Author: Ekmekjian Janet

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).

THE CO-CHAIRS HAD NOTHING TO SAY EXCEPT DISTRIBUTING PAPER
A1+
[08:46 pm] 25 May, 2006
The diplomats announced in Armenian that they have a “surprise” for
the journalists. The “surprise” was that 6 members of the delegation
read a small announcement for the journalists made at the end of
the meetings. By the way, the reading was divided into “roles;” the
announcement was divided into three parts which were introduced in
Russian, English and French.
It is noteworthy that the readers were not the OSCE Minsk group
Co-chairs, but they were Daniel Fried, assistant of US State Secretary,
Grigori Karasin, Russian deputy Foreign Minister and Ambassador Pier
Moriel, representative of the French Foreign Ministry who came to
the region with the Co-chairs of the Minsk group.
“We, the representatives at the Deputy level of the Russian Federation,
United States, and France, together with the Co-chairs and Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, have come together
in this joint diplomatic mission because of the need to promote a
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and because now
is the time for the sides to reach agreement on the basic principles
of a settlement.”
We were received by President Kocharyan and met earlier with Foreign
Minister Oskanyan. As we did yesterday in Baku, we have discussed
important aspects of a future settlement. We have worked to create
the conditions for a meeting of the two presidents in the near
future. We have stressed the belief of our nations and, more widely,
of the international community that the conflict can be resolved in
no other way than a peaceful one. Both countries should, moreover,
prepare their publics for peace and not for war.
Our discussions, both today in Yerevan and yesterday in Baku, were
constructive. We met yesterday with President Aliyev and Foreign
Minister Mammadyarov.
Tomorrow we will return to our capitals to brief our leaders. The
Co-chairs will, as well, brief the OSCE and the international
community.
A joint mission such as this one is a special event.
It must be taken as a sign of the seriousness with which we approach
the issue and, in particular, a belief that we are at the point where
a mutually beneficial agreement is achievable. What happens now will
be up to Armenia and Azerbaijan. We are pleased to be in Yerevan and
wish to express our gratitude to President Kocharyan and people of
Armenia for receiving us.

CHILDREN FACE EXPULSION, TO SAVE FRENCH IDENTITY
Julio Godoy
IPS, Belgium
May 24 2006
PARIS, May 23 (IPS) – Five-year-old Mariama could be taken away from
France Jun. 30. By that date all children of illegal immigrants must
leave France, under an order issued October last year.
Mariama is the daughter of a Senegalese couple in Suresnes, 20km
north of Paris. She is among about 30,000 children and youth that the
French police have been ordered to expel, or as officially stated,
to “escort to the borders..”
But that expulsion policy is being contested by school, church, and
municipal authorities, and by many French citizens. The network of
teachers and state school workers ‘Education sans frontiers’ (Education
without borders) has launched a campaign to protect immigrant children.
‘Education without borders’ represents some 130 associations of
teachers and parents. The network has released a declaration ‘We
will shelter and nourish them’, urging French citizens to oppose the
expulsion policy.
“We will not allow state authorities to commit this infamy against
children in our names,” Helène Dugros, a teacher at a primary school
in Blagnac village 800km south of Paris told IPS. Seven of the 15
children in her class are from immigrant families. “I will protect
as many as I can,” she said.
The call is finding widespread support, even though the October 2005
order provides for up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to
30,000 euros (37,000 dollars) for anyone helping immigrant children.
“I am taking the risk of breaking this law,” Pierre Labeyrie, local
deputy for the Green Party in Toulouse declared. “I will support
immigrant children and their parents, I will give them shelter in my
home, and I will refuse all cooperation with the police.”
Teacher Bruno Leroy says democrats in France have no choice but to
violate the law.
“We will not allow (the authorities) to destroy these children’s
lives. They are our students, our own children’s buddies,” Leroy told
IPS. “They speak our language, they learn at our schools, they have
the very same joys as us, as our children.”
Leroy rejected the argument that the order should be respected because
it has been passed by a democratically elected government.
“If people always would have respected wrong laws formulated by
democratic governments, then blacks in the U.S. would still be
suffering from officially-sanctioned racism,” he said.
Leroy cited the case of Rosa Parks. On Dec. 1, 1955, Parks refused to
obey the segregation law that would have compelled her to give up a
seat in a bus to a white passenger. In so doing, she helped trigger
a fight for civil rights. She died in October 2005.
In France the fight is being taken up by several celebrities. Among
them are filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier, pop musician Mano Solo,
cartoonist Jacques Tardy and educationist Philippe Merieu.
Some municipal authorities are refusing to cooperate with the police.
Deputy mayor of Paris Eric Ferrand who is in charge of schools
declared: “The municipal government of Paris will not provide any
assistance (to police) which could lead to the identification of
children attending schools in the city.” Ferrand urged “all actors
of school life in Paris to refuse cooperation” with the police.
The pursuit of immigrant children is becoming embarrassing for
the police.
Last month a police squad arrived early morning at a hotel in Lyon,
600 km south of Paris, where a group of immigrant children were being
sheltered. Among the children to be expelled was Azerie, seven-year-old
daughter of Armenian parents, and her two elder brothers.
When the police arrived, Azerie simply hid under the bed. The police
chose not to drag her out, and left saying that in such a case they
would have to arrest the mother as well.
French governments of all colours have been expelling illegal
immigrants for the last 15 years. In 2004, the government expelled
about 16,000 people. The number increased to almost 20,000 in 2005,
and is expected to rise to 30,000 this year.
The expulsion of children forms a part of the policy introduced by
minister for the interior Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy, who will be running
for president early next year, has introduced another law this year
toughening conditions for foreigners wishing to settle in France.
The law, which was approved by parliament May 17, tightens control
over bi-national marriages, and on travel for relatives of immigrants
living in France. It establishes new criteria to select immigrants.
Sarkozy, who defended the law saying that France needed to “choose”
immigrants instead of “suffering” them, has been accused of wooing
the right-wing electorate, which won about 15 percent of the vote in
the last election.
Didier Fassin, president of the French medical committee to protect
exiles, has described the new law as “the most restrictive since
World War II, and one that will have grave social and humanitarian
consequences.”
Fassin told IPS that the French parliament has passed five laws on
immigration in less than 20 years, each more restrictive than the
earlier one. “These laws have all aggravated the living conditions
of immigrants and exiles, leading to the degradation of our social
tissue.”
Socialist parliamentarian Bernard Roman accused Sarkozy in parliament
of trying “to seduce the reactionary electorate.” Sarkozy told the
National Assembly: “Immigration is a source of anxiety among our
compatriots, who fear for their security, their jobs and their way of
life.” He said the aim of the new law was to shape “France’s identity
in 30 years.”
As Sarkozy sees it, Mariama will not be a part of that identity —
unless her supporters succeed is saving her from expulsion.
–Boundary_(ID_G9xOksAKBdEglwh5kTh7VA) —

TOULOUSE: MANIFESTATION DE SOUTIEN A UNE LYCEENNE AZERIE MENACEE D’EXPULSION
Agence France Presse
24 mai 2006 mercredi 2:18 PM GMT
Plusieurs dizaines d’elèves et d’enseignants du lycee Bellevue de
Toulouse se sont rassembles devant l’etablissement mercredi a la
mi-journee en soutien a une elève azerie menacee d’expulsion avec
toute sa famille, a constate un journaliste de l’AFP.
Le rassemblement, en presence de la jeune Amina, 19 ans, elève en
deuxième annee de BEP vente au lycee professionnel, s’est deroule
a l’issue d’une audience du tribunal administratif qui a rejete le
recours en annulation de la famille contre un arrete prefectoral de
reconduite a la frontière.
“La famille d’Amina, poussee a fuir l’Azerbaïdjan en raison de ses
origines armeniennes, est en France depuis trois ans, après avoir passe
huit ans en Allemagne. Cette jeune fille a un vrai projet professionnel
et de vie en France, alors qu’elle et sa famille seraient menacees
en Azerbaïdjan”, a declare une responsable du comite de soutien,
Myriam Martin, enseignante et deleguee CGT du lycee professionnel.
“Je suis surprise. Nous avions le droit de notre côte mais aussi
l’humanite, nous allons faire appel, ce n’est pas possible d’emigrer
encore”, a declare la jeune fille en pleurs.
Le père et la mère d’Amina, son frère aîne et son epouse ainsi que
leurs deux enfants en bas âge sont vises par l’arrete prefectoral,
mais Amina peut en principe achever son annee scolaire en France.
“Nous allons continuer de faire signer des petitions et poursuivre
la mobilisation traditionnelle, mais a un moment donne la question
de cacher ceux qui sont menaces pourrait se poser, meme si ce n’est
pas legal. Il y a actuellement une nuance enorme entre la loi et la
justice”, a declare Mme Martin.
–Boundary_(ID_O/P010otkNKOUgVs3wFhWw)–