Month: March 2007

TWO CANDIDATURES TO BE VOTED ON AT MARCH 25 ELECTIONS OF ARMAVIR MAYOR

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Elections of mayor of the city of
Armavir will be held on March 25. There are two candidates: Ruben
Khlghatian – current mayor, deputy head of the Armavir regional
structure of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), and Arayik
Aghababian, head of the Armavir regional structure of the "Prosperous
Armenia" Party. To recap, they took part in the previous elections of
Armavir mayor, and in the 2003 parliamentary elections by the
majoritarian electoral system at Armavir’s electoral district No
29. In 2003, A. Aghababian was nominated as representative of the
All-Armenian Workers’ Party, while R. Khlghatian – as a
nonpartisan. At the 1999 National Assembly elections, A. Aghababian
was nominated as a nonpartisan by the majoritarian electoral system at
Armavir’s electoral district No 39, and at the 1995 parliamentary
elections – as member of the Armenian National Movement on the list of
the "Republic" pre-electoral bloc by the proportional electoral
system. By an interesting coincidence, both at the 1995 elections and
at the 2007 elections when A. Aghababian is nominated as a candidate
for deputacy on the list of the "Prosperous Armenia" Party, he is in
82st place of the list. In 2002, he joined the RPA. During the
pre-electoral campaign of its candidate, the "Prosperous Armenia"
recently organized a meeting in Armavir, at which the message of the
party chairman Gagik Tsarukian was read to local residents. The
concert program included performance of famous Russian singer Mikhail
Shufutinski, which was followed by splendid fireworks. In response to
NT correspondent’s question, head of the NA RPA faction Galust
Sahakian said that "there will be normal elections" in Armavir on
March 25.

"ALTERNATIVE" HOLDS MEETING DESPITE YEREVAN MAYOR OFFICE’S REFUSAL TO
GIVE PERMISSION

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. "By displaying consistency and
stubborness, we must overcome the indifference reigning in Armenia
now. Today we have won a very important vistory," Nikol Pashinian,
member of the Alternative" social-political initiative stated at the
March 23 meeting organized by the initiative in Yerevan’s Freedom
Square. To recap, "Alternative" applied to Yerevan mayor’s office for
permission to hold a rally in Freedom Square on March 23. The mayor’s
office refused to give permission, explaining that a cultural event
will be held in the square on the same day. Members of "Alternative"
applied to court with the request to declare the decision of the
mayor’s office invalid. Nevertheless, the meeting took place in
Freedom Square, which was full of policemen, so the participants had
to hold the meeting not in the square center which was occupied by
various song and dance ensembles. Members of "Alternative" said that
they had been informed that the police will "meet" them in the
square. However, in the words of N. Pashinian, on seeing the meeting
participants, policemen receded. According to him, the authorities
commit many illegalities, which "are subjected to legal-political
analysis and turned into arguments against the current authorities."
"We will use these illegalities against them. The fact that we apply
to various instances is not a sign of our weakness. We must present
these facts to the public," N. Pashinian stated at the meeting in
which about 1,000 people took part.

Panorama.am

19:39 23/03/2007

HISTORIAN DEMOYAN MAKES SUGGESTIONS TO TURKISH
GOVERNMENT

Haik Demoyan, director of Genocide Museum, said at
Forum Club there are several reasons not to thank the
Turkish government for the renovation of St. Cross
Church.

`Today’s Turkey is a country that has violated several
internaitonal commitments. It has not preserved and
even destroyed Varaga Temple, Msho St. Karapet and
others,’ Demoyan said.

The head of Genocide Museum addressed a question to
the Turkish government, `If a beautiful Armenian
medieval monument is renovated in Aghtamar, why is
Arakelots Church of Kars turning into a mosque?’

Demoyan said the Armenian side may have welcomed the
initiative if Turkey had a comprehensive program to
recover the Armenian monuments. The historian believes
it could even establish friendly relations between the
two countries. `The Armenian and Turkish sides could
recover the Ani Armenian Bridge renovated by Toros
Toromanyan,’ Demoyan suggests.

He also suggests that the Turkish side accepts the
Armenian citizens and tourists visiting Armenia to Ani
with a right of free entry.

Source: Panorama.am

PETER SEMNEBY: EU IS WILLING TO ASSIST ALL KARABAKH CONFLICT PARTIES
MOST ACTIVELY

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Regional problems and Armenia’s
relations with neighboring countries were discussed during the March
23 meeting of the Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and the EU
Special Representtaive to the South Caucasus Peter Semneby who is on a
one-day visit to Armenia. According to the RA MFA Press and
Information Department, the sides spoke about the upcoming
parliamentary elections in Armenia, attaching importance to their
holding in line with international standards. The interlocutors
exchanged ideas on latest developments in negotiations on the Nahorno
Karabakh conflict settlement. The German Ambassador to Armenia Heike
Renate Peitsch participated in the meeting. On the same day the
meeting of the NKR President Arkady Ghukasian with P. Semneby took
place at the Permanent Reprsentative Office of the NKR in
Armenia. During the meeting, the Karabakh side reasserted its position
on the conflict settlement: it is impossible to reach a full and final
solution of the problem without the participation of the NKR as a full
and equal party in negotiations and the existence of an atmosphere of
mutual trust between the parties. On behalf of the EU P. Semneby
expressed a willingness to assist all the conflict parties most
actively in order to reach a compromise solution and overcome the
consequences of the conflict. The sides underlined the importance of
direct links between the EU and Nagorno Karabakh. At P. Semneby’s
suggestion, possible projects to be implemented by the EU in Nagorno
Karabakh were discussed. According to a press release of the NKR
Permanent Representative Office in Armenia, on the same day
A. Ghukasian met with the Personal Representtaice of the Acting OSCE
Chairman Andrzej Kasprczik and discussed the present stage of the
Karabakh conflict. The sides addressed the current issues related to
monitoring of the contact-line of the NKR and Azerbaijani armed
forces.

YURI LUZHKOV CONVINCED THAT "YEREVAN" TRADE CENTER IN MOSCOW TO
PROMOTE ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN STRATEGICAL PARTNERSHIP

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The opening ceremony of "Yerevan"
trade center will be held in Moscow on March 24 with the participation
of the mayors of Yerevan and Moscow. Noting that this trade center is
one of the biggest in Moscow and has serious prospects, Moscow Mayor
Yuri Luzhkov said at the March 23 meeting with the RA president Robert
Kocharian that it will promote not only cooperation of Yerevan and
Moscow but also the Armenian-Russian strategical partnership.

Y. Luzhkov presented the process of construction of the wholesale
market of Armeian goods and other Armenian structures in Moscow. In
his words, among other initiatives of economic cooperation, Russian
investment programs in Yerevan’s construction are proceeding quite
successfully. According to the RA President’s press service,
Y. Luzhkov pointed out that they actively cooperate with the Armenian
community of Moscow which is one of the most disciplined, quiet
communities with a high educational level.

RA MINISTRY OF NATURE PROTECTION MAKES POSITIVE CONCLUSION ON PROJECT
OF MODERNIZATION OF ANPP SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL DEPOSITORY

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Ministry of Nature Protection
made a positive conclusion on the project of modernization of the
spent nuclear fuel depository of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant
(ANPP). The conclusion was made at the March 23 sitting of the State
Environmental Expert Commission. The project envisages enlarging the
capacities of the current depository with the aim of extending the
spent fuel storage period to 50 years. The environmental part of the
project has already received positive conclusions of the major
interested parties: the Rescue Service, the National Seismic
Protection Service, the RA Ministry of Health, the RA National Academy
of Sciences, the Scientific Technical Center of Nuclear and Radiation
Safety. Previously spent nuclear fuel was sent to Russia. It was
decided to store fuel on the spot because of large transportation
expenses until the issue of its possible processing is solved.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

Published: March 24, 2007
Filed at 3:35 p.m. ETA

AKDAMAR ISLAND, Turkey (AP) — An ancient Armenian church, perched on
a rocky island in a vast lake, has become a modern symbol of the
divisions and fitful efforts at reconciliation between Turks and
Armenians whose history of bloodshed drives their troubled
relationship.

The Akdamar church, one of the most precious remnants of Armenian
culture 1,000 years ago, deteriorated over the last century, a victim
of neglect after Turks carried out mass killings of Armenians as the
Ottoman Empire crumbled around the time of World War I. Rainwater
seeped through the collapsed, conical dome, treasure-hunters dug up
the basalt floor, and shepherds took potshots with rifles at the
facade.

Next week, the church will showcase Turkey’s tentative steps to
improving ties with its ethnic Armenian minority, as well as
neighboring Armenia. Turkey completed a $1.5 million restoration of
the sandstone building, and invited Armenian officials to a ceremony
there on March 29 to mark what Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, has called a ”positive” message.

An Armenian deputy culture minister and other prominent Armenians plan
to attend the church’s opening near the city of Van in eastern
Turkey. Armenia’s foreign minister welcomed the restoration, but said
Turkey mistakenly believed the project would prove that it was
dedicated to better ties with its neighbor.

”A positive sign and a move on the part of Turkey … would be the
opening of the border with Armenia and establishment of diplomatic
relations,” the news agency Armenpress quoted Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian as saying this week. He said the Armenian delegation could
reach the church by land in just a few hours if the border were open,
but instead will have to fly to Istanbul, and then take another flight
back toward the Armenian border.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 during a war between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, a Muslim ally of Ankara. The move hurt the
economy of tiny, landlocked Armenia. Turkey also lobbied against a
proposed U.S. congressional resolution that would recognize the
killings of Armenians in the last century as genocide. Some of
Turkey’s 65,000 Armenian Orthdox Christians say they endure harassment
in Turkey, which has an overwhelmingly Muslim population.

Hrant Dink, the ethnic Armenian journalist murdered in Istanbul in
January, was apparently targeted by nationalists for his commentaries
on minority rights and free expression.

Patriarch Mesrob II, the spiritual head of the Armenian Orthodox
community in Turkey, has asked the government to mount a cross on top
of the church, which used to have one, and to allow periodic religious
services there.

The government has yet to respond, but placement of a cross could be
sensitive for Erdogan, who plans to attend the inauguration ceremony,
and his Islamic-rooted government. The symbolism could upset some
Muslims, and Turkey’s powerful military, might regard it as a
concession to Armenia and the Armenian diaspora.

”It speaks well of the Turkish government that they paid for it and
took the initiative to make it happen,” said David Phillips, an
advocate of Turkish-Armenian reconciliation who helped gather
international restoration experts and architects for the church
project. But he noted that Turkey views the site as a museum rather
than a place of worship.

”It runs the risk of being viewed as an antiquity, instead of a
living symbol of Armenian culture and spiritual life,” said Phillips,
executive director of The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity in New
York.

Relief carvings on the outer walls of the Akdamar church depict Jesus
Christ, barefoot and bearded, holding the book of Gospels; a sea
creature devouring Jonah as he is tossed from a ship; David with a
slingshot facing Goliath.

”Akdamar is an extroverted church,” said Zakarya Mildanoglu, an
ethnic Armenian architect who helped restore it. ”It doesn’t hide its
face.”

Renovators replaced fallen roof stones to prevent more damage to the
interior, restored the floor, strengthened walls and cleaned
frescoes. The church still bears marks of ill treatment, with graffiti
scratched next to some carvings.

Akdamar, called the Church of Surp Khach, or Holy Cross, was
inaugurated in A.D. 921. Written records say the church was near a
harbor and a palace on the island on Lake Van, but only the church
survived.

Many local residents supported the renovation because it could
generate tourism. Some Turks posted critical articles on the
Internet. A leader of an extreme nationalist party said he welcomed
the restoration as long as it is not interpreted as a political
overture.

”We are not guilty of anything,” said Mehmet Sandir, associate
chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party. ”Why should we be making
gestures?”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS TV, Iran
March 24 2007

Vank Cathedral, a specimen of Armenian architecture
Sat, 24 Mar 2007 22:56:28

Among the churches built in the Jolfa District of Isfahan, the
magnificent and architecturally significant "Vank" Cathedral is the
most famous.

The construction of the cathedral, also known as Amna Perkich and All
Savior’s Cathedral, began during the reign of Shah Abbas of the
Safavid Dynasty in 1606 and was completed between 1655 and 1664.

The interior of the church is elaborately decorated with wall
paintings, tile work and also tableaus depicting the life of Jesus
Christ. Apart from the paintings which are imitations of Italian
styles, the architecture and all the decorations are totally Iranian.

The cathedral also has a domed sanctuary much alike an Islamic mosque
but with the significant addition of a semi-octagonal apse and raised
chancel usually observed in western churches. The delicately blue and
gold painted central dome depicts the Biblical story of the creation
of Adam and Eve as well as their expulsion from Paradise.

The cathedral also houses a rather small but unique museum, a
historic printing press, and a large library invaluable for research
in Armenian and medieval European languages and arts.

The museum, adding to the significance of the site displays
historical objects, manuscripts and documents related to Armenian
history. The oldest book printed in Isfahan and some edicts of
Iranian kings dating back to the time of Shah Abbas the First are
among the exhibits.

The printing press was founded by Bishop Khachatoor in the 17th
century and the first book printed here was The Psalms. This unique
edition, the only one in the world, is preserved in Oxford, England.

An exemplary specimen of Armenian architectural achievement, the
cathedral represents different stages of political, economic and
social status of this minority community in Iran since the
mid-seventeenth century.

The Vank Cathedral was one of the first churches to be established in
Isfahan by Armenian immigrants settled by Shah Abbas I after the
Ottoman War of 1603-05.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
March 24 2007

Chairman of Federation Council of Russia to Discuss Format of
Caucasus Parliamentary Four

Russia, Moscow /corr. Trend R.Agayev/ The Chairman of the Federation
Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia, Sergey Mironov, said at
the press-conference that during his official visit to Azerbaijan on
25 March, he will meet with Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev,
Prime Minister, Artur Rasizade, Chairman of the Parliament, Oktay
Asadov and other senior officials, Trend Special Correspondent
reports.

According to him, before his visit to Azerbaijan, he will visit
Turkey.

`It is a planned visit which has been delayed due to my working
schedule,’ Mironov said.

Mironov’s meeting with Asadov will focus on the continuation of
format of Caucasus Parliamentary Four. `In the near future, elections
will take in Armenia and we have agreed that possibly we, Speakers of
Parliaments of Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, will meet in
Tbilisi in May. We will discuss all spectrums of bilateral relations
with special specification of our parliamentary relations,’ Mironov
said.

Santa Cruz Sentinel, CA
March 24 2007

Armenian music, art displayed in concert

The Chookasian Armenian Concert Ensemble will present "Passage to
Armenia," a concert of traditional Armenian music, at the First
Congregational Church in Santa Cruz, under the auspices of Cabrillo
College’s Distinguished Artists Concert and Lecture Series. In
addition, three gold-leaf illuminated miniatures from the 13th-14th
centuries, considered the Golden Age of Armenian art, will be
displayed. The concert and display take place March 31.

The illuminated miniatures are illustrated Bible pages and show the
rich art of Armenia. The music of the Chookasian Ensemble is said to
represent the soul and spirit of Armenia, with hauntingly beautiful
timbres played on ancient instruments. The music is performed as a
devotion and as a way to perpetuate traditional folksongs and dance.

Leader John Chookasian became fascinated with the music, culture and
dance of his parents’ homeland during a childhood in New York City.
Family and friends would gather to sing and dance and eat his
grandmother’s Armenian food.

"I was fortunate enough to be a part of this experience, and it
affected my entire life. I became fascinated with this unique style
of music," he says in a statement.

What distinguishes this music the way it straddles both Middle
Eastern and Western traditions. But several traditional instruments
will be played, including the d’hol, a hand drum; a kanun, a
piano-harp with triplicate strings tuned in unison; a kemenche
four-stringed, fretless violin; and a shivi, a duduk and zurna, all
wooden flutes.

Before each song is played, an explanation of the songs and their
composers will be given.

Chooksian says: "Anyone who knows the history of the Armenian people
knows that it has been a difficult one, filled with repeated
genocide, lost kingdoms and the struggle for existence. And yet,
despite all of the hardships, the Armenians, after more than 3,000
years, still exist. That is because they consciously preserve their
traditions, language, to maintain their ethnic identity"

If You Go

WHAT: Chookasian Armenian Concert Ensemble.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 31.
WHERE: First Congregational Church, 900 High St., Santa Cruz.
DETAILS: 688-1518,

http://www.santacru zsentinel.com/archive/2007/March/24/style/stories/ 04style.htm

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress