Month: May 2008

Rising to the limelight of a prestigious post
New chairman of House panel rejects trappings of power
Erica Werner, Associated Press
Sunday, May 25, 2008
(05-25) 04:00 PDT Washington —
Rep. Howard Berman keeps a big Thermos behind his desk. That way, he never
has to ask anyone to fetch coffee for him.
The new House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman also picks up his own dry
cleaning and drives his own car.
It is a self-sufficiency that Berman, D-North Hollywood, has carefully
nurtured over his 13 terms in Congress. Now that he has ascended to one of the
most influential posts on Capitol Hill, succeeding the late chairman, Tom
Lantos, he still rejects the trappings of power and prefers to keep operating
as a behind-the-scenes player.
He even barred an Associated Press photographer from taking his picture for
this story.
"Sometimes the best things are done when the media doesn’t know about it,
because then a lot of other people don’t know about it," Berman said. "The
media is a conduit of information to the people who wouldn’t like what I was
doing."
It’s not that Berman has anything to hide, friends say.
"He’s much more interested in accomplishing things than being out front and
visible," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, who’s known Berman since
their college days at UCLA. They presided over a famously effective Democratic
machine in Southern California in the 1970s and 1980s that helped elect
like-minded politicians to local and state offices.
Berman’s committee has oversight over policies in Iraq, Afghanistan and the
rest of the globe’s hotspots. He’s been in Israel and Iraq over the weekend
with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on his first overseas trip as chairman.
Outside of Washington he has had his fair share of political scrapes. In
1980, he made a grab for the speakership of the California Assembly but was
outfoxed by Willie Brown, who went on to become California’s longest-serving
Assembly speaker and mayor of San Francisco. In 2001, he drew ire when his
congressional district was redrawn in a way seen by some Latinos as diluting
Hispanic voting power. Berman was able to emerge from the episode with strong
Latino support due to his long record as a champion of farmworker and immigrant
rights.
In Washington, he’s thrived on an understated, collaborative approach. His
leadership style is far different from that of Lantos, who died of cancer in
February. Lantos, also a Democrat, was the only survivor of the Holocaust to
serve in Congress and his dignified bearing and eloquent oratory made him one
of the institution’s most recognizable figures.
Berman, by comparison, is unprepossessing, although like Lantos he represents
a California district. Berman’s graying, curly hair is rumpled. His speaking
style is halting and thoughtful. He doesn’t have a press secretary.
A photo in Berman’s office attests to the fact that he visited a grand
cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia – wearing a Hawaiian print shirt.
"He combined a real passion with a tremendous eloquence," Berman said of
Lantos. "That’s just not my strong suit. I’m more of an inside animal."
Berman makes up for his lack of style with substance. He’s praised for a
piercing intellect, keen memory and grasp of arcane topics. His recent
legislative efforts included reforms to the country’s byzantine patent system.
He also proposed removing apartheid-era visa restrictions against Nelson
Mandela and expanding President Bush’s foreign aid program for HIV/AIDS victims.
"He is able to provide creative solutions or additional solutions if the
first don’t work," said Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana, top Republican on the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "They talk about show horses and work
horses, and Howard is clearly in the work horse category par excellence."
When Lantos was Foreign Affairs chairman, he presided over dramatic hearings
and votes. He denounced Yahoo Inc. executives as moral pygmies for
cooperating with Beijing and he passed a controversial resolution condemning
the World War I-era killings of Armenians as Genocide.
Berman’s goals seem dull by comparison: Regularly completing routine but
necessary legislation authorizing State Department programs, rebuilding support
for foreign assistance and public diplomacy, addressing nuclear proliferation,
examining dependence on Middle East oil.
Berman’s most high-profile outing to date was an April hearing on Iraq. An
early Iraq war supporter who stuck behind it far longer than most Democrats,
Berman tried to draw out his witnesses, Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador
Ryan Crocker, on how to effectively withdraw troops if U.S. voters choose
that approach in November.
When Petraeus and Crocker demurred, Berman remarked, "Well, then I’m not
going to beat that horse anymore," and changed topics.
Berman doesn’t support the firm withdrawal deadlines backed by many of his
Democratic colleagues. He says he would never have supported the war knowing
what he knows now, but blames himself, not the Bush administration, for making
an error in judgment.
"The lesson learned for me was challenge yourself and your own
predispositions more on some of these things, and challenge the evidence more.
I wasn’t sufficiently skeptical," Berman said.
Democrats and Republicans say Berman takes a collaborative approach. He
negotiated $20 billion more in foreign HIV/AIDS assistance than the White House
requested, according to Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J. The proposal passed the House
and is pending in the Senate.
Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said that when Berman approached him about the
Mandela visa restrictions, his initial reaction was that the United States
should be adding people to the terror list, not taking them off. Berman talked
him around.
"He knows how to negotiate," said Smith. "He’s willing to take half a loaf
rather than a full loaf, and then come back for more later on."
/c/a/2008/05/25/MNAR10OV97.DTL
This article appeared on page A – 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle

AZERBAIJANI OPTION OF THE SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT
LILIT POGHOSYAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 24, 2008
Armenia

The Conference `Caucasus-2007′ hold in `Tigran Metz’ hall of
`Armenia-Marriott’ hotel, initiated by Caucasian Institute of Mass
Media finished its work yesterday and summed up the results of the
discussion.

Editor-in-chief of Azerbaijani `3rd Opinion’ Informational-Analytical
Agency Rauf Rajabov who was participating in the conference, met with
the journalists at the end of the discussions.

`In my view the settlement of the conflict is not in shuttle diplomacy,
political compromises or military confrontation, but rather in free
economic rivalry, mutually beneficial cooperation and the field of
general interests on integration plane. Economy is the axle, which
unites the conflicting parties.

Market economy means free movement of the capital and the people,
whereas political compromise is trade. Which means, instead of mutual
concessions the two sides must compete to substantiate their arguments,
to see whose scale is heavier and who will suffer less loses in this
`trade’.’

Last year we passed a law, according to which 4 free economic zones
must be established in Azerbaijan. Karabakh can have similar status by
the time the issue of its final status is solved. It can be done by a
referendum, but with one condition – the representatives of Azerbaijani
community, those who have once fled their dwelling places, must also
participate in the referendum.

But for that these people must naturally return to Karabakh and live
side by side with Armenian people, in the format of a free economic
zone. I’m sure it will give an opportunity to overcome all the
psychological obstacles that hinders the establishment of friendly
relations between Armenian and Azerbaijani people.’

`Azerbaijani government refuses any type of cooperation with Armenia,
unless Karabakh issue is solved in the framework of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. Do you think Azerbaijan is ready to give the
status of `free economic zone’ to Karabakh?’

`What I mean is firstly the demilitarization of the conflicting zone.
It is not a secret that Armenian military subdivisions (30 thousand in
number) are located in the occupied territories. These subdivisions
must be withdrawn and Azerbaijan should also withdraw its forces, after
which Karabakh formations will remain there – around 20-25 thousand
people. These formations will provide the security of both Armenian and
Azerbaijani inhabitants in that region.

In that case there will be no need to bring the international
peacekeeping forces. Karabakh’s military subdivisions can realize this
mission, without the interference of the forces that have their own
interests in the region. This will reduce to the minimum the influence
of the foreign powers on our region.

Of course the return of the refugees must also be guaranteed. Which
means we can’t speak about Karabakh people ignoring the 50 thousand
Azerbaijani community, who used to live in Karabakh before 1988. If
this happens, Armenian majority, in the person of NKR military
formations will provide the security of Azerbaijani minority.

And both conflicting parties Armenia and Azerbaijan will be the
guarantees of this security. The future developments will lead to
Karabakh’s integration to Azerbaijan and Armenia’s economy will
integrate with Azerbaijan’s.

If we exercise this model, a joint system of internal security will be
created and the internal borders will not exist any more. Georgia will
also participate in this process and we will have South-Caucasian free
economic zone, meanwhile strengthening the foreign borders of the three
countries. But, if one of the parties demands from the other party to
sign under a document that enshrines the results of the war, that is to
say they try to legalize the results of the war, I’m sure it will not
lead to any positive results.’

`Do you think the results of the war must be annulled?’

`See! The Results of the war are the results of one battle. But there
can be the second battle as well, and the results of this battle can be
quite different.’

`Don’t you think the results of the second war can, mildly speaking, be
disappointing for Azerbaijan?’

`This is exactly what I mean. There can be second, third, fourth and
fifth battles. But if we really want to close this page of wars and
reach stability and peace in the region, in my view we must refuse the
idea of wars. Otherwise the defeated side will always try to take
revenge and we will appear in the situation of everlasting wars. That
is why it is better to speak about common interests and mutually
beneficial cooperation.’

`Saying refugees do you mean only Azerbaijanis, deported from Karabakh,
or also the Armenians who fled Baku, Sumgait, Kirovabad, Shahumyan and
Getashen, etc?’

`All the refugees must have the opportunity to return to their dwelling
places. So a program of the solution of social, integration,
accommodation, and other issues must be implemented. Without the
solution of these issues it is senseless to speak about their return.

Of course these issues can’t be solved immediately. In my view we must
try to solve them phase-by-phase, elaborate mechanisms, which will be
backed by Armenia and Azerbaijan. Of course this program shouldn’t be
compulsory, without the violation of the rights of those who presently
live in the deserted homes in Baku, Karabakh, Yerevan or Vanadsor.’

LEVON HAKOB TER-PETROSYAN OR LEVON FRAYIM PLISKOVSKY?
VREZH AHARONYAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 24, 2008
Armenia

Armenian National Congress or Jewish Congress?

The information that the Ter-Petrosyan-led movement was funded and
governed from abroad is gradually becoming more precise and argumented.

The fact that Mr. Ter-Petrosyan has ties with Masonic as well as
powerful Jewish political and economic organizations and has constantly
been under their influence did not seem convincing to some people.
However, the analysis of his political activity of the past 6 months
directly confirms the above mentioned.

First, in the estimation of well-informed people, the atmosphere of
masonry (its first precondition being the denial of national values)
and cosmopolitism has become essentially overwhelming in the
ex-President’s family and his surroundings, especially during the
recent years. And this has been achieved due to the efforts of L.
Ter-Petrosyan’s wife.

That Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s wife is a Jew has been published in the press
many a time. However, we recently managed to find out the real names of
Mrs. Ter-Petrosyan and her family members. Her father’s name is
Pliskovsky Frayim Abramovich, and here mother’s name is Kourtach Brakha
Ibramovna and before marriage, Ms. Lyudmila’s full name was Pliskovsaya
Lyudmila Frayimovna.

Having grown up in the influential and rich community of the Jews.
Lyudmila Ter-Petrosyan has been consistent enough in her efforts of
spreading her influence on L. Ter-Petrosyan, his son and his family
members.

And here is an interesting fact: after resigning from office, L.
Ter-Petorsyan never visited any marz of the country apart from Vayots
Dzor. After he and his wife paid several visits to the cemetery of the
Jews (situated near the village of Yeghegis), they decided to have it
renovated and reconstructed. What’s more, L. Ter-Petrosyan promised the
Jewish community that right after being elected a President in 2008 he
would deal with the reconstruction of the cemetery in person.

By involving Lyudmila Ter-Petrosyan in the leadership of their
infra-structures, the Masonic organizations of the United States, the
Russian Federation, Europe and the Near East managed to maintain
permanent and reliable ties with Levon Ter-Petrosyan and offer him
assistance. When the Jewish flag was waved on the Theatrical Square
during his pre-election meetings, nobody paid a special attention to
that.

However, the developments following the March 1 incidents make us
conduct a more thorough analysis as to why the `liberation movement’
was best elucidated especially by those American and Russian media
which are under the influence of the Jewish lobby. There were a number
of noteworthy facts revealed in the course of the journalistic
investigation.

Once we already informed you that the principal goal of L.
Ter-Petrosyan’s one-day visit to Moscow (mid-January, 2008) was the
meeting with the Vice Chair of the RF right-wing forces Leonid Gozman,
a Jew by nationality. Mr. Gozman is also the leader of the St.
Petersburg branch as well as one of the entrusted individuals of
Alexander Tchoubays, Head of the Russian Energy Systems. Why do you
think L. Ter-Petorsyan had a strictly confidential meeting and a
tête-à-tête with Leonid Gozman for 6-7 hours?

Let’s also note that L. Gozman and the `Holding’ he leads have
unlimited political and economic resources; their financial-economic
balance and annual circulation make up tens of billions of dollars.
Spending a sum of USD 100-200 million for assisting L. Ter-Petorsyan in
the Armenian elections was not a great difficulty for this particular
structure (which also coordinates the programs of their American and
European partners in the CIS countries).

This is the agreement Leonid Gozman and Levon Ter-Petorsyan concluded
in January 2008, in a confidential meeting held in Mr. Gozman’s private
residence in the vicinities of Moscow. L. Ter-Petorsyan’s electoral
campaign was to start in a couple of days’ time, and the sums arrived
in time. They entered Armenia through different organizations and were
invested in the political process.

The Jewish-Masonic lobby spent USD 65-70 million on L. Ter-Petrosyan’s
campaign, and it’s going to spend twice more for achieving its
principal-goal, i.e. bringing L. Ter-Petorsyan to power.

Those sums enter Armenia through different public organizations,
natural persons and artificially created enterprises and are mainly
transferred to the closed accounts of `Armeconombank’.

The sums are also periodically given to the emissaries who are sent
abroad on mission by Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Then, through different
banks, these people transfer the money to Armenia.

Why did the representatives of `Great East’, a powerful organization
with unlimited financial and political resources, arrive in Armenia in
mid-January? What were they planning and agreeing upon with Hovhannes
Igityan, an activist standing close to L. Ter-Petorsyan?

Why did the influential Masonic organization operating in the countries
of the Near East conduct a series of two-week closed meetings with
Hovhannes Igityan, who thereafter started meeting with L. Ter-Petrosyan
almost every day?

How come that just within a couple of hours on the night of March 2 H.
Igityan rapidly left Armenia with the help of large sums and different
individuals and found himself in France and then left for Strasburg and
Brussels?

How come that Hovhannes Igityan, who was only the Head L.
Ter-Petorsyan’s campaign headquarters in Avan district, has had
meetings with senior officials in Europe and beginning March 10, has
been conducting lobbying among the Parliamentarians of the Council of
Europe, representing Armenia exclusively in dark colors?

He gave misinformation to CoE Secretary General Terry Davis, Head of
PACE Rene van der Linden and different European media representatives
and experts who were preparing for the PACE April 17 hearings devoted
to Armenia.

Furthermore, the Jewish-Masonic lobby is currently using the same
aggressiveness to have the Council of Europe deprive the Armenian
delegation of the right to vote. Under whose auspices did H. Igityan
implement those `activities’? Of course, through his connections with
the Masonic `Great East’ organization. As to the details of the
process, L. Ter-Petrosyan is fully aware of them. H. Igityan kept in
touch with him from Europe on daily basis.

It will be extremely interesting to ask L. Ter-Petrosyan why the
members of the Jewish-American Committee (the second largest Jewish
lobbying organization in the United States and Europe) are arriving in
Armenia on May 27-28? It should be noted that those arriving in Armenia
are not ordinary members of the organization but rather, its leaders,
i.e. Peter Rosenblat, Barry Jabes and John Waters, as well as
American-Armenian translator Ross Vardanyan who will accompany them.

According to available information, the leaders of the Jewish
organization want L. Ter-Petrosyan to report them on his
accomplishments; thereafter, they will specify the ex-President’s
further steps in the following three directions:

1. Armenia’s domestic problems

2. US-Armenian relations

3. Turkish-Armenian relations

If L. Ter-Petrosyan expresses exhaustive and satisfactory attitude
towards those issues, the political and financial assistance will be
undoubtedly continued, and the US-RF segment of the Jewish chain will
open a `second respiratory tract’ for L. Ter-Petorsyan’s political
activity.

BAD TRADITION

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 24, 2008
Armenia

Member of ARFD parliamentary faction Ara Nranyan expressed an opinion
yesterday saying that the works implemented and previewed in the
legislative sphere testify to the fact that Armenia has fulfilled all
the commitments to the Council of Europe.

The MP also underscored that there are many unsolved issues in the
political and social-economic spheres of the country; `After the
re-independence a very bad tradition has been formed in our reality,
certain political powers make use of the support of foreign powers to
extend their opportunities.

It is regrettable that these forces link the formation of the
atmosphere of social solidarity not with the policy of the state but
rather the pressure of the international organizations on the state.

Whereas Armenia must be invulnerable towards various international
pressures and interferences. We must try to solve our problems in the
condition of mutual social understanding.’

THE ISSUE MUST BE SOLVED EITHER IN BAKU OR IN YEREVAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 24, 2008
Armenia

According to the Editor-in-chief of Azerbaijani `3rd Opinion’
Informational-Analytical Agency Rauf Rajabov: `The two parties don’t
trust each other, they have concerns that if they take this or that
step they will lose something. If they fail to break that stereotype,
or get rid of that fear they will never come to agreement. That is why
we must try to create a system of counterbalances and guarantees and
only after that speak about the referendum, the results of which can be
acceptable for Armenia and Azerbaijan.

It is a tough issue and can be solved not by shuttle diplomacy – in
Moscow, Washington, Brussels, Paris or anywhere else, but either in
Baku or in Yerevan.’

ARMENPRESS

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS CONGRATULATES GRADUATES OF
SCHOOLS

ETCHMIADZIN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS: Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II congratulated the graduates of
the Armenian schools.
Press service of the Holy See told Armenpress that
in his message the Catholicos particularly said, -From
the Holy See of St. Etchmiadzin we send our love and
blessing to you, dear graduates, on the occasion of
ending the school period.
During the study years you received knowledge from
your devoted teachers stepping on the path of wisdom.
Today you are going to enter new period of life and
hopes of your parents, our people and homeland are
tied with you.-
In his message the Catholicos wished the graduates
new achievements, happiness and success.

Russia scoops Eurovision victory
Russian singer Dima Bilan has won this
year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Bilan is one of Russia’s biggest pop stars and his heartfelt ballad
Believe, produced by US R&B star Timbaland, gave Russia its first ever
Eurovision win.
Ukraine’s Ani Lorak came second, followed by Greece with upbeat pop
song Secret Combination by Kalomira.

But British talent show runner-up Andy Abraham came joint last with his
song Even If, gaining just 14 points, the same as Germany and Poland.
Before the voting, Terry Wogan, who was commentating for the BBC, said
Abraham was "our best entry for years", adding: "He deserves to do
well with that."
But the former X Factor contestant only received points from San
Marino – who were taking part for the first time – and Ireland.
Dimar Bilan won with a stage show that included Olympic figure skating
champion Evgeni Plushenko performing on a small ice circle.
Bilan is a well-known performer throughout Russia and beyond, having
been named best artist at the country’s MTV Awards for the past three
years in a row. He took part in Eurovision in 2006, finishing second
behind Finnish rock monsters Lordi.
He has recorded an album in English with Timbaland, including a duet
with Canadian singer Nelly Furtado, and hopes to use it to break into
the international market later this year.
EUROVISION TOP FIVE
1. Russia : 272 points
2. Ukraine : 230
3. Greece : 218
4. Armenia : 199
5. Norway : 182

This year’s other entrants included Latvian pirates, a Finnish heavy
rock group, a 75-year-old Croatian rapper and French dance musician
Sebastian Tellier, who has worked with Daft Punk and Air.
Swedish singer Charlotte Perrelli, who won the event in 1999, was
another hot tip and was picked as the winner in a Europe-wide BBC poll
before the event.
But she failed to become the first female singer to win the contest
twice. The show was opened in front of 20,000 fans at the Belgrade
Arena by last year’s winner Marija Serifovic.
The 20 countries that came through the semi-finals joined hosts Serbia
plus the UK, France, Germany and Spain – the contest’s four biggest
backers.

Story from BBC NEWS:
ainment/7417527.stm

Published: 2008/05/24 22:39:48 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENPRESS

HOVHANNES HOVSEPIAN APPOINTED HEAD OF PRESIDENT’S
OVERSIGHT SERVICE

YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President
Serzh Sarkissian signed a decree on May 23 dismissing
Artashes Bakhshian from the office of the head of the
Armenian President’s Oversight Service.
Presidential press service told Armenpress that
with another decree Hovhannes Hovsepian has been
appointed in the office of the head of the President’s
Oversight Service.
Hovhannes Hovsepian was born in 1973, January 28 in
Ijevan. In 1990 he graduated from the Vanadzor school.
In 1995 he graduated YSU Legal Faculty.
From 1996-98 studied in the Russian State Service
Academy affiliated to the Russian president. In
1996-2002 worked in the legal department of the
Armenian president’s staff, then worked as a chief
specialist of the state-legal department, consultant.
>From 2002-2006 worked as the head of the staff
department of the president.
In January 21, 2007 was appointed consultant to the
Armenian territorial governance minister. On December
22, 2007 was appointed deputy territorial governance
minister.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #099, 24/05/2008

Armenia-Turkey

ARMENIA-TURKEY NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT TO START

According to the Economist magazine, non-official
negotiations between Armenia and Turkey about
establishment of diplomatic relations can start at any
moment. The ruling party of Turkey, "Justice and
Prosperity", establishing diplomatic relations with
Armenia, may gain assistance of the West in the case
of ceasing the party’s activities, pending at the
Constitutional Court of Turkey.

The Economist article tells about a Turkish
businessman, exporting cheese from Turkey to Armenia
and says that non-official negotiations between
Armenia and Turkey. The Economist says that Turkey has
kept closer the border with Armenia since 1993 because
of the Karabakh conflict. This fact affects the
attitudes of Turkish and Armenian businessmen on the
relationships between the two countries. The British
magazine says that there are some positive signals in
Armenia-Turkey relations and points out that Turkish
President Abdullah Gul was among the first to
congratulate the newly elected President of Armenia
Serge Sarkisian.

Translated by A.M.

AZG Armenian Daily #099, 24/05/2008

Armenian Genocide

VARNA PROCLAIMS APRIL 24 COMMEMORATION DAY OF THE
VICTIMS OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Municipality Council of Bulgarian Varna issued a
proclamation that condemns the Armenian Genocide of
1915.

The Council proclaimed April 24 commemoration day of
the victims of the Armenian Genocide, "Azatutyun"
reports citing from The Sofia Echo periodical.

Members of the Municipality Council hope that their
decision will contribute to recognition of the
Armenian Genocide not only by the rest of Bulgarian
cities and towns but also by the Bulgarian state.

The issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide was
raised several times in Bulgarian Parliament by the
opposition; the last one – on January 17. However, the
majority of the parliament refuses to include the
presented draft laws in the agenda as they are afraid
of damaging relations with Turkey.

Translated by L.H.