Author: Emil Lazarian

ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF ISTANBUL CONSIDERS BOTH SIDES RESPONSIBLE FOR 1915 GENOCIDE
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. French President
Jacques Chirac’s expression “Turkey must recognize the Armenian
Genocide for membership to the European Union,” may be a “political
precept.” Archnishop Mesrob Moutafian, the Armenian Patriarch of
Istanbul expressed this opinion to the Turkish “Hurriet” newspaper.
According to Marmara, the Patriarch said: “If even Chirac’s words are
interpreted as a precondition for Turkey, one must not forget that
Louis Michel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium decisively
said that one must not put new political standards before Turkey for
membership to the European Union. Probably, the President of France
considered proper to address a political precept to Turkey. We, as
Armenians of Turkey, would prefer that the President of France made
such statements that an atmosphere of dialogue was created between
Armenia and Turkey. Untill an atmosphere of dialogue is not created
between the two countries, it is impossible to expect solution of
the existing difficult problems.”
The Istanbul Armenian Patriarch made statements on this theme to the
“Geo” periodical as well, which is published in German and Turkish.
He, particularly, stated that both sides are responsible for events
of the past. “If Armenians did not lead separative, and Turks –
Ittihat policy, at least 10 mln Armenians would live in Turkey today.
Turkey would win a lot with that population. It can’t be helped, both
Turks and Armenians lost this possibility,” Patriarch Moutafian said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN GEOLOGISTS IMPLEMENT LARGE-SCALE EXPLORATION WORKS AT METAL DEPOSITS
ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
October 5, 2006 Thursday
Director of “RAKE” contractor company, hydro-geologist Rouben Arakelyan
told an ArmInfo correspondent that the first results of geological
exploration of metal deposits in the Getik River basin, Gegharkunik
region of Armenia, will be presented at the end of the current year.
To note, the geologists carry out the order of Global Gold Corporation,
which exploits several gold deposits in Armenia. The members of the
geological expedition are making the map of the area, determining
the content of precious and non-ferrous metals in the Getik deposit
that occupies an area of 2,5 thousand ha. All the samples taken from
the deposit are passed to the GGC company which, in its turn, passes
them to Armenian and foreign laboratories.
According to Arakelyan, one can imagine the approximate reserves
of ore containing gold, silver, copper and other volcanic rocks and
sediments only after the results of the laboratory examinations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU/SOUTH CAUCASUS : EU TO DEVELOP CLOSER RELATIONS WITH SOUTH CAUCASUS
European Report
October 5, 2006
The EU is to formally endorse European Neighbourhood Policy Action
Plans with three South Caucasian countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia, in November. The final agreement on the ENP Action Plan texts
was reached by the Ministerial Troika of the EU (External Commissioner
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Finland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Erkki
Tuomioja and Minister of State Gunter Gloser of Germany) during its
visit to the South Caucasus on 2-3 October. The formal adoption of
agreements (each plan is tailor-made to the individual needs of each
country) will take place at the next EU Cooperation Council with
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, to be held on 14 November in Brussels.
The Commission tabled its proposals for the action plans for the three
South Caucasus countries in March 2005 but formal endorsement of the
plans has been postponed several times. Before doing so, the EU and all
three countries had to tackle particular issues which came up during
negotiations. One of them was the Azerbaijani-Cypriot argument over
northern Cyprus. Azerbaijan was refusing to commit itself unequivocally
to respect the policy of isolation followed by the EU with regard to
Northern Cyprus. In response Cyprus was preventing the action plan
from coming into effect unless Azerbaijan clearly renounced links
to Northern Cyprus. Armenia was trying to secure more financial EU
support for the decommissioning of the Medzamor nuclear plant and
alternative energy supplies. Georgia’s diplomatic energy was in turn
focused on securing greater EU involvement in conflict resolution –
something the “action plans” do not encompass beyond a reference to
the EU’s readiness to assist with post-conflict rehabilitation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN KURDS STAND BY TRUCE IN CONFLICT WITH TURKEY – LEADER
Regnum, Russia
Oct 5 2006
The Union of Organizations of Kurdistan (KKK) [as published: KKK
refers to Democratic Confederation of Kurdistan] takes up a principled
position of proclaiming peace and opposing war, but if necessary it
will not shun an armed struggle for the rights of its people and to
arouse their national hopes. The KKK issued this statement in Yerevan
on 4 October.
The chairman of the Armenian Kurdistan Committee, Charkyaz Mstoyan,
said at a press conference that the Turkish side and certain Turkish
socio-political forces, unlike Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
had reacted in a positive way to the initiative of the leader of the
Kurdistan Workers Party [PKK] on a cease-fire. It will be recalled
that the PKK leader Abdulla Ocalan, who is serving a life sentence in
a prison on Imraly Island, made a statement through his solicitors
in which he urged the members of the PKK to lay down their arms and
try to resolve the conflict with the Turkish authorities by peaceful
means. According to the Turkish prime minister, “such an agreement
with terrorists is impossible they are the ones who should lay down
their arms”.
The Armenian Kurdistan Committee said that because of Turkey’s ongoing
policy of rejection of the Kurds, the unilateral truce declared
by the Kurdish side was terminated on 1 June 2004. During the last
two and a half years the Kurdish-Turkish conflict has been manifest
in various forms. Hostilities have increased with heavy human and
material losses. The international community and Turkish and Kurdish
socio-political circles have expressed serious concern and come out
with a proposal for a further truce. The leader of the Kurdish people,
Abdulla Ocalan, called for a truce on 1 October [2006] on condition
that weapons should never be used.
“However, this is on condition that no attack is made on our side,
otherwise we will use all possible methods to defend ourselves. The
People’s Defence Forces (HPG) organization, apart from necessary
preparations, will not undertake any combat operations. The military
council of the HPG will direct all its efforts and its programme to
comply with the truce. This decision applies to all the forces within
the system of the Union of Organizations of Kurdistan. Nothing must
stand in the way of the implementation of the truce process. Everyone
must contribute towards establishing a stable situation,” the
statement notes.
Charkyaz Mstoyan also said that the trilateral international commission
(consisting of representatives of the USA, Iraq and Turkey), which was
created on the initiative of international political structures, has
not yet come out with any statement on the Kurdish problem. According
to Mstoyan, it was expected that Iraq would present a Kurdish
representative, “but for some reason a Sunni Arabian representative
was proposed”. “The Kurdish leadership said that this was a Kurdish
problem and the talks must take place with the participation of a
Kurdish representative. However, as yet no information regarding
the activity and proposals of the trilateral commission has been
received. Everything is in the process of discussion,” Charkyaz
Mstoyan said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AN INSTRUMENTAL MAKER; AN L.A. MAN IS THE WORLD’S TOP DUDUK CREATOR, WITH 3,700 SOLD
by Litty Mathew
Los Angeles Times
October 5, 2006 Thursday
Home Edition
THE perfect duduk, some say, is carved not in a remote hillside village
in Armenia, but, like so much of this instrument’s current existence,
here in Los Angeles. Deep in the lap of a working-class North Hollywood
neighborhood, maestro Karlen Matevosyan Smbati, the 78-year-old
immigrant whom many consider to be the world’s foremost duduk maker,
whiles away in a senior center, plotting and planning to create the
perfect instrument when he gets home to his neat garage workshop.
Matevosyan, a self-taught artisan who was once a high school principal,
wears glasses too big for his deeply lined face and harbors a
penchant for plaid flannel and sweatpants. In a raspy, low voice,
he says he’d always played the instrument and had never found one he
liked. The first instrument he made was for himself, and every duduk
he’s since created gets the same treatment. “I always think this is
my instrument. I’m making it for me,” he says through an interpreter.
“I’ve been studying apricot wood all my life and I’ve been making
duduks for more than 50 years,” Matevosyan says. “If I hear a duduk,
I can often tell where the wood came from.”
To succeed as a duduk maker, you may need to know your wood but
you also must be a musician. “That’s why I don’t have a personal
successor,” Matevosyan says. “You can’t teach an artisan to make the
duduk. You must know how to play the instrument first to understand
it.” But the high standards that Matevosyan set have fueled excellence
in duduk-making back in Armenia.
“Recognizing that there are great new duduk makers and the instruments
have increased in quality, maestro Karlen is the godfather of modern
duduk making,” says Pedro Eustache, a professional woodwind player
who plays the instrument for many Hollywood scores.
Matevosyan makes most of the duduk by hand, using a hand drill to form
the cylinder. It takes 42 additional steps to finish the instrument,
from drilling the finger holes to lathing the cylinder.
That’s after a year to 18 months to cure the green apricot wood that
gives it the specific timbre and lasting quality. Over the course
of his career, he has sold more than 3,700 handmade instruments,
which start at around $250.
Matevosyan revolutionized the instrument by changing the spacing of
the finger holes and enlarging the holes to get a full volume. He’s
also credited with improving the mouthpiece by adding tonal control to
the reed to play half notes. “It’s like the black keys on the piano,”
he says. “Now you can play more than full notes on the duduk.”
Matevosyan also pioneered different types and sizes of duduks. In the
past, duduks were created in unpredictable keys. Now they represent
the four tonal ranges: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. The latest of
his creations is a Hegoshu, the largest duduk, which sounds like a
cross between a clarinet and a duduk. There are four in existence,
one owned by Eustache.
“People ask me if I get sick and tired of making the same instrument
every day,” Matevosyan says. “I think this is my legacy. After I’m
gone this will remain.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ALBAYRAK (PVDA) ERKENT GENOCIDE
Dagblad Tubantia/Twentsche Courant, Netherland
October 4, 2006
DEN HAAG (GPD) – Het Tweede Kamerlid Nebahat Albayrak (PvdA) erkent
dat in 1915 en 1916 in Turkije een volkerenmoord op Armeniers heeft
plaatsgevonden. Het is voor het eerst dat het van oorsprong Turkse
Kamerlid, nummer twee van de kandidatenlijst van de PvdA, dat zo
openlijk doet. Ze wil zo een einde maken aan de groeiende kritiek
dat zij geen duidelijk standpunt inneemt.
Zelf vindt ze dat ze niet onduidelijk is geweest. ‘Ik ben nooit van
het partijstandpunt afgeweken en dat is dat die volkerenmoord heeft
plaatsgehad.’
De kritiek op Albayrak begon na een interview in dagblad Trouw.
Daarin erkende ze dat er verschrikkelijke misdaden tegen de Armeniers
zijn gepleegd en dat vele honderdduizenden zijn omgekomen, maar ze
liet in het midden of sprake was van genocide dan wel uit de hand
gelopen gewelddadigheden. Albayrak zei geen oordeel over de toedracht
te kunnen hebben, omdat alle historische bronnen zijn ‘bevuild’.
Daarmee schaarde zij zich in de kringen van ontkenners, vindt Ton
Zwaan, onderzoeker nieuwe geschiedenis aan de Universiteit van
Amsterdam.
Met haar erkenning loopt de PvdA het risico dat vele kiezers van
Turkse afkomst afhaken.
De Armeense kwestie deed vorige week veel stof opwaaien bij PvdA en
CDA. Bij beide partijen stonden Turken op de kieslijst die de genocide
ontkennen. Zij zijn van de lijst gehaald.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BRIEVEN: MAG EEN TURK OOK EEN MENING GEVEN?; GENOCIDE
Brabants Dagblad, Netherland
September 30, 2006
De meeste in Nederland geboren of op heel jonge leeftijd naar
Nederland overgekomen Turkse kandidaat-Kamerleden worden onderdrukt
door hun partijen in de kwestie over de genocide op Armeniers. Ze
worden aangesproken op iets dat 91 jaar geleden zou plaats hebben
gevonden. De Armeense kwestie is niet erkend als genocide door
relevante internationale instanties als de Verenigde Naties. Ook
op academisch niveau bestaat geen communis opinio over de vraag
of dit een genocide mag worden genoemd. De Nederlandse hoogleraar
Erik Jan Zurcher is een van de vele academici die dit betwijfelt. De
politieke partijen proberen eigenlijk via deze kandidaat-Kamerleden
internationale politiek te bedrijven om Turkije buiten de Europese
Unie te houden.
De ChristenUnie bijvoorbeeld wil het ontkennen, bagatelliseren of
rechtvaardigen van de Armeense genocide strafbaar stellen. Hoe kan
dat als de noodzakelijke erkenning door een internationaal tribunaal
ontbreekt?
Politieke partijen spelen vieze spelletjes met door hun
kandidaat-Kamerleden te dwingen een keuze te maken tussen een
Kamerzetel of het vaderland. In feite zeggen deze partijen tegen de
bijna 400.000 Turken hier: ‘Jullie overgrootouders waren moordenaar’.
Dat is onacceptabel, oneerlijk, en dubbelhartig.
Dankzij deze houding van de partijen zijn enkele kandidaat-Kamerleden
van de lijst gehaald. Maar we hadden toch vrijheid van meningsuiting
in dit democratische land?
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DOES RUSSIA NEED A STRONG ARMENIA?
RIA Novosti, Russia
Oct 5 2006
MOSCOW, (Armen Darbinyan, rector of Russian-Armenian University and
member of the RIA Novosti Expert Council) – There is no doubt that
Armenia needs Russia to be strong. But does Russia need a strong
Armenia? This is not a rhetorical question.
It is believed that the countries of Commonwealth of Independent
States have been drawn into the zone of Russia’s influence as its
satellites. But if our goal is strategic partnership, Russia should
revise its relations with the former Soviet states, also because the
world offers us other options, including geostrategic ones.
The European Union and the United States are working hard to
demonstrate their possibilities to Armenia, trying to become a dominant
force there and in the whole of Caucasus.
Therefore, there are alternative forms of cooperation. But why start
from scratch when we have a long and positive history of spiritual
unity? Armenia is a multinational republic, but it is unique with
regard to Russia in that every Armenian is wholeheartedly devoted
to Russia. I have seen this attitude only in one other country,
Montenegro. However, this situation is not unchangeable, because both
sides have to work for strategic partnership.
It would be wrong to see Armenia as a political space and a zone of
Russian influence that will never look at other possibilities. A new
generation of young people in Armenia is now choosing what language
they should study to build a better life for themselves. And Armenian
businessmen are thinking with whom they can do better business.
Unfortunately, Russian-Armenian strategic partnership is mostly
limited to mutual visits by ministers and government officials that
usually take place in a friendly atmosphere. But maybe we have had
enough of them? Maybe we should encourage mutual visits by doctors,
teachers and young people?
I’m afraid the situation is almost the same in other former Soviet
countries.
Our sovereignty implies not only the freedom to choose, but also
the freedom to look for the real benefits of political or economic
integration. Armenia is not eager to join the common customs space
because it does not border on the EurAsEC countries, and becoming a
pro forma member, a name on the letterhead, would be unwise.
Armenia’s membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) has not benefited it either, especially in view of confrontation
with Azerbaijan in the disputed region, Nagorny Karabakh.
Armenia is a CSTO member, but Azerbaijan is not. However, Kazakhstan,
which is also a member of the CSTO, sometimes voted for anti-Armenian
and pro-Azerbaijani UN resolutions.
The CSTO in its present form may suit Asian states because they face
threats from Afghanistan and the risk of extremist attacks, and so
can benefit from collective security measures.
The Caucasus today is not a zone of common interests. With the
exception of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, there is no regional
cooperation to speak of. The Caucasian countries have different
perspectives of the future, and the main goal of their politicians
is to present their country in the best light in international
organizations. But we are expected to present common concepts and a
shared development vision. The international community is disappointed
every time our politicians put forth different approaches and clashing
interests.
No one needs Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan taken separately, because
each of them has a very small market and no transit capabilities. So
the Americans are right in saying that the Caucasus does not exist
as a political entity.
Russia has not indicated so far that it needs the South Caucasus as a
single whole. In my view, this is a losing stand for Russia, because
the regional countries may choose to drift towards an alternative
partner.
There are many reasons for the failure of the political project
called the CIS. At the same time, it offers a good chance to use the
humanitarian unity of our countries and nations. The new independent
states no longer see Russia as “the big brother”, although it should
definitely be the main player in this project.
We have been idling for too long, and we have probably lost a whole
generation that has not learned to speak Russian fluently. We must
not allow the area of the Russian language to be curtailed. We must
think seriously about finding proper employment for the graduates of
Russian-Armenian University, including such where they would have to
speak and write in Russian. We need strategic business projects that
Russian corporations would implement in our countries. The process
has begun, but we are not satisfied with its progress.
As soon as business starts speaking Russian, the demand for bright
and qualified specialists who know Russian will grow. It should be
more rewarding to learn Russian than English or French.
Thanks to Russian-Armenian University, many traditionally
Russian-speaking families and the Armenian intellectual class
have become convinced of the benefits offered by a Russian higher
education. The Armenian Diaspora in Russia is closely watching our
progress, and its members send their children here. They receive
Russian degrees and hence will be able to live and work in Russia
or Armenia, depending on their choice. This is expanding the area
of the Russian language, mentality and culture, and will eventually
strengthen Russian influence.
In my view, such important projects as the Year of Armenia in Russia or
of Russia in Armenia should be used to encourage long-term cultural,
humanitarian and research cooperation. It’s been a long time since
Armenian and Russian economists, sociologists and physicists worked on
a joint project. There is no information about achievements in Russia
or Armenia, without which no development is possible in professional
spheres.
The terms “competitive country” and “competitive society” are
fashionable in Russia now. How can one win in a competition?
Azerbaijan has a strong argument – oil. Armenia’s argument should be
the minds of its people. The younger generation needs a good education,
and Russian professors can help them receive it.
I am convinced that Russia needs a strong Armenia, which would be
able to do much for bilateral relations and play a significant role
in the region.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and
may not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI DEFENCE MINISTER, US MEDIATOR DISCUSS KARABAKH
Azeri press Agency
4 Oct 06
3 October, Baku: Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev received
the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, yesterday [2
October], a source at the Defence Ministry has told APA. Abiyev said
that the Armenian-Azerbaijani talks over the Karabakh settlement,
which have been continuing for many years, were fruitless. He said
that the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group yielded no positive
results so far. The defence minister said that the non-resolution
of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict was a major obstacle to the
development of strategic Azerbaijani-US relations and recalled that
Azerbaijani territories were occupied by Armenia.
“Yerevan should understand that the policy conducted by Armenia is
putting it on the edge of a precipice. Armenia is on the sidelines
from all regional economic projects. Azerbaijan is developing in
the economic sphere and increasing its military capacity. Armenia’s
destructive position, the occupation of our territories and the
presence of unregistered arms and ammunition in these territories
urge us to do this. We again state that Azerbaijan will not cede an
inch of its territories. The conflict should be resolved within the
framework of international laws and territorial integrity of the
states. Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity by other
means if the peace talks yield no results,” Abiyev said.
Bryza said that Azerbaijan was ahead of Armenia in all spheres and
called on Azerbaijan to be patient. The co-chair informed the minister
about his activities and added that along with co-chairmanship in the
OSCE Minsk group, he was also involved in Europe’s energy security and
the development of US-Azerbaijani friendly relations. He said that
Azerbaijan was an important country to the USA and it supported the
USA in the fight against international terrorism. Bryza said that
the international community supported a solution to the conflict
through talks.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RANKINGS OF FOURTH-GRADERS’ SKILLS
Raleigh News & Observer
Scripps Howard News Service
October 04, 2006, Wednesday 12:13 PM EST
Few Americans know the rankings by their formal name, but most people
know that the math skills of children from the United States don’t
stack up well when compared with other countries.
The rankings are called TIMSS – Trends in International Mathematics
and Science Study, and they are published every four years out of
Boston College.
Rankings of fourth-graders’ skills in 2003, the most recent year
available, produced the following results:
1. Singapore
2. Hong Kong
3. Japan
4. Chinese Taipei
5. Belgium-Flemish
6. Netherlands
7. Latvia
8. Lithuania
9. Russian Federation
10. England
11. Hungary
12. United States
13. Cyprus
14. Republic of Moldova
15. Italy
16. Austria
17. New Zealand
18. Scotland
19. Slovenia
20. Armenia
21. Norway
22. Iran
23. Philippines
24. Morocco
25. Tunisia
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, )
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress