Author: Badalian Vardan

FOR HEADY THRASH, THE SYSTEM WORKS: DOWN SERVES UP ENLIGHTENED RAGE LIKE NO OTHER METAL MERCHANTS CAN
by Stuart Derdeyn, The Province
The Vancouver Province (British Columbia)
September 18, 2005 Sunday
FINAL C Edition
Let it never be said that System of a Down are just another metal
band. The Armenian/American quartet has sweet nothing in common with
any of those other tattooed, pierced and peeved angst merchants making
music for middle-class Caucasian males.
Not that this isn’t the core audience that the band brings out. It is.
But that this politically and artistically progressive group has
captured that audience still comes as a surprise.
Choruses of “Why do they always send the poor?” from “B.Y.O.B.” —
the band’s opening number at the Pacific Coliseum last night —
just aren’t drawn from the same creative wellspring as “I did it for
the nookie.” There’s something altogether more serious being offered
up by these guys.Which doesn’t mean that the crew is all agit-prop
preaching and no fun.
Far from it.
Daron Malakian has some of the silliest audience banter this side
of a comedian. Who says “Party people put your hands together” at a
rock show?
The same guy incorporating interpretive modern dance routines and clown
antics into his onslaught of molten-lead heavy riffage, that’s who.
Of course, when your bassist has a braided soul patch that hangs down
to his midriff and ultra-neon yellow socks glaring out from under
his capri pants, you’ve no choice but to be physical to get noticed.
Shavo Odajian’s motoring and John Dolmayan’s relentless pounding
aside, it’s the way that Malakian and Frank Zappa-esque lead singer
Serj Tankian play off one another that really generates the power in
sing-along faves “Needles” and “Revenga.”
Both have distinct pipes that, when put together, make for the
harmonies that lock the choruses in anti-pop culture critiques such
as “Violent Pornography” in your head forever. For all its rage and
lightning-fast time signature changes, there’s almost a folk-song
sensibility to System’s songwriting.
With Mesmerize already getting some of the best reviews of the band’s
career, excitement over the soon-to-be-released companion to that
disc can only build after a gig as tight as last night. Connecting
with your audience to build a collective sense of unified purpose is
always at the heart of a killer show. But this is an act that wants
to see the message carried past the mosh pit; to bring enlightenment
to an audience more open to ideas than it gets credit for.
Hopefully to foster a sense of community carried well outside the
arena.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 14, 2005, Wednesday
NIKOLAI BORDYUZHA WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE EXERCISE OF THE CAUCASIAN
GROUP OF FORCES OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY
IN ARMENIA
Nikolai Bordyuzha, Secretary-General of the Organization of the
Collective Security Treaty (OCST), will evaluate the performance of
Russian and Armenian military units, which are part of the Caucasian
regional group of forces, during the active phase of the exercise on
September 12.
Nikolai Bordyuzha stated on the eve of his departure from Yerevan on
September 12, “My working visit to Armenia is based on the invitation
of the republican leadership and the Armenian defense minister. I
will attend the exercise of Russian and Armenian units of the
Caucasian group. This group created within the framework of the OCST,
and conducts military exercises every year. Military units polish
their skills in hypothetical defense operations on a bilateral
basis.”
The OCST secretary-general noted that two motorized infantry
regiments and logistics units are involved in the exercise. Nikolai
Bordyuzha noted, “This exercise is important for us as an element of
combat training of the joint group of forces.” The OCST
secretary-general noted that he evaluated the performance of the
military units during the active phase of the exercise and inspected
their bases. (…)
The OCST Secretariat noted that the Russian-Armenian exercise is
conducted in Armenia from September 10-13, according the bilateral
agreements signed by Russia and Armenia. Ground and air units of the
Armenian Army and Russia’s 102nd military base are involved in the
exercise. Units will conduct an exercise with combat shooting at the
Marshal Bagramyan training center. This is a defensive exercise of
the Caucasian group of the OCST.
Source: Regions.Ru, September 12, 2005
Translated by Alexander Dubovoi
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

US ARMENIANS URGE TO STOP BAKU ARMED AGGRESSION AGAINST KARABAKH
Pan Armenian News
13.09.2005 03:27
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Over 150 Armenian young people in the US held a
rally next to the Azeri Embassy building in Washington a day or two
ago. They urged to stop Azerbaijan’s armed aggression against Nagorno
Karabakh. As reported by the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA), by this move the Diaspora young generation in the person of
the US Armenian Youth Federation tried to draw public attention to the
still available threat by Azeri authorities, who are trying to suppress
the right of the NKR people to self-determination by force. For over
an hour the protest action participants marched in the square in
front of the Embassy building with slogans “Self-determination is
equal to protection of human rights,” “No more blood for oil” and
“Aliyev stop threatening with war.”

ARMENIAN MILITARY MEN READY IF NEED BE TO CONTINUE THEIR PEACE KEEPING IN IRAQ
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13. ARMINFO. The Armenian military men in Iraq are
ready to replace their colleagues in Iraq if the parliament decides
on the continuation of Armenia’s peace keeping in that country,
says Armenia’s Deputy Defence Minister Lieut Gen Artur Agabekyan.
The next rotation in Iraq is in Dec 2005, in Kosovo in Oct 2005. The
Armenian peace keeping in Kosovo started in Feb 2004. The Armenian
peace keepers are part of a Greek battalion. THe rotation is held each
half a year. The Iraq-based peace keepers have been sent for one year.

SPECIAL REPORT
A1+
| 20:42:32 | 12-09-2005 | Official |
The special report of the RA Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan about
the violations of the right of property in connection with the
compulsory sale of the citizens’ property for state needs is
located in the “Reports” section of the RA Ombudsman’s web-site
/
The Ombudsman expects to get the offers and remarks of all the
concerned organizations and people.
The Ombudsman is preparing two other special reports about the activity
of the Real Estate Cadastre and the Court Compulsory Action Service
from the point of view of protection of human rights.

WHO ARE THE “OTHERS”?
A1+
| 20:00:52 | 07-09-2005 | Social |
The RA Ombudsman has sent letters to the RA President and the
head of the Courts Council where she has referred to several court
decisions about confiscating the property of the citizens by the
programs of Yerevan reconstruction. According to the decisions,
the owners are obliged to sign a contract with the customer for
the money he offers. By the same decision the owner, the enumerated
people registered in the area and “other people occupying the area”
are to be evicted.
Mentioning that the “other” people occupying the area must be evicted,
the Court does not mention who these people are – deprived of the
right of the court protection, who cannot participate in the trial.
For example, by the certificate given by the RA Civic Issues Court of
Appeal, on May 1 owners Edward, Rudolf, and Angela Mouradyans, Sergey,
Magdalena and Nelly Asoyans, as well as refugees Emma Aghajanyan and
his two teenage children have been evicted from the house in Buzand
23 as “other” people.
The RA Ombudsman mentions that Emma Aghajanyan has not participated
in the trial and her name is not mentioned in the court decision,
but she and her sons have forcefully been evicted from the house as
“other people”.
As far as suchlike decisions tend to repeat, the Ombudsman has
suggested that the Courts Council should make the issue subject for
special discussion and evaluate suchlike decisions.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
September 6, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LEGISLATION SCHEDULED FOR COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
— May be “Marked-Up” as Early as September 14th
WASHINGTON, DC – Armenian Genocide legislation appears set to come
before the influential House International Relations Committee as
early as Wednesday, September 14th, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).
According to Congressional sources, Committee Chairman Henry Hyde
(R-IL) is prepared to “mark-up” both Armenian Genocide Resolutions
(H.Res.316 and H.Con.Res.195). During this mark-up session, the
fifty members of the panel will have an opportunity to consider
changes and then to vote to either approve or disapprove each
measure.
“We want to thank Chairman Hyde for his leadership in ensuring that
the members of his Committee have the opportunity to vote on
Armenian Genocide legislation,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. “Along with our local chapters around the nation and
coalition partners here in Washington, DC, we are working hard to
support the efforts of our friends – Congressmen George Radanovich,
Adam Schiff, and Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg and
Frank Pallone – in encouraging the Committee to act favorably on
this legislation.
H.Res.316, which was introduced by Representatives George
Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI),
calls upon the President to ensure U.S. foreign policy reflects
appropriate understanding of the Armenian Genocide. The resolution
includes thirty detailed findings from past U.S. hearings,
resolutions and Presidential statements, as well as references to
statements by international bodies and organizations. As of today,
a bipartisan group of over one hundred and twelve Representatives
have already agreed to cosponsor this measure.
H.Con.Res.195, introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff and cosponsored by
over eighty Representatives, was offered following direct
negotiations with House International Relations Committee Chairman
Henry Hyde (R-IL). The Chairman agreed to Committee-level
consideration of Armenian Genocide legislation in return for Rep.
Schiff tabling a planned June 8th Armenian Genocide amendment to
the House Foreign Relations Authorization bill. The agreement
addressed serious concerns on the part of the Administration and
Congressional leaders that the Schiff Amendment – which had strong
prospects of passing – would overshadow the White House meeting,
held that same day, between President Bush and Turkish Prime
Minister Erdogan. This measure, which is in the process of being
amended, reaffirms the Armenian Genocide within the broader context
of regional relationships and addresses Turkey’s efforts to join
the European Union.
The Turkish Ambassador and his lobbyists – including the Livingston
Group – are actively making the rounds to members of the
International Relations Committee, seeking to block any action on
U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide. As part of this
effort, the Livingston Group has been distributing a four-page
genocide-denial document to Congressional offices.

EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO HRANT MATEVOSIAN
By Nana Petrosian
AZG Armenian Daily #159
07/09/2005
Recently, many exhibitions were held at the galleries of the Vanadzor
Fine Art Museum. The museum represented over 10 exhibitions to the
art lovers of the city. Seven dozens of pictures by three artists are
being exhibited in Vanadzor these days. The art lovers were excited
and encouraged, visiting such interesting exhibitions at their
city. Khachik Gharabekian, Hrant Tadevosian and Nikol Aghababian,
artists represented pictures rich in colors and emotions. They
depicted the picturesque views of Vanadzor, the region of Lori. The
three artists spend whole August in Ahnidzor and created together
in the studio of Khachik Gharabekian. They opened the exhibition of
their new works created in Ahnidzor on September 2.
“It was really hard to guess that they can open new layers in the
nature of Lori for the local residents in their pictures”, Serge
Baghdasarian, art lover from Vanadzor shared his impressions about
the exhibition.
The artists were inspired not only by the picturesque views of
Ahnidzor, but also by the idea of representing their works at a
joint exhibition. They aimed to celebrate 70th anniversary of Hrant
Matevosian by holding this exhibition.
Khachik Gharabekian said that in the course of the month they worked
together they created paintings that had many things in common.
“Hrant’s absence in Ahnidzor changes something there. That’s why,
we tried to paint from our own viewpoint, including the worldviews
of Matevosian’s characters in Ahnidzor,” Mr. Gharabekian said.
“Everything is different in Ahnidzor. Hrant was different, too. His
presence here is different, too. That’s why people pay tribute to
his literature here,” Hrant Tadevosian explained the success of
the exhibition.
Nikol Aghababian emphasized the importance of such exhibitions,
saying that they help to bring fresh air of the capital’s cultural
life to the regions.
“We tried to combine our own feelings with the image of Hrant
Matevosian’s Ahnidzor. He created his works as a true artist. We were
looking for Hrant in today’s Ahnidzor,” Nikol Aghababian said.
The exhibition will last till September 20.

NEWLY APPOINTED UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA PRESENTS COPIES OF CREDENTIALS TO RA FOREIGN MINISTER
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 6 2005
YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. The newly appointed Ukrainian Ambassador
to Armenia Aleksandr Bojko presented copies of his credentials to RA
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan, press-service of the RA Foreign
Ministry reported ARKA News Agency. The ceremony was followed by a
meeting, during which Oskanyan congratulated the Ukrainian diplomat
on his appointment as Ukraine’s Ambassador to Armenia and on his
return to Armenia, and wished success in his mission. Expressing his
satisfaction with current Armenian-Ukrainian relations, Oskanyan
said that there is much to be done to develop political, trade,
economic and cultural relations. The sides discussed the European
integration process of Armenia and the Ukraine, the sides pointed to
the common foreign policy of both countries in this regard and the
necessity of coordinated actions in this direction. In this context
they found it important to continue a political dialogue. Bojko was
Ukraine’s Ambassador to Armenia in 1996-2001, after that he hold the
post of Head of First European Department at the Ukraine’s Foreign
Ministry. A.A. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN MP
Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation
Sept 2 2005
Bedros Kalaydjian, the representative of Armenians in Cyprus to the
House of Representatives, has died at the age of 71. He had been ill
for some time and died on Thursday, it was officially announced.The
funeral will take place tomorrow at the Armenian church in Larnaca.
He succeeded his late brother to the House as the Armenian
representative at the by-election in 1995 and was subsequently
reelected in 1996 and 2001.
He is survived by his wife and two children.