Author: Ekmekjian Janet

GRASSROOTS PRESSURE BUILDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON EVANS FIRING
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 1 2006
WASHINGTON, JUNE 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Tens of thousands
of Armenians – in the United States and Armenia – have voiced
their outrage over the Administration’s firing of U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia John Marshall Evans, reported the Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA). In Armenia, tens of thousands of Armenians took
part in the “Yellow Ribbon Campaign” to protest the Evans firing and,
more broadly, to voice opposition to a number of recent instances in
which foreign diplomats stationed in Armenia have denied the Armenian
Genocide. The campaign, which took place at the Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial to the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan, started on April 24th
with countless thousands of individual Armenians each tying a single
yellow ribbons on 100-yard lengths of rope stretched along the walking
path leading to the Genocide Monument. In the United States, Armenian
American activists have called for Congressional hearings into the
Government of Turkey’s role in dismissal of this highly-respected
35-year Foreign Service veteran over his honest and accurate
description of the Armenian Genocide as a clear case of genocide. The
ANCA WebFax system – on the web at – has been used by
activists from throughout the United States – including a large number
from state and districts represented by Members of committees with
oversight responsibility of the State Department. In their WebFaxes,
these concerned citizens have stressed that: “Ambassador Evans is, in
effect, being punished for honoring his President’s pledge to properly
recognize the Armenian Genocide – a promise that George W. Bush made on
the campaign trail in February of 2000 but abandoned once in the White
House. Ambassador Evans should be praised, not dismissed, for rejecting
“gag-rules” imposed by the Turkish Government on the discussion of
the Armenian Genocide by America’s leaders at home and diplomats
abroad.” In demanding hearings on the Evans firing, the WebFaxers
note that these inquiries should “include testimony by all the key
figures involved, including the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley. Among the issues that
should be explored are the role of the Turkish Government in exporting
its suppression of speech to the United States and the implications
for the future of the Foreign Service if a senior American diplomat’s
career has been ended simply for acknowledging the historical record
on one of the world’s greatest human rights tragedies.” Commenting
on the lack of openness by the Administration in dealing with this
matter, the WebFax letters note that, “the Administration has lacked
the courage to speak honestly – either to Congress or the American
people – about its reasons for firing Ambassador Evans. Hopefully,
these hearings will provide the transparency that we, as citizens,
have the right to expect of our government.” The firing of Amb. Evans
was the result of his February 2005 statements at Armenian American
community functions characterizing the Armenian Genocide as a genocide.
Following his statements, Amb. Evans was forced to issue a statement
clarifying that his references to the Armenian Genocide were his
personal views and did not represent a change in US policy. He
subsequently issued a correction to this statement, replacing a
reference to the genocide with the word “tragedy.”
The American Foreign Service Association, which had planned to
honor Amb. Evans with the “Christian A. Herter Award,” recognizing
creative thinking and intellectual courage within the Foreign
Service, reportedly rescinded the award following pressure from the
State Department a few days before Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Washington, DC to meet with President
Bush. Congressional Response: On the eve of the announcement of
Evans’ replacement, sixty Members of Congress, led by Rep. Ed Markey
(D-MA), sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking
for clarification of the reasons behind Amb. Evans’ recall. Earlier,
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Rep. Adam
Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) had each officially
called on Secretary Rice for a clarification of the State Department’s
position on this issue. They have yet to receive any response to their
inquiries. Media Response: The Los Angeles Times, in a strongly worded
March 22nd editorial, made direct reference to Amb. Evans’ impending
dismissal, calling on the Turkish Government and U.S. State Department
to end their policies of Armenian Genocide denial. On March 24th, the
Fresno Bee, published a similarly strong editorial condemning Evans’
firing. The Washington Times, on May 26th, ran a story about the
“geopolitical firestorm” created by Evans’ remarks. The publisher
of the California Courier, Harut Sassounian, in his weekly column,
urged U.S. Senators to place a “hold” on the nomination of Richard
Hoagland, the diplomat slated to replace Ambassador Evans. This
action in response to the Administration’s unresponsiveness, argued
Sassounian, will force the White House to fully explain the reasons
behind its early termination of Ambassador Evans’ career. Armenian
Youth Response: At the Armenian Youth Federation Junior Educational
Seminar, held in Western Pennsylvania over the Memorial Day weekend,
over 400 young Armenian Americans designed, produced, and signed
original petitions protesting the Administration’s decision to fire
Amb. Evans for telling the truth about the Armenian Genocide.

MEETINGS OF ARMENIAN AND TURKISH DIPLOMATS NORMAL EVENTS
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.06.2006 13:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There is nothing extraordinary in meetings between
Armenian and Turkish diplomats, it is normal, said Ruben Safrastyan
Ph.D. In his words, there is normal communication between diplomats of
the two countries. “The matter is that the Turkish party organizes leak
of information on purpose. What do they need this for is hard to guess
yet. Turkey’s goal today is Armenia’s consent for forming a commission
of historians to study the issue of the Armenian Genocide. We will not
do it of course. My opinion is that our MFA works very productively
in this respect,” Safrastyan underscored.

WHO CELEBRATES THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR FIGHTING SMOKING
ArmRadio.am
31.05.2006 12:52
All countries member to the World Health Organization celebrate today
the International Day for Fighting Smoking. On this occasion an event
will be held at UN Armenia Office.

TIGRAN TOROSYAN: MURDER OF FOREIGNERS IN RUSSIA IS A SERIOUS THREAT TO THAT COUNTRY
ArmRadio.am
31.05.2006 15:15
Murder of foreigners in Russia has reached immense numbers and it is a
serious threat to that country,” said NA Vice-Chairman Tigran Torosyan,
turning to the murder of Arthur Sardaryan, 19, in an electric train
in Moscow.
“I do not want to say that this is a policy directed against our
nation, but we should be first of all concerned with the fate of our
compatriots,” the Vice-Speaker noted.
According to Tigran Torosyan, Armenian young people were killed in
Russia, and it is senseless to connect this with various quarrels
and everyday issues.
“The facts are so pressing that corresponding structures of Russia
should not avoid discussing these in detail,” he said.

THEY THANK ANDRE AT RA NA FOR DESERVING HONORARY 8TH PLACE IN
“EUROVISION-2006” FESTIVAL

YEREVAN, MAY 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Andre who represented
Armenia at the “Eurovision-2006” song festival and members of the
creative group assisted him were received on May 25 at the RA National
Assembly. According to the initiator, Chairwoman of the NA Standing
Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues,
organization of the meeting was provided by the NA staff’s great wish
to meet with Andre. She thanked the singer for deserving the honorary
8th place of the festival and for moments gifted to world-spread
Armenians. “Eurovision” again showed the Armenian people’s power and
unity, proved that Armenia and Diaspora are joint, together, function,
and there was a moment when during the semi-final and final, the whole
nation, become a man, were watching with bated breath, without
gossiping, without abusing, without slandering, and everybody’s heart
was beating harmonously with Andre’s heart,” H.Hakobian said. On
behalf of the National Assembly, Andre was given parliament’s named
watch, and Armen Martirosian, the author of song performed at the
festival and Ara Torosian (Murzik) who instrumented the work were
given named pens. Andre confessed that the most inspiring and, at the
same time, the most obliging thing during the festival days was
Armenians’ unity, and that his greatest task was to represent Armenia
honorably and to make our small country recognizable for the world in
what he and the group assisting him had a success. After few months
hard work, Andre is going to leave for rest for ten days. By the way,
as A.Martirosian informed, the lowest point for passing from
semi-final to final was 70, but Andre had 150 points, and the fact
that Armenian representative’s passing the next stage was stated at
the end was just a result of sortition.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Erdogan: Germany to Support Turkey in Accession to EU

27.05.2006 15:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Germany will support Turkey in its aspiration to
join the EU, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated at the
Turkish-German Congress of Businessmen in Berlin. I am sure that
Germany will continue supporting us in the future,» Erdogan noted.
In her turn German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel stated she is
ready to continue talks on Turkey’s accession to the EU. However, she
noted, Turkey should meet all conditions, necessary for accession to
the EU.
October 4, 2005 the EU officially launched talks with Turkey over the
latter’s membership in the EU. According to estimates of western
experts, talks with Ankara may take 15-20 years, reports the
Associated Press.

Agreement on cooperation to be signed between Yerevan and Moscow

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 10:46
Head of Kentron community of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan and Prefect of the
Central Administrative Unit of Moscow Sergey Baydakov will sign today an
agreement on cooperation between Yerevan and Moscow.

GEORGE MGRDICHIAN

The Independent – United Kingdom; May 26, 2006
Ken Hunt
The oud or’ud entered European languages with borrowings such as lute,
luth, laud and Laute. The instrument itself took longer to enter the
musical vocabulary. During the early to late 1960s, the oud travelled
further than it had ever done in terms of public awareness in Europe
and North America. Arguably, two musicians were the great torchbearers
for the instrument. One was the Nubian oud maestro Hamza El Din. The
other was George Mgrdichian, a Philadelphia-raised American of
Christian-Armenian stock.
Oud had been an instrument of expatriate communities with disparate
roots in the Near East, Middle East and Transcaucasus. Mgrdichian had
taken up oud, self-taught, as a result of initially playing on the
Armenian wedding, party and dance circuit as a clarinettist. When the
band’s oud player got called up to do military service, Mgrdichian was
volunteered to take over. It became his main instrument and he
developed a singular fluidity of touch, a modern mixture of the purist
and the pragmatist.
Mgrdichian went to New York in the 1960s to study clarinet, and there
fell into a circle of folk andjazz musicians. In the jazz realm,
Mgrdichian went on to work with the bandleader Dave Brubeck, the
saxophonist Phil Woods and the fringe musician and composer David
Amram. He also played with the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City
Opera, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.
During the 1970s he played oud on a number of albums in a style that
was popularly or jocularly known as belly dance. The likes of Let’s
Belly Dance (1973), Chimera – a fantasy in jazz/ rock/mid-east sounds
(1974) and Belly Dance Navel Academy Vol2 (1977) prove that one
generation’s bad taste becomes another generation’s collectibles.
Fortunately, Mgrdichian’s career flourished in other areas. He was an
innovator on the instrument, adapting traditional playing techniques
while remaining within traditional playing styles. He was innovative
in his left-hand fingering style on the oud in a way that, say,
L. Subramaniam has been in playing the Karnatic violin, through using
all four fingers of the left hand.
Aside from working on sessions for other people for ABC, CBS
Master-works, RCA Victor, Sefarad and Vanguard, Mgrdichian led a
separate recording life as a soloist or leader of his own George
Mgrdichian Ensemble. These recordings concentrated on an Armenian or
Anatolian improvised repertoire and took what the pioneering Armenian
musicologist Komitas Vardapet would have called “la musique rustique
armenienne” beyond the Armenian diaspora into the wider world.
>From the 1980s onwards, Mgrdichian’s recordings appeared on a variety
of labels, with titles such as The Oud (1985),
InstrumentalArmenianFolkDances (1988) and One Man’s Passion (1997).
Ken Hunt
George Mgrdichian, oud player: born Philadelphia 28January 1935′ died
New York 30 April 2006.

CONGRESSMAN KENNY MARCHANT JOINED CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.05.2006 14:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Assembly welcomed the announcement today
that Congressman Kenny Marchant (R-TX) has joined the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, bringing the total membership to 158 to
date, reported the Armenian Assembly of America. Marchant is the
first Republican from the Lone Star State to join the Caucus.
“The Assembly appreciates Congressman Marchant’s expression of support
and decision to join the Armenian Caucus,” said Assembly Executive
Director Bryan Ardouny. “It is our hope that the Congressman will
coordinate with the Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) to foster greater ties between
the United States and Armenia.”
Marchant, who is currently serving his first term in office,
represents the 24th Congressional District which encompasses portions
of Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant Counties. The Congressman serves
on the Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce,
and Government Reform Committees.
Prior to his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Marchant
served nine terms as a Texas State Representative. During his tenure
in the state legislature, he served as Chairman of the Texas House
Committee on Financial Institutions, Chairman of the House State
Affairs Committee, and Chairman of the Texas House Republican Caucus.

MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COURIER: BLOWS TO IRAN MAY PROVOKE OPERATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
Yerevan, May 25. ArmInfo. Blows to Iran may provoke operations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is said in Aleksey Matveyev’s article,
published in the Russian “Military-Industrial Courier”.
According to Matveyev, a n unexpected power scenario may appear in
the Karabakh problem solution where Iran, USA and, possibly, other
countries of the region may be involved in addition to Armenia and
Azerbaijan. This scenario is connected with the beginning of possible
operations of Pentagon against Iran under the stipulation that
Azerbaijan will come out here as its ally as it was already during
Iraq occupation. In reply to such service, the USA will support Baku
in attempts to solve the Karabakh problem in military way. In its
turn, Baku, having seen the Americans favour to it, could have secret
contacts with Pentagon.
As the author notes, Aliyev welcomes the Iranian contacts even
outwardly. On the other hand, he has no reasons to quarrel with
Tehran, after all, a mutually beneficial cooperation is being
developed with the neighbor, including natural gas transportation
from Iran to Azerbaijan. Iran and Azerbaijan are connected with
ethnic ties (about 16 mln Azerbaijanians live in Iran, that is twice
more than the number of Azerbaijan itself ). Aliyev-younger follows a
different-vector policy, which means that good-neighbor relations of
Baku with Tehran are supported by Moscow and do not break the safety
balance, though Americans, interested in strengthening the influence
on Caspia, would like to break it. On the other hand, Aliyev assumes
that Americans may be on the side of Baku in the Karabakh conflict
in response to loyalty. It is quite clear that it cannot be expected
from Moscow. Aliyev had never refused from the American assistance and
hopes for more, i.e. the USA assistance in the recreation of country’s
integrity. However, no efficient assistance, including the military
one, to Baku is observed yet from the Americans. In case of operations
beginning against Karabakh and Armenia, it will need an international
support. Washington can render such assistance. The author dos not
rule out that in case of entering into an alliance between Baku
and Washington and operations beginning from the USA against Iran,
Tehran will help Armenia in the struggle against Azerbaijan Army.
According to the source, the 2006 military budget of Azerbaijan is $600
mln, budget of Armenia – $150 mln. According to the western sources,
number of Azerbaijan’s AF is 69 900 (people). Meanwhile, rather great
forces are concentrated in Karabakh, i.e. 20 000 – 25 000 people of
crew, 316 units of tanks, 332 of artillery (122 mm and higher).