYS
IN CYPRUS

[Presenter] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, who is in Cyprus on
the first ever state visit, has met his Cypriot counterpart Tasos
Papadhopoulos. The Kocharyan – Papadhopoulos talks were followed by a
meeting of the delegations of the two countries in an expanded
format. President Kocharyan also spoke about the Turkish-Cypriot
problem and confirmed Armenia’s position once more. The Armenian
president also touched on the Armenian-Turkish issue.

[Correspondent, on the telephone from Nicosia] The Armenian
president’s state visit to Cyprus is the first high-level contact
between Armenia and Cyprus. Armenia and Cyprus do not only share
historical ties but also ways of integration into Europe. Cyprus has
passed this way successfully and can assist Armenia with its own
experience. Robert Kocharyan and Tasos Papadhopoulos today announced
that they were ready to boost the Armenian-Cypriot relations not only
in the issue of integration into Europe but also in bilateral
relations.

The Armenian-Cypriot talks started with the presidents’ one-to-one
talks. Then, they were joined by the two countries’ delegations. The
delegations included officials from the spheres of tourism and
banking. These are the main trends of prospects for the development
of the Armenian-Cypriot relations.

[Tasos Papadhopoulos, in Greek with Armenian voice-over] We have
discussed with the Armenian president the development of the
Armenian-Cypriot relations in all spheres, bilateral as well as
international issues. I hope that the working groups will submit
specific programmes of cooperation in education, tourism, banking and
cultural spheres and will discuss them in 2007.

[Correspondent] The Armenian president expressed hope that Cyprus
would share with Armenia its experience on the integration into
Europe, which will be useful for the reforms in our country. Cyprus
can also help Armenia within the framework of the EU’s Neighbourhood
Policy. The Armenian and Cypriot governments signed an agreement on
cooperation in the fight against organized and other crimes.

Robert Kocharyan answered journalists’ question about Armenia’s
position in the Turkish-Cypriot issue.

[Robert Kocharyan] We have always backed the Cypriot side in the UN
and generally in all discussions and we would like the Cypriot issue
to be solved as you wish.

[Correspondent] Robert Kocharyan has invited Tasos Papadhopoulos to
Armenia in 2007.

Turkey must reconsider the Cyprus issue till December, after which
the EU will announce its attitude to Turkey’s membership. Asked about
this issue, Robert Kocharyan noted that Turkey’s proposals for the
settlement of the relations with its neighbours will have an impact
on the Armenian-Turkish relations as well.

Robert Kocharyan also answered a question about Armenia’s position on
Turkey’s EU membership as Turkey did not recognize the Armenia
genocide.

[Robert Kocharyan] We hope that this membership process, thanks to
the reforms [presumably in Turkey], will create such a situation that
the discussions on the Armenian genocide in Turkey will be open and
give an opportunity to the Turkish public to voice its opinion on
this issue. We know that this will be a difficult path but we hope
that the Turkish people will get this path themselves. We hope that
by recognizing the Armenian genocide, the international community and
various countries will help the Turkish people overcome this
difficult path.

Lilit Setrakyan, Arman Garibyan, "Aylur", Cyprus.

Cyprus News Agency, Cyprus
Nov 24 2006

CYPRUS PRESIDENT BACKS ARMENIA, EXPECTS EU "SANCTIONS" ON TURKEY FROM
MID-DEC

Nicosia, Nov 23 (CNA) – "The Cyprus problem is irrelevant to and
cannot be associated with Ankara’s commitments vis-a-vis the European
Union," stressed here tonight Cyprus President Tasos Papadhopoulos.

Addressing a state dinner given at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia
in honour of visiting President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan,
President Papadhopoulos said Turkey’s obligations as an occupying
power as regards the Cyprus problem are a completely different issue.

"These are obligations that dictate its positive contribution to the
efforts to achieve a functional and viable solution. The fulfilment
of these obligations is pending for 32 years now, resulting in the
continuing forceful division of our country and the terrible tragedy
of our people," the Cypriot president noted.

He stressed that "we have supported and continue to support the
European course of Turkey. However, it is Turkey that undermines this
course with its continuous denial to comply with the European
prerequisites and respond in a positive way to the commitments she
has undertaken. The Report by the European Commission, issued only a
few days ago, notes this provocative denial by Turkey. A denial which
in essence equals with contempt of the European accession criteria
and the European rules of political behaviour," Papadhopoulos added.

The Cypriot president wondered "when Turkey challenges the European
Union, of which it aims to become a member, what should be the
reaction of the European partners? When Turkey refuses to fulfil her
obligations vis-a-vis the European Union in general and vis-a-vis the
Republic of Cyprus in particular, what should be the consequences?"

For certain, he added, the European Union cannot tolerate this
provocative stand and behaviour of Ankara and has no right to consent
to a smooth and unhindered course for Turkey, as if nothing happens.
It is not possible, because of Turkey and for the sake of Turkey, to
ignore the established European procedures and to bypass the
statutory European rules, which are valid for every candidate
country, prior to accession.

Papadhopoulos said, however, that there is still time for Turkey to
comply with the recommendations and the demands of the European
Union. "So far we do not have valid reasons to be optimistic. On the
contrary, we have sound reasons to believe that it will continue her
negative stand. And unavoidably, it becomes clear that measures and
sanctions must be imposed on Turkey by the European Council, in the
middle of next month".

"We are not happy with this development, for which Turkey and no one
else is to blame. From the moment, however, that Turkey entrapped
itself into provocatively denying to fulfil its European obligations
there is no reasonable excuse, nor a legal way to avoid measures
against it," the president added.

He referred to the friendly ties between Cyprus and Armenia assuring
his Armenian counterpart that Cyprus "remains firm and consistent on
issues of principle that concern our steady and loyal friends, like
Armenia, especially when the issues of principle are common."

He said Cyprus, as a full member state of the great European family,
and Armenia as a country participating in the Action Plan, in the
framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy, have now, one more
opportunity to promote and expand their relations. Geographically,
Cyprus, more than any other European country, is closer to Armenia
and can, through the European Union Policy, become a communication
bridge between Europe and Armenia.

"I assure you, Mr President, that Cyprus, within the framework of the
European Union and on the basis of the European Neighbourhood Policy,
will support your friendly country in all its European aspirations
and in all its efforts for participation in European structures and
markets," Papadhopoulos pointed out.

Furthermore, he assured him that Cyprus fully supports the Minsk
Group efforts to achieve a peaceful and viable solution to the issue
of Nagorno-Karabakh in the framework of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Such a solution must of course meet
your own positions and aspirations, the Cypriot President concluded.

Iravunk, Armenia
Nov 23 2006

ARMENIAN POLITICIANS DOWNBEAT ON FORTHCOMING KARABAKH TALKS

by Tagui Tovmasyan’s

"Robert Kocharyan will take off his trousers but will not sign any
document"

The Russian and French co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group [mediating
a solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict], Yuriy Merzlyakov and
Bernard Fassier, said yesterday [22 November] before leaving for Baku
that [Armenian] President Robert Kocharyan had agreed to meet
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Minsk on 28-29 November on the
sidelines of a CIS summit. This seems to be the last attempt of the
co-chairmen to "budge" the Karabakh settlement process.

Representatives of some political parties have commented on the
possible signing of a document by Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev
during their forthcoming meeting in Minsk.

Aram Manukyan, member of the APNM [Armenian Pan-National Movement]
board: "Are you naive? No document will be signed. Robert Kocharyan
will take off his trousers but will not sign any document. That is to
say, he is ready to do everything not to sign a document."

Vladimir Karapetyan, press secretary of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry: "We took an active part in the discussions. The Armenian
foreign minister held three meetings in the last three months as a
result of which the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen concluded that it
was time to suggest that the presidents think about holding the next
meeting. This was the reason for their visit to the region."

Andranik Tevanyan, member of the Dashink [Alliance] party’s political
board: "I do not think that they will reach an agreement in
principle. Judging by the current processes, I think that the
Karabakh issue will be settled after 2008 [the next presidential
elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan]."

Vazgen Manukyan, leader of the Armenian Democratic Union: "I rule out
that any document will be signed by the end of the current year."

Aram Sarkisyan, leader of the Armenian Democratic Party: "I have
always said that there is no chance of signing a document as a result
of these kinds of meetings because the principles of the two
presidents do not give us grounds to believe that they may come to
any agreement. A document may be signed only if they agree in
principle on the scheme of settlement. For instance, if the Armenian
party agrees to return the territories, in Azerbaijan they should
think of a referendum in Karabakh, but they do not do so. But
President Kocharyan cannot make a decision like this because he does
not have legal grounds to fulfil this function. He does not represent
the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] at present and does not have the
rights which the NKR leadership has."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 24, 2006 Friday

ALIYEV AND KOCHARJAN WILL MEET IN MINSK;
OSCE mediators want results

by Sohbet Mamedov

RUSSIA, US, AND FRANCE ARE DETERMINED TO HAVE ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
SIGN BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE FUTURE PEACE AGREEMENT OVER
NAGORNO-KARABAKH THIS YEAR; Negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh
continue with OSCE mediators determined to make progress this year.

The latest round of Nagorno-Karabakh talks began, yesterday. OSCE
Minsk Group chairmen Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Matthew Bryuza (US),
and Bernard Fasiet (France) met with Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanjan and President Robert Kocharjan in Yerevan, this Tuesday. A
meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedjarov and
President Ilham Aliyev in Baku is scheduled later today.

Mediators said on the eve of the trip to the conflict area that they
were going there to arrange the third meeting of Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents this year. According to Tair Tagizade of the
Directorate of Mass Media and Information Policy of the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry, the meeting is supposed to take place in the course
of the CIS summit in Minsk, Belarus, on November 28.

Activization of the talks indicates that Russia, United States, and
France want the sides of the conflict signing the basic principles of
the future peace agreement this year.

"2006 offers a unique window of opportunities for an agreement that
will resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Merzlyuakov said and
added that Yerevan and Baku had said earlier this year that they had
never been so close to signing yet. "Permitting this window of
opportunities to close in early 2007, will be a tragedy for the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan."

Mediators are understandably worried by the approach of elections in
Armenia and then in Azerbaijan in 2007 and 2008. Previous campaigns
have taught mediators that Yerevan and Baku do not care about peace
talks before the elections.

Analysts believe that if the international mediators succeed in
arranging Azerbaijani-Armenian talks at the presidential level, it
will signify that foreign ministers of the two countries have found
some tentative formula of solution. The negotiating parties already
have a document to consider. Sources in diplomatic circles claim that
the principal clauses of the draft framework agreement specify the
following: withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territory;
refugees’ return to their homes; normalization of diplomatic and
economic relations between the two countries; deployment of
peacekeepers in the conflict area; international economic aid to
Nagorno-Karabakh; referendum on status there.

Armenia is expected to withdraw its army from seven occupied
districts of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan in its turn will establish a 40
kilometer corridor between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia that is to be
controlled by peacekeepers.

Whether or not Baku and Yerevan are prepared to accept it is
something only the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia can answer,
the national leaders the OSCE Minsk Group are applying pressure too.

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, November 22, 2006, p. 6

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 24, 2006 Friday

MOSCOW AND MINSK MOVE THE BORDER CLOSER TO NATO

by Vladimir Mukhin

F-16S COME TO POLAND, AND RUSSIA RESPONDS WITH S-300 SYSTEMS IN
BELARUS; The CIS Council of Defense Ministers and the counterpart
council for the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization will meet
today in Minsk, Belarus. Russia and Belarus are expected to sign an
agreement establishing the United Air Defense System.

The CIS Council of Defense Ministers and the counterpart council for
the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will meet
today in Minsk, Belarus. Such meetings take place twice a year.
Routine as they usually are, the meetings today promise a sensation.
Russian Air Force Commander Army General Vladimir Mikhailov and his
Belarusian counterpart Lieutenant-General Oleg Paferov maintain that
the two countries are expected to sign an agreement establishing the
United Air Defense System.

Moscow and Minsk have been toying with the idea these last seven
years. Implementation of the project was constantly impeded by
financial considerations (the cost of the project, in other words)
and organizational difficulties. Previously unsolvable, all these
problems were solved this year. As soon as the Alliance expanded. Its
expansion provided the previously absent stimulus for the
Russian-Belarusian military integration. In fact, the stimulus was so
strong as to make Moscow and Minsk forget about the current coldness
of the bilateral relations and even the specter of the gas war
between the countries.

According to Paferov, the bilateral agreement will solve a whole
number of problems including that of procurement of military hardware
from Russia. It is to be bought for the United Air Defense System now
and not for Belarus as such. System commander will be given the power
to make decisions on the use of Belarusian and Russian forces and
means entirely on his own, without running them by Minsk first.
Moscow gave Belarus a present – two batteries of S-300 air defense
systems, in addition to the two batteries already protecting the
Brest area. Two batteries more will be deployed in the vicinity of
Grodno before the year is over. All together, they will comprise the
115th Brigade of the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense Forces
which in its turn will become an element of the United Air Defense
System.

Official Moscow (the Russian Defense Ministry) openly admits that
deployment of S-300s in Belarus is a response to procurement of 48
F-16 fighters by Poland. "The Russian Air Force is ready for an
adequate response to this situation," Mikhailov said. "NATO aircraft
are free to land all over Europe. That’s what we are forming the
Russian-Belarusian United Air Defense System." Sources in the
Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense Forces point out that the new
brigade of the air defense systems pushes the aerial target detection
border 400 kilometers back in the western direction and the killing
zone 150 kilometers back. S-300s are designed to repel mass air
strikes, even those that include guided missiles and stealth
aircraft. The systems are also good for ICBM intercepts.

Bilateral accords between Russia and other CIS countries are to be
signed at the meeting of the CIS Council of Defense Ministers today.
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov will sign 2007 military cooperation
annual plans with representatives of the defense ministries of
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
An analogous document with Ukraine is to be signed during Ivanov’s
visit to Kiev in early December.

Georgia and Turkmenistan chose to ignore the Brest meeting.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Russia’s allies in the CSTO, sent deputy
defense ministers – correspondingly Major-General Bulat Janasayev and
Colonel Rustam Niyazov.

CSTO defense ministers are supposed to sum up a recent joint
exercise, Border 2006 on the Caspian Sea. The exercise was commanded
by Army General Muhtar Altynbayev, Defense Minister of Kazakhstan.
His absence from Brest certainly looks odd.

Moreover, CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha is supposed to
update defense ministers on restoration of Uzbekistan’s membership in
the structure. How is he going to do so if Tashkent is not
represented by its defense minister? The Defense Ministries of
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan decline to comment, let alone explain, for
the time being.

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, November 23, 2006, pp. 1, 7

Translated by A. Ignatkin

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 24, 2006 Friday

MILITARY DOCTRINE OF ARMENIA TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE END OF 2007

In the course of discussion of the draft national security doctrine
in the national academy of sciences Defense Minister of Armenia Serzh
Sarkisyan announced that the military doctrine of Armenia would be
developed by the end of 2007. The minister adds that the military
doctrine will solve all problems of the army and military policy of
the country. Members of the national academy of sciences took part in
discussion of the draft national security strategy. This document
will be debated by the parliament on November 27, and after public
debates the interagency commission will submit the document for
approval to the government. It is expected that the government will
approve it in May 2007.

Source: Krasnaya Zvezda, November 22, 2006, p. 3

Translated by Pavel Pushkin

ITAR-TASS News Agency
November 24, 2006 Friday 10:07 AM EST

Los Angeles TV marathon raises funds for Karabakh

YEREVAN, November 24

ByTigran Liloyan

The Los Angeles annual marathon in support of Nagorno- Karabakh has
raised 13.6 million dollars. The TV marathon continued for 12 hours
since Thursday evening until Friday morning.

“The results of the marathon were beyond expectations,” a source
from the head information department under the president of self-
proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh said on Friday.

This year the television marathon was held in the framework of the
Restoration of Karabakh program. The funds raised by the marathon
will be contributed to the restoration and development of the
Gadrudsky region of Nagorny Karabakh, its water supply system, health
service facilities and schools.

President of self-proclaimed Nagorny Karabakh Arkady Gukasyan visited
the United States to attend the marathon; he met influential
representatives of the Armenian Diaspora who contributed to the
success of the marathon, a source from Stepanakert said.

The TV marathon was broadcast live by Armenian Public Television,
satellite television to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and also via
cable TV channels of the Armenian Diaspora.

In the run-up to the US marathon a similar act was held in Europe in
which 13,000 people took part who contributed 1.1 million euros to
Karabakh. The Armenian Diaspora in Belgium took part in the marathon
for the first time alongside the Armenian communities in the
Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland.

Daily News (New York)
November 19, 2006 Sunday
SPORTS FINAL EDITION

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY TOASTS INDEPENDENCE

BY SNEJANA FARBEROV SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

RED, BLUE and orange – the colors of the Armenian flag – were waved
proudly in Brooklyn last Sunday as the 15,000-strong local Armenian
community celebrated 15 years of national independence.

The main event of the day was organized by St. Gregory Mission Parish
and held at St. Edmund’s Church on Ocean Ave. More than 150 guests,
some from as far away as Germany, convened there for an evening of
poetry readings, traditional dance performances by the Sevan
ensemble, and a mixed bag of musical treats.

The evening began with a performance of the American and Armenian
national anthems by lead soloist Jenny Bagdasarian and passionate
community activist Elen Ohanyan, both of whom grew up in the U.S.
That set the tone for the event: Move forward, but remember where you
came from.

"I consider myself both an Armenian and an American," said
Bagdasarian, 15. "I want everyone to know that I’m not only an
American who came to live here, but also that I have Armenian roots.

"It’s important to me, because my family is from Armenia," she
continued, "and when all those people died during the genocide, we’re
very proud they sacrificed everything so that we could have a better
life."

The Sunday festivities were just a commemoration of the secession of
Armenia from the crumbling Soviet Union, which had controlled the
proud little nation since 1920. Perhaps more importantly, it was a
celebration of 3,000 years of rich culture and history marked by a
tragedy that galvanized the Armenian national character.

"We survived, and now – thank God – we have our homeland, even a
small one, and we try to protect it," said Marina Bagdasarova,
principal of the Armenian School of Brooklyn, which is affiliated
with the St. Gregory parish.

The Rev. Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Vartan Cathedral, Eastern
Armenian Diocese, who officiated the formal part of the event, said
that the Armenian Church has always been the true backbone of the
Armenian nation. Chevian noted that it has provided a safe harbor for
the worshipers to come together in fellowship and prayer, and it
remains at the heart of the Armenian diaspora in New York.

"During the Soviet period, when Armenia was not able to reach out as
much as it can now, [it was] the church that maintained the Armenian
identity outside of Armenia," added Chevian.

Bagdasarova said that for the past several years, civic leaders have
been striving to build an Armenian community center that would
provide an additional venue to pass on the language and traditions of
the old country to the next generation before it is too late.
However, as it turns out, in such endeavors, size does matter.

"Considering the fact that we are a relatively small community here,
much smaller than others, we clearly receive far less attention from
the city and county governments," lamented Bagdasarova.

In the meantime, students of the Armenian School perform in local
Jewish centers and nursing homes, and at fund-raisers and festivals,
introducing people to their heritage through music and dance. Some of
their regular gigs include the annual Russian Heritage Week and
charity concerts in Brooklyn’s Millennium Theater, and the Shorefront
YM-YWHA on Brighton Beach.

Bagdasarova explained that it is no coincidence that Armenians and
Jews are so close: In the past century, the two nations were united
by the horrors of genocide and repeated pogroms that confined them
but failed to break their spirit.

Armenia was the first nation in the world to officially adopt
Christianity as its religion in A.D. 301. Its people were repeatedly
persecuted by their Muslim neighbors, and dispersed throughout the
world. Not until 1991 did Armenia regain its long-lost independence.

"Armenians take great pride in their millennia of history," said
Bagdasarova. "We are fortunate to be living in a country where you
can take independence, its inevitability, and the rights that it
promises, for granted."

GRAPHIC: MARC A. HERMANN Entertaining Armenian locals at St. Edmund’s
Church celebration are dancers Armine Arushonova (l.) and Ellen
Ohanyan.

Fresnans helping to feed Armenia

Nonprofit’s program provides wheat seed in 326 villages there and in
Nagorno-Karabakh.

By Dennis Pollock / The Fresno Bee
11/25/06 05:08:26

Seeds planted in Armenia are reaping a harvest of praise for a Fresno
nonprofit and the farmers it has helped.

Hovhanness Galoyan, a wheat grower from the Armenian village of
Karnut, was recognized recently by the government of Armenia for his
farming efforts that were assisted by the Fresno-based Armenian
Technology Group Inc (ATG).

And a tally by the Fresno organization shows that its 14-year-old
program to provide wheat seed has reached farmers in 302 villages in
Armenia and 24 villages in the neighboring Nagorno-Karabakh region.

"It is a moving experience to be able to put bread on the Armenian
table," said Nubar Tashjian, the group’s president.

The wheat grown in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the
collaboration is for domestic use, said Varoujan Der Simonian, the
organization’s executive director. The region was plagued in 2000 by
famine and has struggled to rebuild its farming industry in the years
following the breakup of the former Soviet Union.

At an Armenian International AgroForum Conference in Yerevan, Galoyan
was awarded a gold medal for accomplishments that included achieving
wheat yields three to four times higher than the country’s average.

Working with the Fresno group, Galoyan mastered the production of
high-quality certified wheat seed. He is a member of the Seed
Producers Support Association founded by the Armenian Technology Group
in 1998. The association has 47 members who specialize in growing
high-quality wheat, alfalfa, corn and barley seeds appropriate for
different growing zones in Armenia.

The seed project drew praise from Davit Lokyan, Armenia’s minister of
agriculture.

The Armenian Technology Group Seed Multiplication Program has been
funded through: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign
Agricultural Service and its Food for Progress program. The Lincy
Foundation. The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable Foundation in
Fresno. Pilgrim Armenian Congregational Church in Fresno.
Organizations and individuals in the United States.

Retired University of California Extension agent Roger Benton, a
longtime adviser with Armenian Technology, said he was pleased to see
farmers getting the recognition.

"They are the backbone of Armenia’s rural economy," Benton said.

"ATG farmers worked so hard to help feed the nation and their
families. I remember particularly when our seed growers literally
saved thousands of people from possible starvation and famine by
supplying clean and treated seed to over 12,000 farmers to plant their
winter wheat in 2000.

"May God bless them all."

Mekhitar Grigorian, an agronomist working at the Ministry of
Agriculture in Armenia, wrote his recollection of the day the seed
project was launched in 1992 by a group of Americans who used "their
bare hands and shovels" to plant the seed on a cold, snowy day,
kneeling as they worked with the soil.

"I will never forget that day, and I feel honored that I was part of
those fine people, who cared so much for us and farmers in Armenia,"
Grigorian wrote.

The Armenian Technology Group began its assistance to Armenia after an
earthquake there in 1988.

Its projects have included fertilizer production, farm equipment
manufacturing and assistance to the honey-bee, and wine-grape
industries.

The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (559)
441-6364.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress