Month: April 2007

CHESHIRE PAINTER PUBLISHES BOOK OF HIS ART
By Bob Keefer

The Register-Guard, OR
April 26 2007

The fans of Sarkis Antikajian – and they are legion – will be thrilled
to know there’s now a way to buy 274 of his paintings and drawings
in one fell swoop.

The Cheshire artist, well-known around Eugene for his colorful,
upbeat art and his sweet, courtly temperament, has just brought out
a book of his own work.

And what a book it is. The 9-inch-by-12-inch hard bound volume,
self published by Antikajian after several years of doing battle with
computer layout programs, amounts to a nicely designed retrospective
of his landscapes, still lifes and figure studies.

Besides the art, "Sarkis" offers a bit of poetry, though Antikajian
is loath to call it that. He prefers the phrase "images in words"
to describe the homey writing he does, sitting alone at a computer
after rising well before dawn each day. It also has a handful of
quotes from his favorite artists.

Antikajian, 72, was born of Armenian parents and grew up in Amman and
Jerusalem. He got his degree in chemistry at the American University
in Beirut before studying pharmacy at the University of New Mexico.

All that time, though, he wanted to be an artist, and he’s been
painting steadily since his retirement about 10 years ago. He has a
show coming up this summer at the Lawrence Gallery in Salishan.

He began work on the book three years ago; it was printed in March.

Even with a $75 price tag the book is unlikely to make money, he
admits. Profit was not the point. "If I was going to make one book in
my life I figured I might as will do it my way," the artist said. "So
it was a very costly proposition. But my family and I decided, better
do it now or never. Life is short."

07/04/26/ar.sarkis.0426.p1.php?section=arts

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNESCO EXPERTS INSPECT ST. THADDEUS

Press TV, Iran
April 26 2007

UNESCO experts have inspected Iran’s St. Thaddeus Church to see if
it meets the requirements to be registered as a World Heritage Site.

The visit came following Iranian officials attempts to register St.
Thaddeus Church (also known as the Black Church) in UNESCO’s List of
World Heritage Sites,

Making the announcement, a specialist from West Azerbaijan Cultural
Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department Mahdi Shoja’del said
the fate of the historical site would be decided at UNESCO’s 31st
session of its World Heritage Committee.

Iran’s most interesting and notable Armenian monument, the Black Church
is located near one of the districts of Maku, a town in northwest Iran.

One of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, Thaddeus was martyred while
spreading the Gospel to this part of the country in the first century.

Some 300 years after his death, locals constructed the church to
commemorate the apostle.

If registered, the church will be the 9th Iranian site to be included
in UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Sites.

The eight registered site are: Persepolis and Pasargad in Fars, ,
Takht-e Soleiman (Solomon’s Throne) in West Azerbaijan, Ghoghazanbli
in Khuzestan, Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, Bam Citadel in Kerman,
Soltaniyeh Mosque in Zanjan and Bisotun in Kermanshah.

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY WELCOMES RESTORATION OF FIRST VERSION OF US STATE DEPARTMENT INITIAL 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 26 2007

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry welcomed the restoration of the first
version of US State Department initial 2006 Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices, the ministry said in a statement, APA reprots.

The Ministry stated that the US confirmed its principle position on
supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
including its occupied territory of Nagorno Karabakh and seven
surrounding regions.

"The misunderstanding has been solved. Bilateral security talks
between Azerbaijan and the US will be rescheduled soon," the statement
says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJANI POLITICIANS COMMENT ON CHANGES TO PROVISIONS REGARDING NAGORNO-KARABAKH IN US DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S REPORT

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 26 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Ilhamgizi / New changes have been
made to the provisions on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict in the initial 2006 State Department Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices. After the protest of Azerbaijan, the sentence
‘Armenian Armed Forces occupies large part of Azerbaijani territories
surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh’ was replaced with a sentence ‘Armenia
continues to occupy the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh
and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories’. The politicians of
Azerbaijan comment on this issue.

Former State Consultant, Politician Vafa Guluzade considers that
irrespective of the expressions in the report, the position of the
United States regarding Nagorno-Karabakh is clear and unanimous. "The
USA wants Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be resolved in favor of
Armenia. However, the USA recognizes the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan because all gentlemen countries support and respect
the territorial integrity of other countries. At the same time,
the USA and other European countries try that Azerbaijan itself
denies Nagorno-Karabakh. In this case, they will be innocent before
Azerbaijan in this issue," Guluzade said.

According to him, it needs to consider as faults the repeat changes
to the report of the Department of State.

The Chairman of Democratic Reforms Party, Parliamentarian
Asim Mollazade, approaches the issue from the point of view of
US-Azerbaijan strategic partnership. He thinks that the Department
of State’s objective changes to its report result from the issue
that the USA supports the international legal norms and recognizes
the importance of Azerbaijan in the region. "Therefore, I assess
this event as a demonstration of the development prospects of the
US-Azerbaijan partnership and friendship relations. It is already the
second document. Before the US Department of State, the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted documents on
the base of the international law. If all international organizations
demonstrate such fair position, Armenia may be forced to change its
policy and peace may be achieved," Mollazade underlined.

Other politician Rasim Musabeyov assesses the objective changes
in the report as an indicator of Azerbaijan’s strategic importance
for the USA. Musabeyov considers that the issue that American senior
officials and Assistant Secretary of State, Matthew Byrza, refute the
fact that the initial variant of the report has been changed under
the influence of the Armenian lobby testifies his insincerity. "After
this, the Armenians may become more active, but in any cases, the
Department of State will not make changes by getting itself into a
funny situation. On the other hand, unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan has
not financial dependence on the USA," he said.

Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani lands including
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven Districts of the country surrounding
it. Since 1992 to the present time, these territories have been
under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended.

NKR PARLIAMENT DECLARED DECEMBER 10 A CONSTITUTION DAY

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 26 2007

April 25 the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic National Assembly’s sitting
was held.

Before discussing the issues of the agenda the deputies honored the
memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and Russia’s
first President Boris Yeltsin with a minute of silence.

The MPs approved the amendment to the law on civil service, according
to which the deputies working at the National Assembly not on a
permanent basis have the right to work as civil employees.

The Parliament also adopted amendments to the law on holidays and
memorable dates. In this connection December 10 was declared the NKR
Constitution Day, while February 21 was declared the Mother Language
Day. The amendment to the law on state awards was also adopted.

According to the amended law the military units and subdivisions of
the NKR Defense Army will be decorated with state orders and medals.

The amendment on decorating the Republic’s towns and settlements with
state orders was voted down by the deputies. The Parliament adopted
the NKR Electoral Code in the second, final reading.

NKR MOD CATEGORICALLY REFUTED INFORMATION ON CEASE-FIRE VIOLATION BY THE KARABAGH PARTY

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 26 2007

The Nagorno-Karabagh MOD Press Secretary, sub Colonel Senor Asratian
has categorically refuted the information circulated by the Azeri
mass media, according to which the Karabagh party violated cease-fire.

"The information absolutely does not correspond to reality. The
Karabagh party remains rigorously faithful to the cease-fire",
Asratian told Novosti-Armenia Agency on Wednesday.

In his words, the fact that misleading information circulated by the
Azeri party has become more frequent is most likely caused by the
celebration of the 15th Anniversary of Shoushi’s liberation to be held
May 9. ‘~RThey stir up hysteria to demonstrate that the Armenian party
allegedly has aggressive intentions. However, if one shows logical
approach to the question it will become obvious that the Karabagh
party does not have such intentions", the Press Secretary underscored.

In an interview with Novosti-Armenia Agency RA MOD Press Secretary,
Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian also refuted the information on skirmishes
that had allegedly taken place.

AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT’S PRESS SECRETARY: ARMENIA TRIES TO USE CHANGES TO REPORT OF US DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR ITS OWN AMBITIONS

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 26 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend A.Ismaylova / Azerbaijan President’s
Press Secretary, Azer Gasimov, accuses Armenia of using the fact of
changes to the report of the US Department of State for their own
ambitions. On 26 April the US Department of State restored the initial
text of the report regarding human rights in Armenia. The sentence
‘Armenian Armed Forces occupies large part of Azerbaijani territories
surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh’ was replaced with a sentence ‘Armenia
continues to occupy the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh
and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories’.

Gasimov said that the agencies that served them received a relevant
warning and Azerbaijan showed its severe position on the event.

He assessed as a positive fact the repeat changes to the report where
official Washington once again recognized that Armenia continues
to occupy the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven
surrounding Azerbaijani territories.

CALIFORNIA’S AZERBAIJAN COMMUNITY OF AMERICA SENDS A LETTER OF GRATITUDE TO US STATE DEPARTMENT

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 26 2007

California’s Azerbaijan community of America sent a letter of
gratitude to the US State Department after the latter restored
the first version of initial 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices, APA reports. The letter says "The US Department’s this
step meets international law principles and acknowledges Armenian
occupation of Nagorno Karabakh."

"The changing the language of the report bac, which is made
in accordance with international norms, will contribute to the
negotiations process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. US Department’s
amendment proved that US as co-chair of Minsk Group holds unbiased
view of the conflict," the letter reads.

IN CASE OF BEING ELECTED DEPUTY ISRAYEL HAKOBKOKHIAN NOT TO STOP SPORTS ACTIVITY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. "Today an Armenian is not protected in
his country, Armenian girls have forgotten their grandfather traditions
and have adopted a way unworthy of an Armenian woman, they orient
children to gambling-houses (bookmakers’ offices) through sport and
make them gamblers. Israyel Hakobkokhian, thrice boxing champion of
Europe (1985, 1989, 1991) and world champion, stated at the April 26
press conference. He said that the very negative phenomena made him
take part in the parliamentary elections as a candidate nominated by
the majoritarian system.

I. Hakobkokhian refuted the rumors that allegedly he cooperates with
Bargavach Hayastan Party’s leader Gagik Tsarukian. In his words,
he has "seen" G. Tsarukian several times, but does not know him
"closely." In response to a journalist’s question, what resources
he has for succeeding in the elections, I. Hakobkokhian said that he
pins hopes on his own forces and people’s support.

"From childhood I was taught that I myself should show my abilities on
the ring. Only my coaches helped me. I continue acting independently
now perceiving the people as a coach," he said adding that in case
of being elected a deputy he will not leave his job of coach.

2 CHESS PLAYERS OF ARMENIA ARE AMONG LEADERS WITH 3.5 POINTS AT DUBLIC INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

DUBLIN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The 4th stage meetings took place on
April 25 at the chess international tournament being held in Dublin. 10
participants, among them Ashot Anastasian and Tigran Kotanjian as
well, got 3.5 points each from the possible 4 and make the leading
group. Tigran L. Petrosian and Hrant Melkumian have 2.5 points each,
and Artashes Minasian has 2 points.