ASBAREZ Online [03-03-2005]

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03/03/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Euro-Armenian Federation Applauds Courage of EU-Turkey Delegation Vice President 2) Azeri FM and OSCE Representatives Meet, Await Oskanian Recovery 3) CIS Head in Armenia 4) Fierce Critic of Azeri Government Gunned Down, Opposition Rises to Occasion 5) Minaskanian to Perform at Benefit Concert at UCLA 1) Euro-Armenian Federation Applauds Courage of EU-Turkey delegation Vice President BRUSSELS--Recent statements by the vice president of the European Union-Turkey Inter Parliamentary Delegation Jacques Toubon, provoked rage among Turkish officials participating in the meeting, particularly Sukru Elekdag (CHP- Kemalist Party) who served as the former ambassador to the United States, and Oguz Demiralp, Turkey's permanent representative to the European Union. Toubon (PPE, France) raised the "unquestionable reality" of the Armenian genocide during the 53rd meeting of the body, telling the Turkish delegates that the recognition of the Armenian genocide constituted an "important element for Europe" and of its "common values." "We welcome the courage and the perseverance of Jacques Toubon who was not influenced by the usual excessive and high bidding methods of the Turkish deputies," declared Hilda Tchoboian, president of the Euro-Armenian Federation. `As long as the Turkish State uses threatens Europe, and preaches fear to its public, it proves that Turkey is not European," Tchoboian. Toubon also highlighted the numerous recognitions of the genocide by member countries of the European Union, the most recent being by the Netherlands, which took place on December 21, 2004, just after the European Summit in Brussels. He stressed that the European Parliament, since 1987, had on numerous occasions, recognized the reality of the Genocide and, has since, continually asked Turkey to do the same. He explained that "by refusing to ratify the Treaty of Sevres of 1920, Turkey did not want to recognize this genocide," which could be explained in the political context of that time, but "90 years later, Turkey must change," and adopt European values, while recognizing this historic reality. The Turkish press, spearheaded by the Turkish Daily News, immediately distorted Toubon's remarks, alleging that he had asked Turkey to ratify the Treaty of Sevres. This treaty, signed notably by the first Armenian Republic and by the Ottoman Empire (as well as UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Czechoslovakia, now members of EU) constituted the reparation for the wrongs of the genocide but was never ratified by Ankara, while the later Treaty of Lausanne, eluded the question. 2) Azeri FM and OSCE Representatives Meet, Await Oskanian Recovery PRAGUE (Combined Sources)--According to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met, in Prague, with the co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the Head of the organization's mission that recently visited regions around Mountainous Karabagh Republic. Although Mammadyarov and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian were scheduled to meet in Prague on Wednesday, their talks were postponed by at least one week because of Oskanian's continuing illness. A Ministry spokesman revealed that Oskanian is under medical care and the concrete date of the meeting depends on the improvement of his health. 3) CIS Head in Armenia YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--CIS Executive Committee chairman Vladimir Rushailo, met Armenian leaders on Thursday for talks on CIS reforms and measures to increase the effectiveness of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Though economic cooperation is one of CIS's priorities, Rushailo revealed that business resources are not fully utilized, and proposed the creation of business centers throughout CIS countries. He commended Armenia for its outstanding exposition at the All-Russia Exhibition Center, saying that it is one of the best. "Despite objective and subjective difficulties, cooperation between CIS countries, primarily economic, humanitarian, and the joint fight against crime, as well as security, is developing effectively," President Robert Kocharian told Rushailo, but stressed the necessity to increase CIS activity. The CIS head took time to place a wreath at the memorial to the victims of the Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey. "Each people has sacred places. This Memorial is a sacred for the Armenian people and I think it my duty to visit it when I am in Yerevan," Rushailo said during his fifth visit to the Memorial. 4) Fierce Critic of Azeri Government Gunned Down, Opposition Rises to Occasion US urges Azerbaijan to do utmost in investigating murder to bring killers to justice BAKU (Reuters)--Azeri President Ilham Aliyev warned opponents on Thursday to refrain from turning the funeral of a murdered journalist and fierce government critic into a public protest against his rule. Elmar Huseinov, 38, was shot dead on Wednesday by gunmen on the stairway of his apartment bloc. He was the editor-in-chief of Monitor magazine and a staunch critic of the government. Leaders of Azerbaijan's fractured opposition vowed to turn Friday's funeral into a show of unity and public discontent with the government. "We will organize the funeral in a way that will show the popular hatred of the regime," said Ali Kerimli, the head of the key National Front opposition party. "The opposition will unite in removing this regime in a peaceful way." Aliyev, in televised comments after an emergency meeting of his Security Council, said that Huseinov's murder served the interests of those who want to destabilize the country. "The tragedy for [Huseinov's] family can become an instrument in certain hands," he said. "This cannot be allowed." "We should not make a political campaign out of this crime. We will not allow this," Aliyev added. "All political forces should behave with patience and not break the law and not use this killing to advance their own ambitions." Azerbaijan became the former Soviet Union's first dynasty when Aliyev succeeded his iron-fisted father in 2003 as leader of the mainly Muslim state of 8 million people. His election, criticized by observers as falling short of international standards, was greeted with protests in the capital in which two people were killed and scores injured. More than 100 people were arrested. Most have since been released but several opposition leaders were handed jail terms. The European Union said this month there were "extensive, credible, allegations" of torture in the country's jails. Huseinov's magazine has been closed several times and fined for critical articles about leading politicians and businessmen. The murdered journalist had spent six months in jail for his opposition activities. NO REVOLUTION In a clear reference to demands by opposition leaders and Huseinov's family, Aliyev said he was ready to let foreign experts join the investigation. The US embassy in Baku urged the Azeri government to do everything possible to investigate the murder. "The US embassy urges the Azerbaijani government to do everything possible to investigate Elmar Huseynov's murder fully and to bring his killer or killers to justice," the US embassy said in a faxed statement. "Elmar Huseinov's death is a great loss to the ongoing development of democracy and press freedom in Azerbaijan," an embassy statement said. Azeri opposition plans reflected growing popular unrest in some ex-Soviet states. There has been an upsurge in street protests even in Russia, most of them over social reforms. In just over a year, new governments have come to power in Georgia and Ukraine on the back of 'people power' revolutions. That has triggered speculation that the position of other leaders in a region stretching from the edge of the European Union to central Asia might be shaky. But Azeri officials say Aliyev's popularity and the memory of the political turmoil in Azerbaijan which almost turned into civil war in 1993 leave no chance for a revolution. "People will not be so naive as to entrust their fate to those would bring them to the edge of the abyss once again," presidential chief of staff Ramiz Mehtiyev said last month. 5) Minaskanian to Perform at Benefit Concert at UCLA LOS ANGELES--Raphael Minaskanian will perform a benefit piano recital featuring works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and Melik-Aslanian. The event, sponsored by RAA/USA (Research on Armenian Architecture) in support of scholarships for CASPS (The Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools), will take place at UCLA's Schoenberg Hall, on Sunday, March 13 at 3 p.m. Born in Tehran in a music loving family, Minaskanian began his musical studies at the age of six. He made his first stage appearance at the age of ten and shortly after, performed Iran's first televised classical piano recital. Studying under the distinguished teacher and composer Emanuel Melik-Aslanian, he honed his technical skills, making frequent stage and television appearances. After graduation from high school, he came to the United States with the goal of studying medicine, but it was Aube Tzerko, Professor of music at UCLA who encouraged him to devote himself to music. Thereafter, he studied with internationally known master teachers including Aube Tzerko in Los Angeles, Karl Ulrich Schnabel in Italy, and Ilona Kabos in London and at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Minaskanian's London debut in the Purcell Room of Royal Festival Hall won him the acclaim of critics including that of the famed Eric Warr, who described the performance as a "most promising debut," and his artistic ability and technique as "mature" and filled with "excitement, brilliance, and unfailing clarity." Returning to Iran, Raphael was invited by the renowned Soviet Armenian composer and pianist Arno Babajanian, to share the stage with him, in a most memorable musical event, for the very first public performance of his Rhapsody for Two Pianos, in Tehran. Over the past two decades, Raphael has continued to teach and perform, making frequent solo, chamber, and orchestral appearances. On the occasion of Aram Khachaturian's 100th birthday festivities, he was a soloist in several events with the Armenian String Virtuosi under the internationally recognized conductor Loris Tjeknavorian. In addition to his busy stage and teaching schedule, Raphael is involved with community work, and regularly shares his art to help raise funds for humanitarian and educational causes. He recently honored the memory of his beloved teacher and mentor, Melik-Aslanian, with two critically acclaimed solo recitals, benefiting geriatric research and special pediatric care. CASPS was created in the summer of 1994 by a group of concerned educators and citizen leaders with the goal to lay the foundation of a grass roots organization that would address the social and educational needs of immigrant children in public schools. Their mandate was to find solutions by collaborating with school districts and administrators and by directly working with students and parents. Positive feedback from schools and families and the growing demand for intervention by the community, provided the impetus for expansion into case management services, academic counseling and group therapy, staff development workshops for teachers, and a special effective parenting program available in Armenian, English, and Spanish. To date, CASPS has served over 3000 children and parents in all ethnic groups. Tickets ranging from $100, $40, $30, to $15 for students can be purchased at the following: Call UCLA at (310) 825-2101 or <;; Ticketmaster (213)365-3500 or <;; Call CASPS at (818) 222-7170 All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress