Author: Antranik Varosian

Nagorno-Karabakh: OSCE To Unveil New Peace Plan
By Liz Fuller
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
Friday, 08 April 2005
8 April 2005 — The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan,
Vartan Oskanian and Elmar Mammadyarov, will meet in London on 15
April to discuss new proposals drafted by the OSCE Minsk Group for
resolving the Karabakh conflict, a Moscow correspondent for RFE/RL’s
Armenian Service reported on 5 April quoting Yurii Merzlyakov, the
Russian Minsk Group Co-chairman. Merzlyakov did not give details
of the new peace plan, other than to warn that it will require
mutual concessions from both sides. Armenian Defense Minister Serzh
Sarkisian warned last week that “painful” concessions are unavoidable
(see “RFE/RL Newsline,” 31 March 2005). The London talks will also
determine whether Armenian President Robert Kocharian will meet with
his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliev in Moscow next month on the
sidelines of a Council of Europe summit in Warsaw.
Two trends in recent weeks had seemed to call into question the
prospects for further progress towards a peaceful solution of
the Karabakh conflict. In late February, Oskanian fell ill with
pneumonia, and was unable to travel to Prague for a further round of
talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov (see “RFE/RL
Newsline,” 2 March 2005). Oskanian had hinted at the beginning of a
“new phase” in the conflict settlement process following his previous
meeting with Mammadyarov in January (see “RFE/RL Caucasus Report,”
21 January 2005). But the Minsk Group’s failure to reschedule the
Prague meeting fuelled speculation that unanticipated obstacles to
the peace process had emerged.
Second, a considerable number of minor violations of the ceasefire
agreement signed 11 years ago have been registered in recent weeks on
the Line of Contact separating Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. At
least six servicemen have reportedly been killed in those exchanges
of fire (see “RFE/RL Newsline,” 23 March 2005). Several Armenian
politicians have construed that escalation of low-level hostilities,
which Oskanian said on 29 March is the result of Azerbaijani efforts to
move their front line closer to Armenian positions, as evidence that
Azerbaijan is preparing for a major new offensive — an assumption
that is corroborated by the militant rhetoric of Azerbaijani President
Aliev and Defense Minister Colonel General Safar Abiev. Oskanian
initially told journalists on 23 March he thinks such rhetoric is
intended for a domestic audience, Noyan Tapan reported. But one week
later, addressing the Armenian parliament, he admitted the possibility
that Baku may seriously intend to start military actions (see “RFE/RL
Newsline,” 30 March 2005).
It is not clear whether, as Oskanian and defense officials from the
unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) have claimed, Azerbaijan
was indeed the aggressor during the recent spate of shootings along
the Line of Contact. But it is not beyond the realm of possibility
that Baku was prepared to risk provoking such limited exchanges of
fire and blaming them on the Armenian side in order to deflect public
attention from the recent report released by the OSCE Minsk Group on
the situation in the seven districts adjacent to the NKR which are
under Armenian control. That report, presented to the OSCE’s Permanent
Council in Vienna last month, effectively demolishes Azerbaijani
allegations that the Armenian government has over the past decade
engaged in a deliberate and systematic attempt to resettle tens of
thousands of Armenians on those territories. An OSCE fact-finding
mission that toured the districts in question in late January and
early February at the request of the Azerbaijani government concluded
that resettlement is “quite limited,” strictly voluntary, and not the
result of a deliberate Armenian government policy, and that most of
the Armenians resettlers involved are displaced persons from other
regions of Azerbaijan. It estimated the total number of such Armenian
settlers as less than 15,000, in contrast to Azerbaijani projections
of over 30,000 (see “RFE/RL Newsline,” 18 March 2005).
Despite the recent ceasefire violations, both Oskanian and Mammadyarov
remain publicly committed to the search for new blueprints for
resolving the conflict — even though their respective priorities may
be difficult to reconcile. On 29 March, Oskanian addressed a special
two-day session of the Armenian parliament devoted to the conflict
settlement process. As the only senior official in either country
who has been actively engaged in that process since the early 1990s,
Oskanian provided an overview of the OSCE’s efforts to resolve the
conflict, which he subdivided into four stages. Oskanian reiterated
the three principles which Yerevan considers central to any formal
solution: that the unrecognized NKR not be vertically subordinated to
the Azerbaijani central government (which would rule out autonomous
status, but not a joint or federal state); that the NKR should have
an overland link with Armenia (which would entail de facto recognition
of Armenian control over the so-called Lachin corridor); and that the
security of the Armenian population of the NKR should be guaranteed.
At the same time, Oskanian made some statements that are in
all likelihood unpalatable, if not anathema, to Baku. He argued
that the international community should abandon its insistence
that the principle of territorial integrity, which Azerbaijan
consistently adduces as central to any settlement of the conflict,
should not automatically take precedence over the right to national
self-determination. In that context, he cited the examples of East
Timor and the ongoing discussion over the future status of Kosova,
independence for which could set a precedent for Karabakh. He
substantiated the argument in favor of self-determination for the
NKR by pointing out, as he has done on previous occasions, that the
region has never been part of an independent Azerbaijani state; that
it seceded legally from Azerbaijan (in a referendum in September 1991)
in accordance with the Soviet legislation in force at that time; and
that the Azerbaijani government has had no control whatsoever over the
region for the past 15 years, during which time democratization has
made far deeper inroads in Karabakh than in Azerbaijan itself. Finally,
he argued that by perpetrating violence against the Armenians of
the Nagorno-Karabakh when the region was still formally a part of
Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan “lost the moral right” to hegemony over them.
Mammadyarov, too, has new suggestions to air at his next meeting with
Oskanian, according to OSCE Chairman in Office Dmitrij Rupel, who met
with Armenian leaders in Yerevan on 30 March and in Baku with President
Aliev and Mammadyarov two days later. Also during his talks with Rupel,
Mammadyarov signaled a softening of Azerbaijan’s position on one key
issue: he admitted that “sooner or later” the Armenian community of
the NKR should join in the Armenian-Azerbaijani talks on resolving the
conflict because “we cannot take any steps without them,” according
to the independent ANS television station. But Mammadyarov added,
“We think we should continue the talks with Yerevan and achieve
some results.” Previously Baku has ruled out the participation of
the NKR in such talks unless the Azerbaijanis who fled the enclave
in the late 1980s are also included.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

fightnews.com
Harutyunyan-Hayashida tonight!
March 31, 2005
By Francisco Salazar
Non-stop action will be plentiful as Kahren Harutyunyan will face Tatsuo
Hayashida for the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) Junior
Bantamweight title tonight at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello, CA.
The bout will headline a six-bout “Battle of the Rising Stars” card,
presented by All Star Boxing.
Both fighters have fought at the Quiet Cannon before. Ironically, both
fighters lost their last bouts at the Quiet Cannon and hope to turn things
around in this fight.
Harutyunyan, (11-2-3) from Glendale, CA by way of Yerevan, Armenia, has been
against strong opposition. The 23 year old made his professional debut in
2000 and has primarily fought his professional career around Southern
California.
In his last bout, Harutyunyan was winning decisively against Gilberto
Bolanos when he suffered a cut over his eye. Because the cut was allegedly
caused by a punch and the ringside physician ruled that Harutyunyan would
not be able to continue, Bolanos was awarded the victory after the seventh
round of an eight round bout.
Before the loss, Harutyunyan was undefeated in 12 fights. He has contributed
to Fightnews.com.
Hayashida, (17-5-1, 8 KO’s) from Tokyo, Japan, will fight for only the
second time outside of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Hayashida has lost his three bouts in a row. In his last bout, he lost a
very close decision to Miguel “Maikito” Martinez in September. Hayashida
appeared to be the fresher fighter and was dominating the action towards the
end of the fight.
He is a former OPBF Light Flyweight champion, having successfully defended
the title three times in 2002. He is a strong boxer-puncher and will hope to
come out victorious in his battle against Harutyunyan.
Both fighters realize the importance of this fight. A victory would earn the
winner the title and a spot in the top 15 of the World Boxing Organization
rankings in the Junior Bantamweight division.
In the co-feature, Junior Middleweight Santiago Perez will face Felipe
Santana in a six round bout.
Santiago, (8-0-1, 2 KO’s) from El Monte, CA by way of Copala, Guerrero,
Mexico, is coming off a controversial six round majority decision draw to
Terry Wright last month. Most at ringside felt Perez won the fight.
Perez has fought all of his bouts in Southern California and hopes to find
success in 2005 since his professional debut in 2003.
Santana, (2-0, 2 KO’s) from Mexico, has not fought since late 1991. In those
two bouts, he scored knockouts in the first and second rounds.
Santana hopes that despite the 13 and a half year layoff, he will pick off
where he left off and defeat the young Perez.
Francisco Zepeda will face George Moreno in a six round Welterweight bout.
Zepeda, (3-2-2, 1 KO) from Los Angeles by way of Michoacan, Mexico, won a
four round unanimous decision victory over Eduardo Estrella in November. He
is unbeaten in his last four bouts.
Moreno, (2-7-1) from West Covina, CA, has lost his last two bouts, both by
knockout. Moreno hopes to break Zepeda’s unbeaten streak in getting a
victory.
In other bouts:
– Middleweight Joey Aragon, (5-2, 2 KO’s) from Rosemead, CA, hopes to return
to the win column tonight against his opponent, Chris Moorings, in a four
round bout. Aragon is a former minor league baseball player in the Minnesota
Twins system.
– Jorge Espinoza, (2-0) from Los Angeles, will face Shane Langford in a four
round Super Featherweight bout. Langford (1-6-1) is from Los Angeles by way
of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
– Aaron Martinez, (1-0) from Southern California, will face an opponent to
be determined in a four round Junior Middleweight bout.
Doors to the venue open at 6:30PM, with first bell scheduled at 7:30PM.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling (323) 816-6200. Tickets
are priced at $50 and $35. All Star Boxing consists of Ed Holmes as the
promoter and Pete Hironaka as the matchmaker.
The Quiet Cannon is located south of the 60 Freeway, off of Garfield
Boulevard on the grounds of the Montebello Golf & Country Club.
Questions? Comments? Email Francisco Salazar
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] schedules election campaign
Arminfo, Yerevan
17 Mar 05
STEPANAKERT
The nomination of candidates to the National Assembly of the Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic [NKR], both on the proportional and
first-past-the-post systems, will start on 5 April and finish on 10
April, the NKR Central Election Commission decided at its session
yesterday.
The session approved the working plan, schedule, spending plan on
preparations for the 19 June 2005 elections to the NKR National
Assembly by the Central Election Commission, as well as precincts and
constituencies. Election lists of parties which will stand in the
elections on the proportional system and candidates to be nominated on
the first-past-the-post system will be registered from 10 to 15 May
2005.
The election campaign of candidates will be held between 16 May on 17
June.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT: APPLICATION OF EXPERIENCE OF COOPERATION OF THREE
BALTIC STATES IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS CAN BECOME A GOOD PLEDGE OF
STABILITY AND PEACEFUL INTERACTION
YEREVAN, MARCH 7. ARMINFO. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
received Chairwoman of the Latvian Parliament Ingrid Udre Monday.
The presidential press-service informs ARMINFO that Ingrid Udre
presented political and economic processes in Latvia after joining
the EU. She said that despite numerous reforms carried out in Latvia
before its admission to the EU, there was still much to do for full
conformity with European standards. She noted that Latvia was due to
pay more attention to the relations with the South Caucasian states
entering the way towards integration into Europe, in particular, with
Armenia. In his turn, Robert Kocharyan noted that Armenia’s intention
to integrate into the European family was very serious and the
reforms in the country were carried out just to meet European
standards. The president said that in that aspect the way passed by
Latvia would further remain in the focus of attention of Armenia.
President Kocharyan also called the cooperation of the three Baltic
states a good example for imitation and its application in the South
Caucasus could become a good pledge of stability and peaceful
interaction.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Feb 9 2005
‘Iran does not and will never assist Armenia’ – Iranian Ambassador
Baku, February 8, AssA-Irada
Chairman of the Armenian Security Council, Serzh Sarkisian, told the
local media prior to leaving for Iran on Tuesday that he would ask
the Iranian government to assist in developing Armenia’s economy.
Commenting on Sarkisian’s statement, the Iranian Ambassador to
Azerbaijan, Afshar Suleymani, stressed that “Iran does not and will
never assist Armenia”.
Suleymani stated that Iran attaches great importance to relations
with Azerbaijan, underlining that his country is co-operating with
the Armenian private sector in the area of commerce alone.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO PACE TRY TO ENLIST SUPPORT
OF EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS IN KARABAKH PROBLEM, CONTACTING WITH THEM
THROUGH E-MAIL, SHAVARSH KOCHARIAN STATES
YEREVAN, JANUARY 13. ARMINFO. Representatives of Armenian delegation
to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe try to enlist the
support of their European counterparts when discussion of the draft
report of David Atkinson on Nagorny Karabakh in PACE by electronic
correspondence. Member of Armenian delegation to PACE, representative
of the opposition Justice bloc Shavarsh Kocharian stated talking to
ARMINFO.
“It is difficult to enlist the support of European parliament members
in the Karabakh problem sitting here in Armenia, that’s why the
members of the Armenian delegation are trying to use personal contacts
with representatives of European delegations, contacting with them
through e-mail”, Shavarsh Kocharian thinks. A certain work is carried
out with European colleagues during the sittings of the PACE
commissions as well. The deputy also assured that when discussion of
the draft report for Nagorny Karabakh in PACE the representatives of
the opposition and pro-power forces in the Armenian delegation will
come out with common positions. At the same time Shavarsh Kocharian
stressed that the draft report of David Atkinson regarding Nagorny
Karabakh is the failure of not the Armenian parliamentary delegation
to PACE, but the foreign policy of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
01/03/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) President Congratulates Armenians Worldwide, Emphasizes Karabagh's Independence 2) US, Turkey Review Touchy Iraq, Mideast Issues 3) WCC, His Holiness Aram I Forward Condolences, Encouragement to Tsunami Victims 4) Primate's Christmas Message 5) ARS Contributes to Worldwide Relief Efforts for Tsunami Victims 6) Armenian American Veterans Open Doors for Young Armenians 7) Armenian Genocide Monument Council of Glendale Announces Competition for Design 1) President Congratulates Armenians Worldwide, Emphasizes Karabagh's Independence YEREVAN (Armenpress)--In his annual congratulatory New Year's address, President Robert Kocharian bid farewell to a peaceful and stable year for Armenia and welcomed a more productive and successful one in 2005. The president noted the advancement of Armenia-diaspora relations, referring specifically to the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund telethon that yielded a considerable amount of funds from the diaspora, for the completion of Karabagh's North-South highway. He called it an important step in strengthening the factual independence of Karabagh, an independence which he called "nonnegotiable." On the foreign affairs front, Kocharian said he was pleased with Armenia's involvement in the European Union "New Neighborhood" program as it shows the Union's readiness to build special relations with Armenia. He also underscored cooperation with partner-foreign states and Armenia's continual active participation in international developments. Referring to the country's deep social polarization, Kocharian said reforms must continue in an effort to raise living standards and fight poverty. The work carried out in 2004 will be noticeable in the coming year, he stressed, with the state budget's qualitatively new structure allocating more to health care and education. He also commended Armenia's Armed Forces, which have kept the country peaceful and safe, while paying respect to the memory of Armenia's fallen heroes. 2) US, Turkey Review Touchy Iraq, Mideast Issues ANKARA (AFX)--US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul reviewed touchy regional issues, including Iraq and the Middle East, which have led to coolness between the two countries. The presence in northern Iraq of an estimated 5,000 armed militants of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is also known as KONGRA-GEL), held responsible by Ankara for a 15-year civil conflict that claimed more than 30,000 lives in southeast Turkey between 1984 and 1999, is one of several reasons for recent coolness in ties between Ankara and Washington. Armitage reiterated that US, Turkish, and Iraqi officials will hold three-way talks to discuss the PKK, whose activities Ankara wants US forces in Iraq to curb. Another bone of contention is Ankara's unhappiness with the expulsion from oil-rich Kirkuk of Turkish-speaking Iraqi Turkmens by the Kurds, who in turn were expelled from the area by Arabs under Saddam Hussein. "There have been many segments of Iraqi society who have had their situation changed by force," Armitage told reporters. "The Turkmens are, of course, in this category and the Kurds themselves have been forced out, of particularly Kirkuk, to some degree. "These are things that have to be corrected in the transitional administrational law...to redress these wrongs for all those who are dispossessed," he said. "We stressed our concern over Kirkuk," said the Turkish diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We explained that we had serious concerns over efforts to change the demographic structure and said that this could lead to serious problems." He said Armitage assured Gul that he was discussing the matter with Massud Barzani and Jalal Talabani, allies of the US and leaders of the two mainstream Kurdish parties in northern Iraq, which borders Turkey. 3) WCC, His Holiness Aram I Forward Condolences, Words of Encouragement to Tsunami Victims --His Holiness Aram I, Moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) together with Dr. Samuel Kobia, the General Secretary of the WCC, forwarded the following message to churches in South-East Asia, after the massive devastation and tragic loss of human life caused by the tsunamis there. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On behalf of the entire fellowship of the World Council of Churches we send you sincere condolences and express our sorrow at the loss of more than 125,000 thousand lives in one of the deadliest natural catastrophes that has faced the people of South East Asia and regions surrounding the Indian Ocean. We are also aware that the devastating earthquake followed by the tsunami has left more than five million people homeless who are in dire need of immediate humanitarian aid as well as psychological and spiritual accompaniment. With our deepest sympathy we pray and think of those who have lost their loved ones. We are greatly encouraged by the exemplary efforts of our member Churches in responding even with meager resources to bandage the wounded and bond with the sorrowful. In prayer, we yearn to God that we may all overcome this cosmic anguish together with all peoples of faith in the region. The WCC together with our partners in ecumenical disaster and emergency management will continue to reach out with the resources available at our disposal to prevent more human suffering and bring about relief to those in this great affliction. Please let us know in what other ways you would wish the global ecumenical community to be in solidarity with you as you try to come to terms with this unprecedented catastrophe. During this holy season we have witnessed through liturgy and the sacred narratives of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ that even in the face of so many contradictions in life God is still part of our broken world. The miracle of the incarnation reminds us in the most profound way of the dwelling presence of God that transforms even probabilities of annihilation into new possibilities of life in history. And now we must reach out to one another, and not only weep with those in anguish but also make a new place for those seeking shelter as we struggle to find lasting solutions to future tragedies in this world. One lesson to learn from this tsunami tragedy is the need for the international community and the religious communities to unite in one spirit and reinvent the capacity for preparedness to face such tragedies together. It is also a moment to be re-awakened to our God given responsibility to care not only for one another but for the health of the creation as well. On the eve of the new year may God's grace be with you, comfort you, and give you peace in 2005 and beyond. Yours in Christ, HH Catholicos Aram I Rev Dr. Samuel Kobia December 31, 2004 4) Primate's Christmas Message "God is an interactive God. The Incarnation is God's interaction with human life. Therefore, the man who does not live an interactive life with others is fundamentally emptied of the Christian faith, i.e. of the interaction of love." Catholicos Karekin I The Incarnation symbolizes God's interaction in human life. Therefore, the man who does not live an interactive life is deeply emptied of the life of the Christian faith. In other words, the person who withdraws from the interactive life withdraws also from the conscious awareness that his life could serve as a means of distributing love. The Nativity of Jesus is the greatest miracle recorded in the history of the world, a miracle the impact of which can be measured only by the depth of faith. The Nativity of Jesus reveals God's penetration into human life, the revelation of God's infinite love. The truth that emanates from the Gospels enlightens our entire being, and in the rays of the same light the Christian person re-baptizes himself, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." (John 3:16) The Nativity of Jesus is the presence of light. The person whose life is enriched with prayer, in view of the Birth of Jesus rejects the dark and its works, and allows the vision of the interactive life to dawn in him. Today mankind is living in two, essentially opposing, worlds. In one world are people who live their lives dedicated to God, and in the second world are those who reject God. Those who live with God have chosen the path that leads to holiness, and those who live without God grope in the dark and are deprived of their ability to spread light. The Birth of Jesus inspires the power to transform one's life into a presence equal to a miracle. In the Birth of Jesus individuals and society as a whole live a spiritual rebirth. In today's world we can relive the Birth of Jesus when, with the power of one's spirit and the awareness of faith, we see in the Incarnation of Jesus the visitation of God to mankind. It is this inner life in the depth of our essence that will change the old man and give birth to the New Man. The Nativity of Jesus becomes a real and true feast when one is transfigured and with the transformation of his inner world he becomes a new man. The importance of the transformation of the inner world of the individual is beautifully described in the thoughts of Karekin I, the late Catholicos of All Armenians: "The world changes. This phenomenon of change is not new. The world has always known change and it has always witnessed change and has always been subjected to change. As human beings we live in this cycle of change. We are not the objects but the subjects, not the victims but the witnesses of change." We send our heartfelt greetings to all the faithful of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Mother Church that they may stay in communion with the mystery of the Incarnation of Christ, that through the Nativity of Jesus we may lead our God-given lives into new births. The lives of each of us necessarily needs spiritual rebirth, which is leavened in our inner self through the power of prayer and faith. Spiritual rebirth must be evident in our Christian and national lives. The spiritual rebirth becomes meaningful with service to our Holy Church, our Motherland, our national heritage, and particularly to our blessed land of America where we enjoy every blessing that opens before us the path of life as a mission. On the threshold of a New Year and the Feast of the Nativity, let us make a new covenant with God. Let us transform our lives into new covenants at the altar of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Bethlehem of Armenians, which penetrates into the hearts of our children scattered throughout the world with the rays of the light that emanates from its lantern. It is in that light that the Infant Jesus, the Lord and Savior of the world, is born. We lift up our good wishes and prayers to God to bless our Holy Church and her faithful children, headed by His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, whose fatherly love and blessing we in the Western Diocese will enjoy in June 2005 when His Holiness graces us with his pastoral visit. It is our heartfelt prayer that God will move the hearts of the people of the world so that they may transform their lives into instruments of love and peace, that nations will live in peace and productive life. In anticipation of the Birth of Jesus let us transform our lives into living miracles. In prayer and with warm greetings of love, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian 5) ARS Contributes to Worldwide Relief Efforts for Tsunami Victims The Central Executive Board of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS-CE) conveyed sympathy and support to the diplomatic representatives of countries devastated by the recent Tsunami in South-East Asia, and made a donation to the International Red Cross's relief funds set up to assist the countless victims of the unprecedented disaster. The ARS has also instructed its entities throughout 24 countries to contact the local embassies of those countries stricken to pledge their support and assistance, as needed. The ARS, in addition, announced the establishment of the following email addresses, based on various projects: Central Executive Board: [email protected]; Office Manager: [email protected]; Executive Secretary: [email protected]; ARS Orphans Program: [email protected]; ARS Publications: [email protected]. 6) Armenian American Veterans Open Doors for Young Armenians $10,000 Contribution to assist ANCA Capital Gateway Program WASHINGTON, DC--The Armenian American Veterans Post of Milford Massachusetts (AAVO) has added to their legacy of charitable giving with a generous $10,000 donation to the ANCA Capital Gateway Program--a pioneering initiative to open the door for recent Armenian American college graduates to political, government, media, and foreign policy jobs in the nation's capital. "The AAVO have long represented the proudest tradition of the Armenian American community," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "The children of Genocide survivors who themselves went to war to protect our freedoms, today continue to give back, opening doors for a new generation of Armenian Americans dedicated to public service." Launched in August 2003, through a generous donation from the Cafesjian Family Foundation, the ANCA Capital Gateway Program assists Armenian Americans across the US to find job opportunities on Capitol Hill or other government offices, the media, and think tanks in Washington, DC The program builds on the successful 20-year old ANCA "Leo Sarkisian" summer internship program, which has brought hundreds of youth leaders to Washington, DC to learn about the American political process and the growing role Armenian Americans play in advancing issues of concern to our community. Qualified Capital Gateway Program Fellows are provided free housing and full use of ANCA facilities and staff support in their quest for the right job or internship in the Nation's Capital. The over 20 participants in the program have secured positions in a myriad locations including with Members of Congress, US Chamber of Commerce, Export-Import Bank, Congressional Quarterly, Center for the Prevention of Genocide and the American Civil Liberties Union. AAVO was founded in 1946 in Milford, MA by returning veterans of World War II. Over the years, it has counted over three hundred members, including veterans of both the Second World War and the Korean War, who have called Milford home. During the 1950's, the group completed work on an attractive building and grounds, a Veteran's and community center, which was a vibrant home to area Armenian American veterans for many years. With the passing of so many veterans in the decades following the War, the group sold the building in 1989, and has used the proceeds from this sale to contribute to a number of worthwhile causes. The AAVO have been recognized for their generosity in newspapers, official proclamations, and through the appreciation of the many recipients of their humanitarian gifts. Among those that the Veterans have assisted over the years include: The Armenian Library and Museum of America, the national repository for collecting, conserving and documenting Armenian artifacts, books, textiles, archives and works of art; Project Save, the pioneering program that collects and archives visual information about Armenian people and their history; The Milford Senior Center, the town's gathering place for members of the "Greatest Generation;" Milford Whitinsville Regional Hospital, allowing this community hospital to expand its facilities and services; St. Jude's Children's Hospital, which provides free of charge medical care to the most vulnerable children, suffering from cancer and other catastrophic diseases; and the Armenian Children's Milk Fund, a life-saving charity that has been sending soy-based infant formula and dry powdered milk to Armenia since 1989. In addition, the Veterans have contributed to the Armenian Tree Project, Armenian Eye Care Project, Armenian General Benevolent Union, several Armenian churches, and individual families in need. The Veterans group is also working closely with local attorney Gregory Arabian, an Armenian American community leader, who is preparing oral histories of the lives of Armenian American World War II and Korean War veterans. 7) Armenian Genocide Monument Council of Glendale Announces Competition for Design --Council Launches Website for Monument Design Competition GLENDALE--The Armenian Genocide Monument Council of Glendale (AGMCG) launched their new website on December 22--<;www.armeniangenocidemonument. com--and announced the beginning of their Monument design competition. The AGMCG will oversee the design and construction of a commemorative monument in the City of Glendale dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide. The monument will serve as a befitting venue to begin the educational process of honoring the memory of those who perished and acknowledging the memories of the heroic deeds and acts of the Americans whose actions helped save thousands of helpless Armenian men, women and children from the rage of the genocide. In August of 2001, the City Council of Glendale adopted a motion to accept the gift of a monument to honor the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian genocide and the memory of Americans whose actions helped save thousands of Armenian men, women, and children from perishing in the genocide between 1915 and 1918. On April 8, 2003, the Glendale City Council approved the final location/site for the genocide monument. The AGMCG has been working very closely with City staff to oversee the monument selection process and has established a Selection Committee comprised of community leaders, architecture and design experts, and public officials. The announcement of the winner will take place in April, as this year marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. All parties interested in submitting a design may do so by following the guidelines and rules for submission made available on the AGMCG website. The AGMCG is a newly established organization dedicated to enhancing cross cultural understanding among the different cultural and ethnic groups in the City of Glendale by promoting respect for past historical events and the recognition thereof through continuous education, specifically that of the Armenian genocide. For more information, visit 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

Azeri minister says crude oil allowed to Georgia without limits
ANS TV, Baku
12 Dec 04
Presenter Some freight railway cars detained on the Azerbaijani border
were allowed to enter Georgia overnight. The Boyuk Kasik railway
station has said that 370 railway cars carrying crude oil were allowed
through. Now, 320 cars with other goods are being held at the station.
Correspondent over video of the Boyuk Kasik station It is already two
days that the transit railway cars carrying crude oil via Azerbaijan
have been allowed to enter Georgia without any restrictions, Ziya
Mammadov, Azerbaijan’s minister of communication, has said. He said
that on receiving appropriate instructions from the State Customs
Committee, the railway cars carrying crude oil were allowed to enter
Georgia and from there on to go to Europe via the Black Sea without
any problems. But Mammadov said that some goods, especially the oil
products, are being checked carefully.
Mammadov Mainly oil products and other goods, flour, are being
inspected. In general, the inspection of all goods transported through
Azerbaijan has been stepped up to prevent them from being delivered to
Armenia via Georgia in future.
Correspondent Mammadov said that strict measures should be taken on
the borders so that goods are not redirected to Armenia from
Georgia. This process will continue until the Karabakh problem is
resolved in line with official Baku’s interests, end of quote.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HOLY LAND CHRISTMAS: Jerusalem and Bethlehem seek visitors
By LAURIE COPANS, Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press
December 6, 2004, Monday, BC cycle
JERUSALEM — For the first Christmas season in five years, Israel
and the Palestinians are cooperating to boost tourism to encourage
Christian pilgrims to visit the Holy Land during the holiday.
The Israeli and Palestinian tourism ministers announced in a meeting
last month – their first since fighting broke out in 2000 – that
they intended to guarantee easy access for visitors traveling between
Jerusalem and nearby Bethlehem, simplifying security checks.
Christmas celebrations in the land Jesus walked once attracted tens
of thousands of tourists. But in the last few years, violence has
kept pilgrims away.
Tourism has recently begun to rise again due to a marketing push and
a renewed effort to maintain relative calm after Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat’s death on Nov. 11.
“We are telling everyone that they can come more freely to the Holy
Land,” Palestinian Tourism Minister Mitri Abu Aitah said in the
meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Ezra.
Ezra said he expected the new procedures to help. “I think this meeting
between us will lead to a lot of people to come visit the Holy Land,”
he said.
If you make the trip this season, here are some recommendations.
One of my favorite things to do in Jerusalem – where I have lived
for 10 years – is to walk the ramparts of the Old City, where you
can view the minarets and steeples from every angle. You may even see
a relative of the peregrine falcon, the lesser kestrel, who prefers
the stone holy places when it nests in the area from February to July.
After visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built in the fourth
century by Emporer Constantine to mark the traditional site of Jesus’
crucifixion and burial, enter the small door to the left as you come
out the main entrance.
Climb the stairs through three tiny Ethiopian chapels to the roof.
Passing through the archway, you can enter the Coptic Patriarchate.
Find the stairs leading down into a dark cistern whose acoustics are
wonderful for singing your favorite Bible hymn.
For a spectacular view in every direction, climb the tower at the
Lutheran Church a few steps away from the Holy Sepulcher.
One of the most difficult challenges for tourists in Jerusalem is
finding out when it’s possible to visit the walled Al Aqsa Mosque
compound (known to Jews as the Temple Mount). The compound, home to the
Dome of the Rock mosque, is closed twice daily, during prayers, but it
is worth the effort to get inside and view the rock from which Muslims
believe the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven on his white stallion.
To the left of the plaza of the Western Wall, a retaining wall of
the Second Jewish Temple and the holiest site for Jews, you will see
the entrance to an archaeological tunnel. Here you can see stones,
cisterns and a Hasmonean water channel used 2,000 years ago.
The Old City’s Arab market shops are a must. You can buy vests
decorated with traditional Palestinian embroidery, hand-painted
Armenian pottery and fresh sesame and pistachio brittle. Haggling
is an art you must master quickly. In most cases it’s best to offer
half the price you are first quoted and work your way up to about
two-thirds of what the seller asks. Try not to show you really want
the item or the shop owners won’t budge much.
Traveling from Jerusalem just a few miles away to the West Bank town
of Bethlehem can seem somewhat daunting since tourists must pass
through an Israeli military checkpoint.
But don’t mind the M-16 guns held by the Israeli soldiers. This area
has not seen clashes in more than a year and they are unlikely here
since both Israelis and Palestinians are eager to facilitate the
travel of pilgrims.
Manger Square is not the quaint, calm scene depicted in the Christmas
carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Although it has been transformed
in recent years, it is often still full of tour buses.
The stone Church of the Nativity is dank and cold, but filled with
fragrant incense and a wonderful sight when full of worshippers at
the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Bring warm clothes if you come
for the holiday season; temperatures around Christmas in Bethlehem
average in the 40s.
If you’re lucky, it might even snow.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 4 2004
Italian Military Center to Study Nagorno Karabakh Conflict

Resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh,
one of the most serious problems in South Caucasus, is an important
challenge, Director of Italy’s Defense Sciences Center Pietro Ercole
Ago said in a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev on Friday.
Ago is visiting Azerbaijan to hold seminars and discussions dedicated
to local conflicts.
The Italian official said the entity he is leading intends to conduct
research related to the conflict settlement and aspires to provide
assistance in this area. He said that as head of the Council of
Europe Committee of Ministers Ago monitoring group, he is closely
following the peace talks and wants to see a speedy and peaceful
conflict resolution.
President Aliyev said that he continues his efforts at resolving the
conflict based on international legal norms, within Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity and through peace talks. He pointed out that
there is no other alternative and that the conflict settlement is
being hampered only by the non-constructive stance of the Armenian
government.
The mentioned center, a higher educational institution of the Italian
armed forces, is engaged in training local personnel in the area of
military policies. The entity conducts joint conferences and seminars
in various countries throughout the world to discuss ways of settling
local conflicts.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress