Month: November 2006

TURKEY DOESN’T WISH TO BE PACKHORSE FOR WASHINGTON AND BRUSSELS ANY MORE
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.11.2006 12:45 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey doesn’t wish to serve as a packhorse for
Washington and Brussels any more, reports Frankfurter Allgemeine
newspaper. “Official Ankara is bound with Tehran and Baghdad by a
common interest – prevention of formation of an independent Kurdish
state. In long-range outlook Turkey will pay big interest to Middle
East while the Euro-Atlantic line will weaken,” the article says,
reports Deutsche Welle.

PRESS RELEASE
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Office of Public Information
25 Columbia Heights
Brooklyn NY 11201
Contact: David Semonian
Tel: 718-560-5600
Fax: 718-560-5619
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
November 14, 2006
Armenia acquits 19 conscientious objectors, but issue remains unresolved
YEREVAN, Armenia-Nineteen conscientious objectors who left alternative
labor service have been informed by the Armenian Prosecutor General’s
Office that they have been acquitted and that the criminal proceedings
against them have been terminated. The ruling opens the way for them
to apply for compensation for their illegal prosecution and
imprisonment.
Although the government of Armenia has organized nonmilitary work
assignments, they are under military control and supervision. Thus the
law providing for alternative labor service, as well as its
implementation, fails to meet the criteria laid down by the Council of
Europe, which calls for genuine and nonpunitive civilian alternative
service. In a series of videotaped interviews posted on the Web site
, four young Jehovah’s Witnesses describe in their own
words why Armenia’s alternative service was not an acceptable option
for them.
In a separate development, on September 12, 2006, Hayk Avetisyan was
sentenced to two years in prison for his conscientious refusal of
military service or alternative labor service. On September 25, 2006,
Assistant Prosecutor A. Manukyan appealed the decision, asking for a
stricter sentence. The October 18, 2006, decision of the Court of
Appeal granted the prosecuter’s appeal and increased Avetisyan’s
sentence from 24 to 30 months in prison. Despite the progress implied
in the latest acquittals, Avetisyan is one of nearly 50 conscientious
objectors who are Jehovah’s Witnesses currently in prison for their
conscientious refusal of military service. From their study of the
Bible, they learned that Christ’s followers should love their
neighbors and that Christians are bound together in an international
brotherhood. (Matthew 22:39; Acts 15:22) As such, they do not resort
to weapons of warfare or learn war anymore.-Isaiah 2:4; Matthew
26:52.
Until Armenia complies with its commitments to the Council of Europe
to adopt genuine civilian alternative service and release
conscientious objectors from prison, the issue of conscientious
objection to military service remains unresolved.
Contacts
Paul Gillies Phone +44 7775 833880
David Semonian Phone +1 718 560 5600

PRESS RELEASE
BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA
November 20, 2006
Contact: Linda Yepoyan
Phone: 610-642-6633
[email protected]
BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA NOW THRIVING YEAR-ROUND
Yerevan, Armenia – With three years of successful volunteer program
sponsorship under its belt, Birthright Armenia has proven successful once
again in bringing new volunteers to participate in the progress of the
Homeland. This year an increasing amount of diasporans are recognizing
volunteerism as more than something to fill in the summer gap and are
choosing longer stays in the colder months. The proof is in the numbers.
With fall and winter enrollments up by more than 300% from 2004, the
2006/2007 volunteer program is proving to be one of the strongest yet.
So, why are these volunteers braving the cold and putting their current
professional lives on hold to volunteer in the Homeland?
Twenty-five-year-old Armenian Volunteer Corp (AVC) volunteer Laura T. states
that she chose a year-long volunteer program because she wanted to allow
enough time to make a genuine effort to contribute to Armenia. `One of the
main factors in committing to a long-term stay in Armenia is the
understanding that building relationships and trust within a community takes
time to develop. Personally, I anticipated many significant cultural
challenges and dramatic language improvements necessary before beginning to
understand how and where to contribute.’
Recognizing that longer-term stays enhance a volunteer’s connection through
total immersion, Birthright Armenia has made a significant push this season
to attract volunteers for community service programs outside the summer
months. All signs show that their efforts are working as the group is
currently partnering with more than 15 service organizations, bringing in
volunteers from more than 12 different countries. University of Maryland
Business School graduate and AVC volunteer Sevan Ohanian says that because
he wanted the experience of living and working in Armenia for a longer
period of time, the AVC fall program allowed him the flexibility to fulfill
his goals. Both Laura and Sevan felt that volunteering after the summer
busy season when most of the short-term volunteers had already left would
actually help them achieve more stability in a new environment.
As with the summer program, volunteers participating in the fall and winter
programs are dedicating at least 30 hours per week to volunteer activities
ranging from English instruction to governmental work to environmental
preservation. In addition, they are all engaged in the supplementary
services offered by Birthright Armenia to fully immerse participants in
Armenian culture, including weekly educational forums, Eastern Armenian
language instruction, excursions to the various regions of Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabagh, and social `havaks’ that bring together diasporan
volunteers and Armenian youth. Many of the volunteers are also living with
Armenian host families for either all or part of their stay as part of
Birthright Armenia’s homestay program.
Finally fulfilling a four-year dream of visiting Armenia, Laura points out
that living in the Diaspora often portrays a skewed vision of Armenia’s
current reality based on a `collection of historical myths.’ Although Laura
feels that even a year may not be long enough, she aims to `understand the
source and necessity of the myths and differentiate between the ones that
stunt our growth and the ones that inspire us to move forward.’
Sevan also used this sort of sentiment to propel him to the Homeland. He
notes that people are often quick to criticize Armenia instead of
recognizing it as a young country just barely out of communist reign.
`Instead of criticizing Armenia, we in the Diaspora need to do everything we
can to ensure its prosperity,’ Sevan asserts.
Volunteers and working professionals such as Laura and Sevan embody exactly
the ideals Birthright Armenia is striving to instill in all diasporans – the
idea that true service to the Homeland continues even after leaving Armenia.
Laura, who is currently working with the Women’s Center at Yerevan State
University and World Vision Armenia in the Building Sustainable Livelihood
Program, says she hopes to gain insight into Armenia’s current political
situation so that she can work in the future to `support community
re-empowerment and education to influence decision-makers, locally and
nationally.’
Sevan, who is aiming to return to the U.S. fluent in Eastern Armenia, feels
that since the country’s independence from the Soviet Union, the idea of a
dedicated Motherland has become an increasing influence in the lives of all
Armenians.  `It has given us a home and a country to call our own after all
that we have been through as a nation.’ Sevan is optimistic that his time
in Armenia will help him to spread the Homeland to other diasporans.
Hopefully volunteers such as Laura and Sevan are only the beginning of a new
wave of dedication and participation in the future of Armenia. As Laura so
aptly noted, Armenia must become more than a `collection of myths’ in order
to truly bridge the gap. `Armenia has been a very vague yet ever present
state of being in our family and in my life – you just are Armenian with no
special criteria and no questions asked. I hope that my visit will bridge a
history and build a new vision of where our family has come from.’
Birthright Armenia’s mission is to strengthen ties between the homeland and
diasporan youth by affording them an opportunity to be a part of Armenia’s
daily life and to contribute to Armenia’s development through work, study
and volunteer experiences, while developing a renewed sense of Armenian
identity. Visit for more information.

ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736
E-mail: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Torrey Swan
DATE: November 20, 2006
Tel: 416-250-9807
Criminalization of Genocide Denial to be Analyzed at Academic Conference
The recent passage by the French National Assembly of a bill criminalizing
denial of the Armenian Genocide has raised widespread controversy over the
role of the state in addressing denial. Politicians, pundits, journalists,
students and scholars have created a barrage of arguments and opinions on
the subject, including many Armenians arguing against it.
When the bill first went to the French National Assembly on May 18, 2006,
the Chairman of the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights
Studies (IIGHRS) (A Division of the Zoryan Institute), Prof. Roger W. Smith,
disseminated an analysis titled “Laws against Genocide Denial: Potential
Consequences for Human Rights.” In it he argues that limiting discourse on
historical events is not the role of the state in a free society and that
this recent amendment to the 2001 law, which recognized the Armenian
Genocide, contradicts the stated objective of the original legislation to
facilitate dialogue between the Armenians and Turks. Supporters of the bill,
such as French doctoral candidate in international criminal law Sévane
Garibian, maintain that it is constitutionally valid because in the
interpretation of the 1990 Gayssot law “denial falls under the jurisdiction
of the law only insofar as it constitutes an ‘illicit disorder likely to
undermine law and order’. The key element in the legal definition of denial
is that the intention of the denier to cause harm must be proven. It is not
the opinion as such which is punished, but the diffusion of this opinion as
an ideological act, expressing, under cover of scholarship, anti-Semitic
propaganda, racist or heinous, likely to produce adverse effects in a
democracy.” From another point of view, distinguished French historian of
Diaspora and the Armenian Genocide, Gérard Chaliand, recently expressed that
France already has “a legislative arsenal against racism (and) as a French
citizen (he) opposes the ethnicization of the law.”
In order to clarify what is at stake in such legislation, the IIGHRS is
participating with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law’s Program in
Holocaust and Human Rights Studies, and others, in a conference on December
3-4, 2006 in New York City. Titled “Denying Genocide: Law, Identity and
Historical Memory in the Face of Mass Atrocity” the conference will be
comprised of four panel discussions: Escaping the Truth: The Meaning of
Denial; Comparing Denial; Denying Denial: Free Speech and Genocide Denial;
and Defining the Past: Denial, History, and Education. There will be
twenty-five participants from the fields of History, International
Relations, Jewish Studies, Law, Literature, Philosophy, Politics, and
Political Science.
“There will be many complex and interrelated issues discussed,” stated
George Shirinian, Executive Director of the IIGHRS. “For example, in the
French case, there has been extensive public debate on whether such action
resolves in an effective way the problem of denial, and if so, whether this
legislation is, in a liberal democracy, a legitimate restriction on citizens’
freedom of expression.” He continued that “this raises other questions
regarding the motivation for, and geopolitical consequences of, this bill.
The outcome can have a significant impact on Armenian-Turkish relations
worldwide, how denial is addressed in other jurisdictions, how Article 301
of the Turkish criminal code, which is being used to suppress discussion of
the Armenian Genocide, is viewed, and on Turkey’s EU accession
negotiations.”
“Having experts from North America and Europe engage one another through
this academic forum will shed much needed light on the very critical issues
surrounding denial,” said Roger W. Smith. “The reason for the release of my
initial analysis six months ago was to spur individuals to confront these
critical issues. I see this conference, which is open to the public, as the
logical extension of the IIGHRS’s efforts to create forums that allow
discourse on pressing concerns. This conference is a very timely endeavor,
and I look forward to my participation.”
The Zoryan Institute, parent organization of the International Institute for
Genocide and Human Rights Studies, and co-publisher of Diaspora: A Journal
of Transnational Studies and Genocide Studies and Prevention: An
International Journal, is the first non-profit, international center devoted
to the research and documentation of contemporary issues with a focus on
Armenian social, political and cultural life, with the concern for the human
rights of all. For more information please contact the IIGHRS by email
[email protected] or telephone (416) 250-9807.

======================WESTERN DIOCESE E-NEWSLETTER =========================
Bible Readings
————–
You Keep Him in Perfect Peace (Isaiah 25:9-26:7)
( readings.php?ID=1143)
Greeting (Philippians 1:1-11)
( dings.php?ID=1144)
Who Is the Greatest? (Luke 9:44-50)
( adings.php?ID=1145)
Diocesan News
—————–
PRIMATE DERDERIAN MEETS WITH LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA
Informs Mayor of Cathedral progress, and invites him to be Guest of
Honor at 80th Anniversary Banquet
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate, and three representatives from
the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America paid an
official visit to the Honorable Mayor Antonio Villairagosa this
morning.
( s/story.php?id=238)
UPCOMING ORDINATIONS
Three Deacons, one sub-deacon, and two acolytes will be ordained in
the coming weeks
Beginning November 26 new ordinations will take place in several
Parishes of Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.
( ry.php?id=239)
15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian delivered closing remarks and
the Benediction at the Gala Banquet celebrating the 15th Anniversary
of the founding of the American University of Armenia.
( ry.php?id=237)
50TH ANNIVERSARY BANQUET AND DANCE OF THE ARMENIAN SOCIETY OF LOS ANGELES
On Saturday, October 28 at 8:00 p.m. the Armenian Society of Los
Angeles (Iranian- Armenians) celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a
Banquet and Dance at the Brandview Collection in Glendale
( ry.php?id=240)
EXHIBITION OF ICONS FROM ST. CATHERINE MONASTERY OF SINAI
On Thursday, November 2nd, from 6 to 8 p.m. a pre-reception was held
at the Getty Museum for more than 50 icons which were brought from the
Monastery of St. Catherine of Sinai.
( .php?id=241)
VISITATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND ARMENIAN CHURCH OF ARIZONA
On Friday, November 3rd at 7:30 a.m. a lecture was organized,
dedicated to the `Prayer.’ The lecturer was delivered by Mashdots
Jobanian from the Western Diocese.
( ry.php?id=242)
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF VAGHARSHAG SAHAGIAN
On Sunday, November 5th at 7:00 p.m. a concert was held at the Alex
Theater in Glendale dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of Vagharshag
Sahagian, the father of Nune Avedissian and Hampartsoon Sahagian.
( ory.php?id=243)
VISIT OF ARGADY GHOUKASYAN, PRESIDENT OF KARABAGH
Primate and Diocesan Clergy Attend Banquet
The President of Karabagh, Mr. Argady Ghoukasyan, visited Los Angeles
on Monday, November 3rd at 4:00 p.m. at the Glendale Hilton Hotel for
a welcoming reception organized by the Armenia Fund.
( php?id=244)
VICAR GENERAL OF THE DIOCESE, FR. DAJAD YARDEMIAN RETURNS FROM MISSION IN ARMENIA
His Holiness Karekin II invited Fr. Dajad Yardemian to the Mother See
of Etchmiadzin to give lectures to the religious monks of Etchmiadzin
and Seminarians of both Theological Schools.
( ry.php?id=245)
DEMISE AND FUNERAL SERVICES FOR DEACON HAROUT MEKHJIAN
It is with deep sorrow that we informed our Parish Priests, Parish
Councils, Diocesan Delegates, all subordinate organizations, and the
entire Armenian faithful that Deacon Harout Mekhjian of St. Andrew
Armenian Church in Cupertino was the victim of a fatal motorcycle
accident.
(http://www.armenianchurchwd. com/news/story.php?id=246)
ASSOCIATION OF ARMENIAN CHURCH CHOIRS OF WESTERN DIOCESE HOLD FOURTH ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
On November 11, 2006 at the Western Diocese, the Association of
Armenian Church Choirs of the Western Diocese, held their Fourth
Annual Assembly.
( ory.php?id=247)
ST. JOHN GARABED CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO CELEBRATES 29TH ANNIVERSARY
On November 12, 2006 His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian visited
the St. John Garabed Armenian Church of San Diego and was the
celebrant at Church Services on the occasion of its 29th Anniversary.
( /story.php?id=248)
AGBU IN ITS SECOND CENTURY Â` A CENTENNIAL SYMPOSIUM
Since the inception of the Armenian Church of Whittier for the past
three years, Deacon Vahe Charkhoudian, Parish Council Chairman, has
been rendering dedicated Service to the Armenian Church of Whittier
and its faithful.
( ory.php?id=251)
50TH ANNIVERSARY BANQUET AND DANCE OF THE ARMENIAN SOCIETY OF LOS ANGELES
On Saturday, October 28 at 8:00 p.m. the Armenian Society of Los
Angeles (Iranian- Armenians) celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a
Banquet and Dance at the Brandview Collection in Glendale.
( ory.php?id=252)
PERFORMANCE OF LILIA DANCE GROUP
On October 29th, the Lilia Dance Group held a performance at the Alex
Theater in Glendale.
( ory.php?id=253)
Upcoming Events
—————–
11/24: ACYO Convention & General Assembly
( /detail.php?id=30)
============================
T he Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, providing
spiritual guidance and leadership to the Armenian Apostolic community,
is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization comprised of 47
churches in 16 western states. It was established in 1898 as the
Diocese of the Armenian Church encompassing the entire United States
and Canada. In 1927 the Western Diocese was formed to exclusivly serve
the western United States.
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474 Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

California Courier Online, November 23, 2006
1 – Commentary

1 – Lebanon: The Revival of
A Vital Armenian Community
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
2 – An Armenian Christmas Legend from Kharpert
Published by Dziludzar in Time for the Holidays
3 – The Word of God: Armenian Illuminations
Featuring Herra Karagozyan’s Collection
4 – First Lady, Dr. Bella Kocharian Visits ARS
Mother & Child Health and Birthing Center
5- Fun Events at Gardens of the World and Comedy Store
Raise Funds for Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
6 – Arnold and Dianne Ghazarian Give $1.5 Million
For California State University, Fresno Center
7 – Charles Keyan Scholarships Awarded
By USC Institute of Armenian Studies
8 – California Courier Publisher Honored
With St. Mesrob Mashdots Medal
******************************************** **********************
1 – Commentary
Lebanon: The Revival of
A Vital Armenian Community

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

When I left Lebanon in 1969 as a high school student, I could not have
imagined that I would return 37 years later to bring major financial assistance on
behalf of the United Armenian Fund to thousands of needy Armenian students.
The Armenian community of Lebanon, which was known as “the heart of the
Armenian Diaspora,” has been going through very rough times during the past couple
of decades due to domestic strife and foreign attacks.
Caught in the throes of incessant turmoil, Lebanon experienced massive
unemployment, leading to large-scale emigration, which in turn considerably weakened
this once vibrant country and community.
Last July’s devastating Israeli attack on Lebanon further aggravated the
economic crisis. Most families, which were already in deep poverty, went flat
broke. They could no longer afford to send their children to Armenian schools.
Consequently, the schools could not pay the salaries of teachers and staff
members.
More than a dozen Armenian schools were forced to close down in recent years.
Thousands of Armenian children started attending tuition-free Lebanese public
schools. The community’s well-being was substantially degraded.
One sunny morning earlier this month, the Armenian community of Lebanon woke
up to the stunning news that the United Armenian Fund, through a generous
grant from The Lincy Foundation, was providing $4.5 million in order to cover the
full or partial tuition of more than 5,000 Armenian students, the back
salaries of more than 500 teachers and staff for the past academic year, as well as
funds for the urgent needs of the schools.
I was repeatedly told during my trip to Lebanon that the unsolicited and
unexpected $4.5 million contribution was a godsent gift to thousands of needy
families and their community’s schools.
This major donation to all 28 Lebanese Armenian schools, affiliated with 7
different organizations, including the Prelacy, Catholics, Evangelicals, AGBU,
Tekeyan, AEBU, and Hamazkayin, brought a renewed sense of hope and unity to
this very diverse community.
More important than the amount of the contribution was the community members’
realization that they were not facing these obstacles alone and that their
far-away compatriots cared deeply about their welfare and well-being.
I visited each of the 28 Armenian schools throughout Lebanon and met with
their administrators and sponsoring organizations to deliver the much-needed
financial contribution. Without exception, they all expressed their heart-felt
gratitude not only for this donation, but more importantly, for being remembered
by fellow Armenians from across the oceans. School officials told me that my
uplifting remarks to the students brought renewed hope and encouraged them to
persevere in the face of overwhelming odds. I told the students that most of
their difficulties were behind them and that they would grow up to become once
again a part of the prosperous community they used to be.
For decades, Lebanon provided highly skilled teachers, writers, clergymen,
artists, intellectuals and leaders for other Armenian communities throughout the
Diaspora. Back in 1964, when there were no Armenian schools in the United
States, a small group of Lebanese Armenians had the foresight and came up with
the seed money to establish the first Armenian school in the United States —
the Ferrahian Armenian High School in Encino, California. It is poetic justice
that more than 30 years later, when the Armenian schools in Lebanon experienced
financial difficulty, reciprocal assistance is provided to them from
California!
My week-long visit to all Armenian schools and community organizations showed
that despite three decades of downward spiral, the Lebanese Armenian
community remains vibrant and has many talented and dedicated individuals in just
about every walk of life. They are ready to serve their community and country with
total devotion and distinction. They were not looking for handouts. They were
struggling to take care of themselves, but had simply reached their wit’s
end. Hopefully, many other donors both within and outside Lebanon would emulate
The Lincy Foundation’s wonderful gesture and help support Armenian institutions
throughout the Diaspora.
This one-time generous grant, while it did not cover all of the Armenian
community’s many needs, goes a long way in reassuring the Lebanese Armenians that
they are not abandoned to their fate and that the Armenian nation is like an
extended family: the pain and joy of each one is the pain and joy of all. I am
confident that Lebanon will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes and take care
of not only its own needs, but also reach out to those in other Armenian
communities throughout the Diaspora and Armenia!
***************************************** *********************************
2 – An Armenian Christmas Legend from Kharpert
Published by Dziludzar in Time for the Holidays
LOS ANGELES – “The Silver Web – Ardzat Tel Vosdyanu” by Dziludzar
Publications, a picture/CD book in two separate Armenian and English editions, offers a
unique Christmas legend from the city of Kharpert of historic Armenia. While
during the Christmas season Armenian children are exposed to the traditions of
many different cultures, this book puts in the hands of Diaspora families a
specifically Armenian Christmas legend with a CD of authentic Armenian folk
carols.
“The Silver Web – Ardzat Tel Vosdaynu” is based on the story of the birth of
Jesus Christ and his subsequent rescue from the wrath of King Herod. On
learning of a prophecy that the infant Jesus will grow up to become a “king,” Herod
orders to kill all newborns in Bethlehem. Hearing of Herod’s orders, Mary and
Joseph spirit the infant Christ out of his birthplace. On their way to Egypt,
they take refuge in a cave, where a tiny spider, fascinated by Christ’s
innocent and lovely features, weaves a great, protective web at the entrance of the
cave. When Herod’s soldiers arrive on the scene and notice the massive web at
the entrance, they decide to continue on their way, assuming that nobody could
be hiding inside the cave. Thus the good spider helps save Jesus’ life.
The author of the book, Alidz Agbabian, lives in Los Angeles, specializes in
Armenian oral traditions. Her multimedia storytelling events, held at major
venues in California and nationwide, bring Armenian folktales and songs to
Armenian as well as non-Armenian audiences of all ages.
The color illustrations appearing in The Silver Web – Ardzat Tel Vosdanu, by
renowned Los Angeles based artist Vachag, are reminiscent of Armenian
illuminated manuscripts. Vachag emulates the intense colors and compositional rhythms
of Armenian manuscripts for a modern look. His illustrations are mysterious,
penetrating, and his childlike manner evokes a gentle humor throughout the
story,
The compact disc accompanying The Silver Web – Ardzat Tel Vosdanu features
two Armenian folk carols from two other Armenian historic regions, that of
Shadakh, near Lake Van and Aintab of historic Cilicia; also included are, a
medieval religious Armenain folk song dedicated to mother of Christ, Mary, and a
beloved excerpt from Gomidas’ Divine Liturgy, “Soorp Asdvadz.”
Printed on high-quality glossy stock in soft cover, the English- and
Armenian-language editions of The Silver Web – Ardzat Tel Vosdaynu are available from
all Armenian book services nationwide as well as Dzil-u-dzar Publications –
1085 Hanley Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049. E-mail: [email protected].
************************************************** ***********************
3 – The Word of God: Armenian Illuminations
Featuring Herra Karagozyan’s Collection
WATERTOWN, MA – In celebration of the 1600th anniversary of the Armenian
alphabet, the Armenian Library & Museum of America (ALMA) will be exhibiting a
unique collection of 30 artworks of ornamental letters inspired by medieval
illuminations. The plates, originally drawn by master-restorer Herra Karagozyan,
represent samples of ornamentations drawn from the thousands of manuscripts
housed in the Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran, the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in
Yerevan, Armenia. The collection on exhibit enables the visitors to view the
evolution of the art of ornamentation from 9th to late 15th centuries in
Armenia.
The development of ornamentation in Armenian manuscripts emerged with the
creation of the Armenian alphabet in the 5th century and the development of
written literature. The tradition started gradually: initially, ornamentations
appeared on the title pages of the manuscripts, and later, in “khorans”, in
margins, and in the details of dominical and plot-oriented miniatures and on
surrounding areas. Zoomorphic, floral, and geometrical motifs, as well as heavenly
bodies and architectural structures were predominantly used in Armenian
ornamentation. The art of illuminations flourished in the 12th-14th centuries in the
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. Of all schools of illuminations, the Cilician
school is unique in the brilliance of ornamentations and opulence of colors,
including the application of gold leaf to the manuscripts. Manuscripts became one
of the original places for the practice of Armenian fine art. The forms and
colors of these ornamentations were lasting creations of talented illuminators,
who were gifted with infinite imagination, limitless creativity, and subtle
taste.
One such contemporary artist was the celebrated miniature artist and
manuscript restorer Herra Karagozyan. A student of the famed Lidia Durnova’s school of
art restoration and reproduction in Yerevan, Karagozyan was considered one of
the most talented modern restorers, particularly due to her fine perception
of colors, keen artistic taste, skillful drawings, and extraordinary attention
to detail. Her renditions of medieval manuscripts and frescos were difficult
to differentiate from the originals. Karagozyan worked for decades as a
restorer in the Matenadaran, and her works have been exhibited at the National Art
Gallery of Armenia and in Matenadaran. She worked on the restoration and
reproduction of the manuscripts of Gndevank and Haghpat monasteries in Armenia and
the St. Khach and St. Nshan monasteries in the Crimea. Herra Karagozyan also
participated in the restoration of the frescoes painted by Hakob Hovnatan in the
Echmiadzin Cathedral.
The exhibit of this unique art collection will be on display at ALMA’s
Terjenian-Thomas Gallery through January 31, 2007. Museum is open to public on
Thursday 6-pm, Friday and Sunday 1-5pm and Saturday 10am-2pm. For more information
please contact ALMA offices 617.926.2562 or visit the website
************************************************** ************************
4 – First Lady, Dr. Bella Kocharian Visits ARS
Mother & Child Health and Birthing Center
YEREVAN – Armenia’s First Lady, Dr. Bella Kocharian visited the ARS Mother
and Child Health and Birthing Center in Akhurian, Armenia, recently. This was
Dr. Kocharian’s first visit to the ARS center’s new maternity ward and recently
completed Radiology & Scanning Department.
Dr. Kocharian was accompanied by ARS Armenia Chairperson Alvard Petrosian,
who is also a member of the Republic of Armenia’s National Assembly, as well as
ARS Armenia Regional Executive Board members.
The ARS invited representatives of various women’s and social service
organizations to be present, including Minister of Health Norair Davtian; Armenia’s
top cancer expert Dr. Sergey Sayirian; ARF Supreme Council members Lilit
Galstian and Rouzan Arakelian; ARF Commission on Women’s Issues Chairperson Maria
Titizian; Shirak Province Governor Romik Manukian; and ARS Central Executive
Board member Karine Hovhannisian.
The visit was fully covered and broadcast on television and radio. All the
guests were deeply impressed and expressed their admiration for the Health
Center’s new additions. As a token of appreciation, First Lady Kocharian
presented the center with a television set.
The Mother and Child Health Center tour was followed by a visit to the
Psychological Center in Gyumri which recently inaugurated a new wing built and
subsidized by the Swiss “Armenianos” Fund. Center director and noted psychologist
Armine Gmuir-Karapetian cooperates closely with the ARS Armenia Regional
Board. Over the last few years, Gmuir-Karapetian has provided expertise to the ARS
Armenia on various in-depth ARS studies devoted to psychological issues faced
by various segments of the population.
Dr. Kocharian was visibly impressed by what she saw at both centers and
expressed her deep satisfaction for having the opportunity to witness the ARS’s
important work in Gyumri. In a parting promise, the First Lady pledged to
support all present and future ARS programs.
Established in 1910, the ARS is the oldest Armenian women’s organization
with entities in 24 countries. To learn more about the ARS and its programs,
visit the ARS’s website at or call (617) 926-5892.
********’******************************* **********************************
5 – Fun Events at Gardens of the World and Comedy Store
Raise Funds for Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
LOS ANGELES – Naz Atikian, stunning in her tailored clothes and dazzling
jewelry of her own design , doesn’t have much in common with Sam Tripoli, a young
comedian with a penchant for old jeans and a sweatshirt. On the surface,
anyway. But look into their hearts and you will find the same passion for helping
others, and one cause in particular.
This fall, each in their own way put their talents, resources, and passion to
work on behalf of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR), and helped
raise funds for the organization, whose mission is to ensure that every
ethnic Armenian suffering from a life threatening blood-related illness is able to
find a genetically suitable bone marrow stem cell match.
On October 29, over 150 gathered at the Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks
for a luncheon hosted by Naz to benefit the ABMDR. Prior to enjoying a
lavish spread under a shady pavilion, guests roamed the silent auction tables to
bid on items ranging from jewelry to tea sets, and bought raffle tickets for a
variety of gift baskets. The gardens were made available by
the Hogan family, and Naz provided for all the expenses of the luncheon; her
generosity ensured that all ticket sales and purchases directly benefited the
ABMDR.
The event was conceived, organized and executed by Naz, with the help of
several key volunteers. Following an introduction by Hilda Sarkisyan, where she
shared her personal story of the pain, hope and relief of having a child with a
life-threatening blood disease, ABMDR President Dr. Frieda Jordan expressed
her gratitude to those in attendance, “guardian angels who spread your wings
across the world to help those who need us.” She noted that, “‘The Gardens of
the World’ is a fitting place to gather on behalf of the Armenian Bone Marrow
Donor Registry. Our organization seeks out its own “gardens of the world” –
recruiting donors all over the globe that may be harvested to provide life-saving
stem cells for patients in need.” As a token of appreciation, she then
presented Naz Atikian with a plaque on behalf of the ABMDR.
Just one week after the luncheon, the ABMDR changed its venue from a sunny
day in a garden to a dark night at a club, attracting over 350 supporters to the
famous Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Lara Yeretsian,
volunteer organizer for the event, was overwhelmed by the response, noting that the
4th Annual Laughter for Life event “has become so popular that it was sold out
days before.”
Sam Tripoli, a nationally recognized comedian who performs at the Comedy
Store, was the propelling force behind the effort to have the benefit at the
Comedy Store initially. Sam’s thirteen-year old cousin, Alique Topalian, was
struck with leukemia nine years ago. Helping organize this benefit by arranging a
line-up of comedians who would perform at the Comedy Store was his way of
showing appreciation for the ABMDR, which was established out of frustrations his
family and Dr. Jordan experienced when they were seeking bone marrow for his
cousin to save her life.
At this year’s event, seven performers volunteered their talents – Sam
Tripoli, Dau Davidoff, Ahmad Ahmed, Steve Rennazzisi, Darren Carter, Ara Bazil and
John Hoogazian. Owner of the Comedy Store, Mitzy Shore, graciously made her
club available at no charge for the evening’s event.
This summer the ABMDR celebrated its 5th anniversary with a series of events
including a fundraising walk-a-thon, gala dinner, and concert, drawing
thousands of supporters. The momentum has continued to grow since then, with a
particular increase among young people who want to help the organization recruit
donors and find matches for patients in need. A key method of treating people
with life-threatening blood diseases is through bone marrow/stem cell
transplants from a donor.
Since the ABMDR’s founding five years ago, over 12,000 donors have been
recruited, more than 600 search requests have been received and processed, 400
potential matches have been identified, and – most importantly – six bone marrow
and stem cell transplants have been facilitated in Armenia, the United States,
and Europe.
The ABMDR is a member of the World Marrow Donor Association and Bone Marrow
Donors Worldwide and, this Spring, became the first laboratory of its kind in
the whole region and the Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet
republics) to receive accreditation from the highly respected European Federation
of Immunogenetics (EFI).
Those who wish to learn more about the Registry may contact ABMDR President
Dr. Frieda Jordan at 3111 Los Feliz Blvd., Suite 206, Los Angeles, CA; by
calling (323) 663-3609; or e-mailing [email protected] or < mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] . The website for the Registry is < ; ************************************ ************************************* 6 - Arnold and Dianne Ghazarian Give $1.5 Million For California State University, Fresno Center FRESNO - California State University, Fresno announced it received a gift to create a $1.5 million endowment which will be used to establish the Arnold and Dianne Gazarian Real Estate Center in the Craig School of Business. Arnold Gazarian, a retired dentist, is an ardent supporter of education initiatives in the Central Valley and is a member of the California State University, Fresno Foundation Board of Governors. Dianne Gazarian serves as chair of the Berberian & Gazarian Family Foundation. The Gazarians' generosity to Fresno State has included gifts to the President's Fund, Smittcamp Alumni House, the Haig and Isabel Berberian endowed chair in Armenian Studies, the Craig School of Business and the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. "We recognize and truly appreciate the vital function Fresno State provides to the local community and to the Central Valley," said Arnold Gazarian. "We hope that this gift will assist the university in making it a leader in educating real estate professionals, conducting real-world research and promoting high ethical standards. We also hope that the center will bring together members of the real estate community to discuss issues of importance to the industry." This gift enables Fresno State to create a center that will support the Craig School's Real Estate and Urban Land Economics option and major for students as well as the expansion of research by faculty and graduate students. The center will provide invaluable community service as it assesses trends in commercial retail, office, residential and investment markets; analyzes land use planning; and conducts research in such areas as single- and multi-family residential housing, commercial real estate and real estate financial assets. In addition, the Gazarian Center will sponsor conferences, seminars and workshops in real estate and land use. "I am pleased that the Gazarian family recognizes the importance of marshaling the resources of the university and the region to study and address issues such as complex environmental impacts related to increased population growth," said Dr. John D. Welty, president of Fresno State, who will seek approval of the naming from the California State University trustees at their January meeting in Long Beach. "This generous gift will position the Gazarian Real Estate Center as an academic leader in real estate market analysis and research and will help to further the university's goal of helping the economy grow." The Gazarian Real Estate Center will also provide students opportunities to learn the business side of real estate and apply their academic knowledge to real-world projects and experiences. The real estate business community will gain a valuable informational resource relating to the greater Fresno metropolitan area and Central Valley region, as well as access to student interns and potential future employees. Dr. Douglas Hensler, dean of the Craig School of Business, said, "Arnold and Dianne Gazarian share our cause of taking responsibility for the well-being of our community and training effective planning leaders for the future. We are thrilled that they have chosen to establish the Real Estate Center and we look forward to a long-term productive partnership with the Gazarian family in the cause of real estate and land use planning." ************************************************* ************************* 7 - Charles Keyan Scholarships Awarded By USC Institute of Armenian Studies LOS ANGELES - The USC Institute of Armenian Studies announced this week that the Institute's Charles Keyan Scholarships were awarded for the 2006-2007 academic year to five Armenian-American students. The five students who were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship are: Elyse Derian, Armen Der-Kevorkian, Nayri Jilizian, Narine Sargsyan, and Arpine Shakhbandaryan. The $1000 scholarship is awarded to USC continuing students annually. The scholarship was established by benefactor Charles Keyan to support promising students of Armenian descent. The scholarship is granted on the basis of scholarly merit, financial need, and participation in community life. The annual Scholarship will be available again for the 2007-2008 academic year. Applications will be available in March of 2007. All interested students should email a letter of interest to the USC Institute of Armenian Studies at [email protected]. ************************************************* ************************* 8 - California Courier Publisher Honored With St. Mesrob Mashdots Medal BEIRUT - Harut Sassounian, the publisher of The California Courier, delivered a lecture on "Armenians Facing New Challenges" during a special event held in the "Gulbenkian" hall of the Catholicosate of Cilicia on the evening of November 7. Sassounian was also presented the insignia of "St. Mesrob Mashdots" by Catholicos Aram I. The event attracted a large number of people. Very Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer, highlighted during his opening remarks that in addition to its spiritual role, the Catholicosate of Cilicia's mission includes national, religious, educational, intellectual, political, ecumenical and cultural initiatives. The speaker introduced Sassounian, adding that he had come to Lebanon as the special guest of His Holiness and the Catholicosate of Cilicia, "with a heavy financial burden on his shoulders." "A sacred duty, the target of which is again our nation, with its cause and struggle, its existence, conflicts, daily concerns and the education and development of its new generations," V Rev. Fr. Chiftjian said, referring to the 4.5 million US Dollar donation to Armenian schools by the Lincy Foundation. The donation is the primary purpose of Vice Chairman Sassounian' s visit to Lebanon. Zakar Keshishian and Camilla Keshishian entertained the attendants with beautiful performances of a few songs. Sassounian then took to the stage talking about the main challenges Armenians face today and stressing that after 91 years of the Armenian Genocide, a need for reevaluation of efforts is needed. Assuring, with compelling arguments, that the United States will recognize the Armenian Genocide, Sassounian emphasized that the Genocide is an internationally recognized fact today, which constitutes a victory for the Armenian nation. "We should not wait for Turkey to acknowledge the Genocide before we press our demands. We should go beyond recognition, to presenting our cause and rights to regional, international and other courts," he said. Sassounian then talked in detail about the work carried out in the United States with respect to the Armenian Cause, focusing on the developments following the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by former US Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans. The lecturer maintained that the Armenian Cause is an international issue today, emphasizing that Armenians should be prepared to seize the day when the right conditions arise for its pursuit. In the following question and answer session Sassounian denounced the presence of Turkish troops in Lebanon as part of the United Nations peacekeeping force and shed light on the main purposes of the financial contribution of the United Armenian Fund to Armenian schools in Lebanon. After Sassounian's lecture, the Catholicos talked about the significance of the Armenian Cause for the Catholicosate of Cilicia. "The Armenian Cause is not just a regular aspect of the Catholicosate's mission, it is a constant part of this Holy See's identity. It is the people of this Holy See that were massacred, deported. It is this Holy See that was deported with its people, extradited and destroyed. It is, therefore, the duty of this Holy See to pursue its rights, our nation's violated rights, its cause, our collective just Cause by all means," he said. "The truth should be revealed and rights should be pursued. It is with this realization that we will continue our efforts with the participation of all our structures," concluded the Pontiff. The Catholicos then presented the "Saint Mesrob Mashdots" insignia of the Catholicosate to Sassounian, in recognition of his mutli-faceted work and as an incentive for his future efforts. The Pontifical Encyclical was read by V.Rev. Fr. Norayr Ashekian. The Catholicos advised Sassounian to invite Ambassador Evans to Lebanon on his behalf, pointing out that the latter should be honored for having the courage to tell and defend the truth. ******************************************* *********************************** The California Courier On-Line is a service provided by the California Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted through this service. Information in that regard should be telephoned to (818) 409-0949; faxed to: (818) 409-9207, or e-mailed to: [email protected]. Letters to the editor concerning issues addressed in the Courier may be e-mailed, provided it is signed by the author. Phone and/or E-mail address is also required to verify authorship. ************************************************* *************************

Market Wire (press release)
Nov 17 2006
Global Gold Increases Production at Tukhmanuk Mine in Armenia and
Exceeds Drilling Targets
GREENWICH, CT — (MARKET WIRE) — November 17, 2006 — Global Gold
Corporation (OTCBB: GBGD) () today announced
the increase in production and continuous operation of its wholly
owned Tukhmanuk mine in Armenia. The Company anticipated increased
production at Tukhmanuk in September 2006. Operational factors
delayed the increase in production until the end of October 2006.
Currently, the Company has been mining at a rate of approximately 750
mt per day on a 24 hours operating basis while milling is operating
at a rate of approximately 400 mt per day on a 24 hours operating
basis. The present mine plan is expected to produce approximately
1,000 troy ounces of gold in the form of final concentrates per
month.
The Company further anticipates that it will exceed the previously
anticipated 11,000 meter target for exploration and development
drilling at Tukhmanuk, though as the region moves into the winter
season, final figures will be largely weather dependent. Drilling of
the C1/C2 resource continues with a program planned to confirm the
resource and carry out a western standard reserve/resource
calculation as well as begin development of the underground mine.
The Tukhmanuk property consists of over 4,100 hectares in the Aparan
region. The property hosts numerous quartz veins with gold and
polymetallic mineralization. The presence of the mineralized zones
suggested by the existing maps have been confirmed by field mapping
in the 1st quarter of this year and detailed mapping is ongoing to
define and surface sample the mineralized zones to 1:10,000 scale.
Historical GKZ (State Committee on Reserves) records in the P1, C1
and C2 categories indicate 12.1 Million tonnes of mineralization,
averaging 6.74 g/t gold and 30.79 g/t silver, including 2.6 million
oz/gold and 11.9 million oz./silver. Confirmation of these estimates
is not complete.
Highlighted Links
The MacReport.Net
Global Gold Corp.

At Tukhmanuk, the existing gravity concentration plant has been
serviced and upgraded to full capacity with the addition of a new
drive motor for the 2nd mill, installation of cyclones to improve
size control and to optimize the grinding circuit capacity, and an
additional tails recirculation line to improve recovery. A Falcon
Concentrator (centrifugal separator) has been ordered to enhance the
final recovery and is expected to be operational early 2007. A fully
functional sample preparation and chemical analysis laboratories have
been installed with modern western standard equipment including AAS
analysis. The laboratories shall support the optimization of the
plant capacity, allow for control analysis of drilling and mining
programs which provides the flexibility to rapidly modify short-term
operational plans, and provide the desired control to optimize the
milling and recovery circuits adjusting to variations in ore type and
grade. Consistent with its company Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics for all operations, the Tukhmanuk property is being developed
according to best practices for safety and environmental matters.
To date, Global Gold has focused it activities at Tukhmanuk, Hankavan
and surrounding areas in the North Central Armenian belt. Global is
also conducting exploration at it Marjan and Getik properties, and
also holds joint venture interests with Iberian Resources at the
southern Armenian Litchkvaz project and a twenty percent
participation right in any new exploration undertaken in Armenia by
Sterlite Gold Limited or its successors. Recently, Vedanta Resources
announced that it has taken control of Sterlite.
To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly
historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business
strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions,
goals, future financial conditions, future collaboration agreements,
the success of the Company’s development, events conditioned on
stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such
statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are
subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from the statements made. Former Soviet
country estimations are presented for historical reporting and to
provide a basis for assessing Global Gold’s choices for its business
activities and not to be understood as indicating the existence of
reserves or resources.
Global Gold Corporation is an international gold mining, development
and exploration company with mining properties in Chile and Armenia.
Global Gold Corporation is located at 45 East Putnam Avenue,
Greenwich, CT 06830. The main phone number is 203-422-2300. More
information can be found at
Contacts:
Van Z. Krikorian
President
or
Michael Mason
Chief Operating Officer
[email protected]
SOURCE: Global Gold Corp.

Eurasia Daily Monitor
Monday, November 20, 2006 — Volume 3, Issue 215
MOSCOW WELCOMES THREE EMBOLDENED SECESSIONIST LEADERS
by Vladimir Socor
Sergei Bagapsh, Eduard Kokoiti, and Igor Smirnov, Russian-installed
leaders respectively of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria, conferred
with Russian government officials in Moscow on November 16-18, held a joint
news conference, and were featured extensively on Russian state television
channels.
All three made it clear that by seeking the `independence’ of their
territories they meant their ultimate affiliation to the Russian Federation
(NTV Mir Television, November 19, as monitored by the BBC, November 20).
In a sign of growing confidence, the trio advertised themselves as
`proud to be citizens of Russia’ and made unusually open statements of
loyalty to Russia, partly based on Soviet nostalgia: `Moscow remains our
capital just as it was in Soviet times. For us, this is our capital whether
one likes this fact or not,’ Bagapsh declared (Interfax, November 17).
Kokoiti pronounced Georgia guilty of separatism because it withdrew from the
Soviet Union, thus losing any title to territorial integrity, in his view
(Russian Television Channel One, November 16). Smirnov elliptically but
pointedly remarked, `I’ve been in Russia ever since birth’ (Interfax,
November 17) — a double allusion to his Khabarovsk origins and to the
Tiraspol authorities’ view of Transnistria as a part of Greater Russia. This
acknowledgment will undoubtedly embarrass those OSCE officials who still
advocate power-sharing between Chisinau and the Tiraspol leaders supposedly
representing left-bank Moldova, even though most of that group are
non-natives on mission from Russia.
The trio announced their respective preconditions to a resumption of
negotiations with Tbilisi and Chisinau. Thus, Bagapsh ruled out any
negotiations until all Georgian `troops’ [by which the Abkhaz mean Georgian
police] and Georgian administration withdraw from the upper Kodori Valley.
Moreover, `Any envoy who goes to upper Kodori will not be received in
Abkhazia, irrespective of the country he represents’ — a warning perhaps
immediately intended for U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza
who was holding talks in Tbilisi and en route to Sukhumi. The restoration of
Georgian control in upper Kodori `has buried the process of negotiations,’
Bagapsh declared (Interfax, November 16-18), reflecting Sukhumi’s greater
intransigence in the wake of the UN Security Council’s Western-approved
resolution in October that criticized Georgia’s Kodori move (see EDM,
October 17).
Smirnov demanded the signing of an agreement in the 5+2 framework,
recognizing Transnistria’s `right’ to conduct its own foreign trade as a
precondition to resuming negotiations. This Moscow-backed demand is known to
be unacceptable to the European Union and the United States as well as to
Chisinau. For his part, Kokoiti named his precondition to a proposed meeting
with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili: the signing of an agreement on
the mutual renunciation of force. Tskhinvali wants such an agreement in the
form of a treaty-type document that would imply Georgia’s recognition of
South Ossetia — a tactic that Sukhumi also uses vis-à-vis Tbilisi.
Kokoiti and Smirnov accused Georgia and Moldova, respectively, of
practicing or intending `fascism’ and `genocide;’ and Bagapsh added the
unsubstantiated Russian charge of `militarization’ regarding Georgia, an
excuse for the actual militarization of Abkhazia.
Russian State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigory
Karasin received Kokoiti for `congratulations with the convincing victory’
in the November 12 referendum on `independence’ and the `presidential’
election, noting `unanimous support’ in South Ossetia for Kokoiti and
independence. The Russian MFA’s communiqué curtly dismissed the `so-called
alternative voting’ (see EDM, November 15, 17) and insisted on maintaining
`the existing format’ for any future negotiations. In tune with the hosts,
Kokoiti insisted that Russian `peacekeeping’ troops will remain in South
Ossetia `until the full resolution of the conflict’ — that is, a
self-perpetuating presence.
The trio declared in unison that they did not need a Kosovo precedent
or model to justify their respective secessions. Indeed they took pains to
distance themselves from the Kosovo case, arguing that their own cases had
greater validity. Smirnov dismissed the Kosovo case as `academic
talk….Recognition or non-recognition of Kosovo bears no relation to our
state.’ Bagapsh would `not in the least compare our movement toward
independence with the case of Kosovo,’ particularly since the
[Moscow-encouraged] Serbian referendum recently decided for Serbia’s
territorial integrity. Likewise, Kokoiti is `not counting on [a precedent
in] Kosovo, we have stronger legal and political grounds for recognition
than Kosovo does’ (RIA Novosti, Interfax, November 17, 18).
Their political preconditions and accompanying propaganda line, as
well as their insouciance about Kosovo, indicate that the secessionist
leaderships now behave more confidently than at any time in the past. By the
same token they indicate that Moscow has decided to impose a deep freeze on
all the three sets of negotiations until further notice while acting
unilaterally in the post-Soviet conflicts and “multilaterally” on Kosovo.
–Vladimir Socor

The Manhattan Institute d.b.a. City Journal
City Journal
Fall 2006
Soundings: “Talking Turkey”
by Theodore Dalrymple
The Turkish government often seems determined to strike propaganda
coups against itself. It put 34-year-old author Elif Shafak on trial
recently for questioning Turkish national identity, and dropped the
charges only after predictably adverse publicity. But the charges
will be a warning to other Turkish writers not to go too far.
In her latest novel, The Bastard of Istanbul, which has already sold
60,000 copies, Shafak tells the story of a Turkish and an
Armenian-American family. On no subject is the Turkish state more
sensitive than on the massacre of the Armenians in 1915. Was it just
one horrible massacre among others, or the twentieth century’s first
genocide? A lot turns on the question–or at least so both Armenians
and Turks believe.
Shafak specializes in inflaming the sore points of Turkish history.
She wants a Turkey less ethnically and culturally homogeneous than
that of the traditional Kemalist vision, and thus not only questions
the sanctity of Atatürk himself and the army that protects his
legacy, but expresses sympathy for Kurds and even Greeks.
One may doubt whether the realistic alternative to the Kemalist
version of Turkey is a multiculturalist paradise, where the Turk lies
down with the Greek, so to speak, rather than a Muslim theocracy. But
Shafak has every right to her views and should not have faced
persecution for them (apparently, she has received death threats,
too).
That does not make her a heroine, however, all of whose views we must
accept. She subscribes, a recent admiring Le Monde article suggests,
to those hackneyed views of the 1960s that have brought much social
dislocation to the West, and would be more devastating still in
Turkey. She is a feminist who seems not only to deplore Turkish
machismo, no doubt understandably, but also to believe that men,
beyond insemination on demand, are redundant. In reaching this
conclusion, she reflects upon her own experience as an
upper-middle-class intellectual and assumes that it is exemplary for
millions of compatriots.
Her father abandoned the family when she was an infant, leaving her
grandmother and her mother to raise her. Her mother, Westernized and
highly educated, became a diplomat. Shafak was born in Strasbourg and
lived successively in various capitals, including Madrid. According
to Le Monde, “she grew up in a universe in which women were
independent and educated, where the cultural heritage was passed from
mother to daughter, and marriage and motherhood were assaults on
freedom.” Having just given birth herself to a daughter, she said,
“As for me, I will always cultivate my independence, and my daughter
will be raised like that.”
It seems scarcely to cross her mind (at least as Le Monde presents
it) that this attitude is not necessarily a useful prescription for
all of Turkish society, or at least for that considerable part of it
that does not live in, and was not raised in, cosmopolitan diplomatic
circles. In short, Shafak seems a typical example of the intellectual
who uses personal history uncritically to draw conclusions about
society as a whole.
Dangerous as such intellectuals no doubt are, they should not have to
go to jail for their views. I disagree with what Shafak says, but I
defend (to the death it would perhaps be too much to claim) her right
to say it.

RUSSIAN MP: IF GEORGIA BLOCKS COMMUNICATIONS WITH RUSSIA, RUSSIA WILL HELP ARMENIA
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 17 2006
If Georgia block communications with Russia, Russia will certainly
help Armenia, says Russian MP, director of the CIS Institute, political
expert Konstantin Zatulin.
Zatulin says that Georgia may refuse to buy Russian gas. In fact, one
can expect anything from the Georgian authorities. If Georgia tries
to stop communications with Russia, Russia will have to counter-act.
“I would note like to specify the measures Russia will undertake,
but it will certainly do,” says Zatulin.
If Georgia begins to develop one communications at the expense of the
others, the neighbors from the south and the north will lose their
interest in Georgia as an integral state. “If Georgia is failing to
perform its role, if it is more an obstacle than a catalyst, who
will be interested in it?” wonders Zatulin. If Georgia continues
to be a log on the way from the north to the south and vice versa,
the neighbors in the north and the south may wish to see something
else in its stead, and this is quite possible, says Zatulin.