Author: Chmshkian Vicken

A1 Plus | 15:57:36 | 20-04-2004 | Politics |
“RESCUE OF NATION” READY FOR VIOLENCE
“We are ready to resort to even violence to get rid of these Authorities”,
Sargis Karapetyan, Chair of “Rescue of Nation” newly-established Party
announced at the press conference. {BR}
He assured their party will save Armenian people from treacherous
Authorities within 3 months. “If hotels, casinos become more in our state,
it means our state is very rich. The task is to return people what has
always belonged to them”.
Mr Karapetyan is sure Armenia now needs new apostles since no mortal is able
to take people out of crisis. Karapetyan said he’s ready to undertake the
role and announced all their supporters – the fighters of Artsakh War will
struggle till the present regime leaves. “We have toured all over Armenia
and concluded the only wish of our people is to get rid of the Authorities”.
Sargis Karapetyan said his party won’t cooperate or join any other one. “In
2001 I was eliminated from ARF for my policy against Authorities. Now I am
the Chair of the Party, which will fight for rescue of the nation”.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
April 16 2004
WORK WITH SPECIALISTS IS ALSO IMPORTANT
The failure of the reforms made in the system of education in the past
decade were, perhaps, conditioned by the fact that these reforms were
the result of the political views of their authors, which turned
hollow in the course of time. Another cause of the non-correct policy
in secondary education was that the public opinion was not taken into
account, the cadres were not prepared and the reforms turned to be
artificial therefore did not stand the trial of the time. Despite
being in the same sphere with the educational system of the Republic
of Armenia, the system of education in Artsakh was able, fortunately,
to avoid major shocks. However, clinging to the traditional and
neglecting the new actualities means not looking ahead. And, on the
other hand, copying the new neglecting the traditional means starting
everything from the zero point. To imagine the school of the future
with the status of a soviet school, as most of our teachers do, is not
correct. Of course, we should adopt the best features of the soviet
school but taking into consideration the new actualities of the
world. The NKR Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport adopted a
policy which can be characterized as condensation of the best
traditions of the past at the same time implanting novelties. And this
is not so easy a process. It is possible only due to consistent work
with the specialists. According to minister Armen Sarghissian, to
implement any reform three important points are necessary: a clear-cut
program, funding and cadres. According to the minister, if the first
two are technical matters and sooner or later will be solved, the
third is more difficult to solve; the revolution should be done first
of all in their consciousness. And it turns out that it is several
times easier to carry out technical changes than spiritual. To convey
the national and local peculiarities of the new policy the ministry
pays regular visits to the regions of the republic. On April 15, 2004
the minister visited the schools of the regions of Martouni. He was
accompanied by the head of the department of education and science
A. Tovmassian, the head of the regional administration
M. Hovhannissian, the head of the department of education, culture and
sport of the regional administration S. Petrossian. One of the best
traditions of the past is providing the succession of
generations. Today this problem also exists at schools, and one of the
cornerstones of the policy of the ministry is using the experience of
the senior generation of teachers by way of their direct participation
in the school life.
SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN

Nato incident
The Guardian – United Kingdom
Apr 15, 2004

An Armenian army officer attending a Nato-sponsored English language
course in Budapest was murdered by an Azerbaijani officer attending
the same course. The attack took place in February during a training
course organised under Nato’s Partnership for Peace programme.
[email protected]

Armenian opposition decisive to topple government
Mediamax news agency
15 Apr 04

YEREVAN
“The Armenian opposition is not broken and will consistently struggle
for a change of power in the country,” Stepan Demirchyan, leader of
the opposition Justice bloc and People’s Party of Armenia, stated in
Yerevan today.
As Mediamax news agency reports, speaking at a briefing in the
Armenian National Assembly today, Stepan Demirchyan said that the
opposition can open up a dialogue with the authorities only after
those who used force against the peaceful protesters in Marshal
Bagramyan Avenue and those who took part in the falsification of the
presidential elections in 2003 are brought to book.
“Everything that is going on today is a continuation of the
presidential elections during which the police were also used as a
tool for suppressing the opposition,” Stepan Demirchyan stated.
A member of the political council of the Republic Party, Armenian
ex-prime minister, Aram Sarkisyan, stated today that “Robert Kocharyan
has never offered us a dialogue”. He said that if before the police
dispersed the rally on the night of 12-13 April, 90 per cent of our
country’s population were “in favour of the president’s resignation,
today this indicator has reached to 99 per cent”.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan stated on 14 April that he regards
it as unacceptable if these statements about readiness for dialogue
resemble an ultimatum.
The head of the OSCE office in Armenia, Vladimir Pryakhin, called on
the representatives of the Armenian opposition “to be more restrained,
more moderate and ready for constructive negotiations with the
opposite side”. In his interview to the Yerevan newspaper Golos
Armenii today, Vladimir Pryakhin stated:
“Unfortunately, the leaders of the opposition are refusing any
political dialogue. In this situation, this position is not convincing
enough for me”.

ARMENIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT AGAIN EXPLAINS ITS DECISION
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS: Despite the fact that the
Constitutional Court of Armenia and its chairman for many times
commented and explained the Court’s decision No. 412, dated
16.04.2003, concerning the referendum on trust to the president of
Armenia, the attempts to interpret the decision continue. According
to the press office of the Constitutional Court of Armenia these
attempts pursue political goals or result from unawareness of
constitutional justice.
The statement issued today by the press office says that the
Constitutional Court of Armenia upheld the decision of Central
Electoral Commission of Armenia No. 36-A, dated 11.03.2003, concerning
the results of presidential elections. This decision is final and
compulsory.
“When regulating a state argument, the Constitutional Court has
togive a concrete legal solution to the issue and to outline the legal
ways of regulation of social, political issues, which are of a great
importance forthe country’s legal, democratic development, basing on
the existing realities. The Constitutional Court stressed in its
decision that the possible public confrontation may greatly endanger
our country. The confrontation must be overcome democratically, one of
the ways of which is holding of a referendum, which supposes direct
usage of democracy’s potential. This was underlined as a proposal,
which is not compulsory and brings no legal consequences”, is said in
the release.
It is also stated that the Court made no decision concerning the
constitutionality of Law on Referendum. In the context of its proposal
the Court focus ed the attention of the National Assembly on this
issue, taking into consideration the European development in this
sphere.
“Currently more than 110 Constitutional Court are operating in
theworld and their decisions, without exception, contain both
imperative and additional norms. Thus the Constitutional Court of
Armenia requests to see its decision only from legal point and refrain
from making it a subject for political speculations”, says the
statement.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
April 9, 2004, Friday
WE’LL MAKE A BANG!
SOURCE: Moskovsky Komsomolets, April 7, 2004, p. 2
by Olga Bozhieva
Russian and Belarusian Antiaircraft Forces were put an alert this
morning. A command exercise of the CIS United Antiaircraft System is
under way, run right near the western borders of the Commonwealth.
No general of the Russian or Belarusian Antiaircraft Forces could be
found at their desks on day two of the exercise. All of them
descended into underground command posts to practice “joint command
of antiaircraft forces and means in a deteriorating
military-political situation.”
Needless to say, “deterioration” means unpredictable or hostile
actions on the part of the Alliance. The official legend of the
exercise is approximately like that: actions of the CIS United
Antiaircraft System when terrorists hijack foreign planes or cross
the borders of the Commonwealth.
Planes imitating the potential enemy will make runs between Russian
and Belarusian airfields allegedly trespassing and land in nearby
countries. S-300 crews and fighters of the Antiaircraft Forces will
“destroy” them on LCDs.
Actual targets will be handled next week on Ashuluk near Astrakhan.
The Belarusians set out for Ashuluk on April 12 to “open the season”.
Lieutenant General Oleg Paferov, Belarusian Air Force and
Antiaircraft Forces Commander: Up to a dozen Belarusian batteries are
involved in shooting practice every year. Russia provides the
equipment, the testing site, and targets. Belarus spends much less on
Russian military objects on its territory than what Russia spends to
allow us to make use of its testing sites and shooting grounds free
of charge.
It means that “gas” and financial problems worry Russian and
Belarusian politicians only. The military is concerned with common
military threats.
The command exercise involves:
– over 100 units and formations of the Air Force and Antiaircraft
Forces;
– over 80 aircraft from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Russia.
Russia is represented by the Special Task Command (Moscow, and
Leningrad, Rostov, and Yekaterinburg armies of the Air Force and
Antiaircraft Forces.

AGBU PRESS OFFICE
55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone (212) 319-6383
Fax (212) 319-6507
Email [email protected]
Webpage
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, April 5, 2004
AGBU GENERATION NEXT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM COLLABORATES WITH GLENDALE
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
On April 5, 2004, AGBU Generation Next Chairperson, Susanna Sahakian,
and Program Coordinator, Nora Ayvazian, signed a partnership contract
with Arlette DerHovanessian of the Glendale Unified School District
(GUSD). Ms. DerHovanessian, a Psychologist and Counselor by profession,
is the Program Manager of Project G.R.A.C.E. (Glendale Refugee &
Asylee Children Excel). The purpose of this collaboration is to
provide GUSD students with a mentoring support program that will give
the students guidance and tools for success in all aspects of their
lives. This partnership will strengthen the ties between AGBU and GUSD
and will enable both parties to better serve Glendale’s Armenian
students.
Since its establishment in 1997, AGBU Generation Next mentors and
staff have served over 100 Armenian students ranging from the seventh
to eleventh grades. Adult volunteers from AGBU Generation Next assist
these students with issues involving academics, behavior, and
acculturation. By providing positive role models, our volunteer
mentors help these young Armenians become responsible, self-sufficient
young adults.

Armenian opposition set to remove “illegal” authorities – leaders
Noyan Tapan news agency
5 Apr 04

YEREVAN
The opposition is planing to stage a massive protest action in
Yerevan’s Freedom Square at 1600 [1100 gmt] on 9 April. The action
will be aimed at changing power in Armenia, leader of the Justice bloc
Stepan Demirchyan and chairman of the National Unity party Artashes
Gegamyan told a press conference at the National Assembly on 5 April.
The Justice bloc and the National Unity party again confirmed their
resolution to lead the processes aimed at executing a national
requirement, i.e. the removal of the illegal regime, the establishment
of the constitutional order in Armenia and the formation of the legal
authorities, the parties said in a joint statement.
Artashes Gegamyan said the authorities “have completely lost their
heads which can be proven by mass arrests of opposition activists over
the last two days”.
Demirchyan said that the ruling regime was behaving like “a junta” and
aiming to frighten the opposition. However, he believes that the
authorities will achieve the reverse effect and accelerate their own
defeat.
“The regime, which is suffering from a mania for preserving the
authorities at any cost, rejected the well-known decision of the
Constitutional Court on the conduct of a referendum on a vote of
confidence. It wants to settle a score through illegal actions and
violence. There is only one way out, i.e. the regime that has usurped
the power must go,” the joint statement by the opposition said.

Azeri MPs sceptical about opening of Turkish-Armenian border
ANS TV, Baku
2 Apr 04
Presenter Azerbaijani MPs do not want to believe that Turkey may open
its border with Armenia.
Correspondent over footage of Istanbul, Yerevan Reports on the opening
of the border and the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Turkey and Armenia have caused serious anxiety by the Azerbaijani
public. MPs are divided over this issue. Some assess the opening of
the border with Armenia as an attempt to justify the Armenian
aggression, while others do not believe that this may happen. The MPs
also spoke about the damage that the opening of the border could
inflict on Azerbaijan.
MP Alimammad Nuriyev This may have negative repercussions for
Azerbaijan. In fact, Armenia will get a second life, considerably
improve its economy and continue its aggression. This will hinder the
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
MP Qudrat Hasanquliyev This may considerably hinder the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict. If the Turkish government adopts such a
decision, this government will not be able to stay in power in Turkey.
MP Mais Safarli The opening of the border with Armenia runs counter to
the interests of Azerbaijan and Turkey in the first place. Regardless
of who is in power in Turkey, no government will take such a step.
MP Fazail Ibrahimli If Turkey opens its border, Azerbaijan will lose
the chance to solve the problem peacefully.
Correspondent However, some MPs believe that Turkey will not yield to
the pressure of international organizations and some countries. Thus,
the idea of opening the border will not materialize.
MP Zahid Oruc I believe that the idea of opening the border is a
provocation, although Turkish officials have also expressed such an
idea. But I am confident that this will not happen.
MP Mikayil Mirza They will not influence the Turkish government. This
idea has been simply put forward in order to keep the issue in the
focus of attention and to revitalize it.
MP Mubariz Qurbanli I do not believe in the opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border.
MP Baxtiyar Aliyev Armenia has territorial claims to Turkey, there is
also the issue of the so-called Armenian genocide. I do not believe
that the Armenian-Turkish border may open until these issues are
resolved.
Correspondent The final conclusion drawn by the MPs is that fraternal
Turkey will not remain indifferent to Azerbaijan’s fate.

Toronto Eye Weekly, Canada
April 1 2004
The art of survival

ROGUES OF URFA

Written and performed by Araxi Arslanian. Directed by Rebecca Brown.
Presented by Alianak Theatre Productions. To Apr 4. Tue-Sat 8pm; Sun
mat 2:30pm. Tue-Thu $15; Fri-Sat $20; Sun PWYC. Artword Alternative
Theatre, 75 Portland. 416-504-7529.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a neurological disorder that can cause
lethal stress-induced hemorrhages, acting might not seem the most
obvious — or safest — of career choices. If Rogues of Urfa is
anything to go by, however, that choice was definitely the correct
one for Araxi Arslanian.
The 32-year-old writer-actor recently (and successfully) fended off
AVM — Arteriovenous Malformations — an uncommon brain condition
that caused her to have a number of life-threatening grand-mal
seizures throughout her twenties.
The illness’s impact on Arslanian’s behavior led to her being
expelled from Montreal’s National Theatre School and ostracized by
many of the actors she worked with. This one-woman show is a memoir
of that time, with Arslanian coming to terms with both her ill health
and her ill treatment by friends and family.
That would be enough for a single play, surely, but her own tale is
ambitiously juxtaposed with that of her grandfather, Hovannes. A
refugee from the 1915 Armenian genocide, Hovannes escaped from Turkey
to Canada when, after the ruling Turk majority massacred over a
million Armenian Christians.
It’s a testament to Arslanian’s skill as a playwright that she can
deal with such weighty issues — genocide, brain disease — without
over-simplifying solemnities or guilt-tripping worthiness. She also
provides a virtuoso performance, often humorous, with the actress
ventriloquizing a large cast of characters — from Hovannes’ comrades
and captors to the petty backstage bitches of theatrical Toronto
(actors can be jealous sorts, you may be surprised to learn).
Apart from the fairy tale Arslanian uses to frame the beginning and
end of the play — a woodenly metaphoric device I could have done
without — this is for the most part slick, tragic entertainment.
PAUL ISAACS