Author: Emil Lazarian

Dodgers Get Trip Off to a Bad Start
Maddux has a poor outing as L.A. begins a 10-game stretch with a lackluster
6-3 loss to the Brewers, who had dropped 10 in a row.
Los Angeles Times
September 5, 2006
By Steve Henson, Times Staff Writer ([email protected])
MILWAUKEE – Sleepless nights often are followed by disturbing days. So
the Dodgers might have expected their 6-3 loss to the Milwaukee
Brewers on Monday the moment they checked into their hotel shortly
after midnight.
The Armenian Youth Federation was partying hard in the ballroom, and
the din didn’t let up until 5 a.m. They were friendly enough kids,
telling Nomar Garciaparra they missed him in Boston and, oh yeah,
they missed him in Chicago too.
But the discordant music, the whoops and hollers, the tinkling glasses,
this was no way to begin a 10-game, three-city trip during a tight
pennant race.
In case the Dodgers wondered, the throbbing beat they heard through
their walls came from an oud (a string instrument used by ancient
Egyptians) and a dumbeg (an hourglass-shaped drum with a lambskin
head).
The beat went on at Miller Park. The Brewers ended a 10-game losing
streak by pounding Greg Maddux like a dumbeg, scoring three runs in
the fifth inning and two in the sixth.
It marked the third time in his last four starts Maddux (12-12)
has been hit hard.
“They had good at-bats,” he said. “I missed my locations a few times,
but they hit me too.”
One blow was literal. With a runner on second and one out in the
fifth inning with the score tied, 1-1, Maddux stopped Brady Clark’s
comebacker with his leg. The ball rolled only a couple feet in front
of him, but he couldn’t locate it, looking to the back of the mound and
taking a step toward the rosin bag as if he’d mistook it for the ball.
“I just couldn’t find it,” he said. “It’s hard to see sometimes.”
The result was a single that opened the floodgates. Seven of the
next 10 batters had hits, all against Maddux except the finale, a
two-run double by Tony Graffanino in the sixth on a pitch by reliever
Giovanni Carrara.
It was quite an outburst from a team that batted .213 and averaged
fewer than three runs during its 10-game skid.
“Greg got a couple of pitches up and over the middle of the plate,”
Manager Grady Little said. “He’s certainly had better days with
his command.”
Dodgers starters are following poor days with poorer ones. Only
Derek Lowe is pitching consistently well, Chad Billingsley’s next
start was pushed back again because of his strained side, Brad Penny
isn’t getting deep into games and Maddux more closely resembled the
struggling pitcher who posted a 4.69 earned-run average in 22 starts
with the Cubs than the savior who had been 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA in
six starts with the Dodgers.
“If we have to continue going into the bullpen in the sixth inning,
it will be difficult,” Little said. “Our bullpen is deep, but if we
need those guys early on a regular basis, it will catch up with us
in a hurry.”
Carrara, back with the team after being designated for assignment
two weeks ago, replaced Maddux with the bases loaded and the score
4-3. He got two strikes on Graffanino but couldn’t get him out.
The Dodgers’ offense, feisty to that point, withered. Right-hander Dave
Bush (10-10) lasted 7 1/3 innings, and two relievers had no trouble.
The best opportunity came in the sixth. Kenny Lofton led off with
a single, stole his 25th base and scored on a single by J.D. Drew,
who also doubled twice. Jeff Kent hit a ground-rule double and Andre
Ethier walked, loading the bases with one out.
Wilson Betemit struck out, however, and although Russell Martin
singled to bring in Drew, Kent was thrown out at the plate by left
fielder Corey Hart, leaving the Dodgers behind, 4-3.
At least they were able to catch up on their sleep Monday night. The
Armenian Youth Federation checked out after an invigorating breakfast
of basturma (cured Armenian beef), eggs and foule (fava beans).
It wasn’t the first time the Dodgers have shared a hotel with a
boisterous group. About 20 years ago a gospel singers convention
kept them awake in Atlanta, and more than 40 years ago in Milwaukee,
revelers were so loud that several players ducked into a theater
during the day to catch a few winks before the game.
This is no time for fatigue. The Dodgers’ lead over the San Diego
Padres in the National League West shrank to two games, thanks to
the Padres’ 7-5 victory over Colorado.
“If we keep playing this way on this trip,” Little said, “we’ll be
doing everything we can to keep the race close.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BRUSSELS SEEKS WAYS TO KEEP EU-TURKEY TALKS AFLOAT
ABHaber, Belgium
EU-Turkey News Network
Sept 6 2006
In a bid to keep EU-Turkey talks from derailing completely, Brussels
is considering ways of putting off dealing with the thorny Cyprus
question until after Turkish elections next year.
The Financial Times reports that enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn
is seeking to put the nub of the issue – access to Turkey ports and
airports by Cyprus – before the European Court of Justice.
This would effectively defer the question until next year and after
Turkey has been through its parliamentary elections.
Member states have given Turkey until the end of this year to open
its ports to Cyprus but Ankara has refused to do so until the EU
makes good on a promise to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots in
the northern part of the island.
The EU insists that the two issues are not linked resulting in a
stalemate which analysts suggest will be almost impossible to get
out of before Turkey’s elections.
The FT quotes a senior commission official as saying “We need a plan
B to limit the damage and avoid a complete suspension of negotiations,
because that would kill the momentum.”
“We have to find ways and means to muddle through until after the
Turkish elections.”
But diplomats quoted by the paper suggest that neither side would be
in favour of the court option with Turkey likely to lose any legal
battle on the issue and Cyprus likely to be unhappy that Ankara would
no longer be under pressure to act this year.
The tone between Brussels and Ankara has considerably hardened in
recent months with the EU feeling that Turkey has slowed down its
reform process and Ankara feeling that the bloc is not serious about
having it as a member.
On Monday (5 September) there was once again a hard exchange of words
after MEPs passed a tough report on Turkey in which they complained
about its lack of progress on human rights and called on Turkey to
recognise the massacre of Armenians in the first world war as genocide.
Responding to the parliament’s report, prime minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan pointed out that it is not binding and said that the parliament
is dreaming if it thinks it would change its stance on the Armenia
issue.
“Our position regarding the so-called Armenian genocide is very clear,
and nobody should expect us to change it.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“JIHAD MEANS LIFE, AND NOT WAR AND MURDER”
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Sept 6 2006
On September 4, Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the President of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia received the delegation headed
by Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun.
The Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II and Ambassadors of two
countries were present at the meeting.
Closely observing the goal and the process of Mufti of the Arab
Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun’s visit to Armenia His
Holiness highlighted friendly relations between the two countries, and
particularly the fact of providing a shelter to our compatriots, who
survived after the Armenian Genocide at the beginning of last century.
Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the RA NA President, greeting the spiritual
leader of Syria in the Parliament, gratefully touched upon the
fact of brotherly reception and treatment of our suffered people
as fully citizens in 1915. The RA NA President noted that he is
closely observing the events that keep the region in chaos and he is
concerned not only with the fate of his compatriots, but with the one
of the friendly nations. Mr. Torosyan highlighted the Mufti’s visit
in a period when the spiritual leader of the neighboring country is
threatening with Jihad and expressed a hope that religions cannot be
divisive. Other high values exist, which unite the people and give
the opportunity to confront the challenges.
The Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun,
conveying the greetings of the people and the President of the Syrian
Arab Republic Bashar Asad, expressed his satisfaction to be on a visit
to the Parliament of the Republic of Armenia as a country, which was
the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion – a light which
guided throughout its future history.Touching upon the Jihad declared
by the spiritual leader of the Muslims of the Caucasus, the Mufti
noted that Jihad means life, and not war and murder, because Jihad
unites the people around good idea, and the task of the spiritual
leaders should be supporting the political leadership to establish
peace and well being.
Mr. T. Torosyan, the RA NA President, noted that as Jihad may
receive various interpretations within the same religion, so various
interpretations are given to the conception of democracy. It is
interpreted as a way of governance, which brings welfare and safety to
a human being. But there are people and groups that use the democracy
for war. Though, the welfare is not given by war and is not obliged.
The issues of globalization to meet the challenges were mutually
highlighted: to protect and save the national identity, since the
loss of identity is a sin before God, who awarded that identity and
peculiarities.
Other issues were also discussed during the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA PRESIDENT ORDERS TO SOLVE MURDER OF TAX SERVICE GENERAL
by: Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 6, 2006 Wednesday 08:45 AM EST
Armenian President Robert Kocharian ordered the republican law
enforcement agencies to solve the murder of a general of the tax
service as quick as possible, Kocharian’s spokesman Viktor Sogomonian
told Itar-Tass.
Chief of the investigation department of the Armenian State Tax
Service Shagen Ovasapian was killed in the blast in downtown Yerevan
on Wednesday morning. The blast went off, when the 49-year-old
Major-General of the tax service was getting in his service car to go
to work. The driver of the service car was slightly injured. Criminal
proceedings were instituted, the investigation is in progress.
Robert Kocharian offered condolences to the family of the killed
general and condemned “the criminal methods aimed against the
efforts of the state to tighten the tax administration and create
equal taxation conditions for all.” These criminal actions “cannot
change the task-oriented state policy in this field,” the Armenian
president pointed out.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY WISHES TO APPEAR AS EU ALLY AND EUROPEAN DIPLOMACY WEAPON
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.09.2006 14:38 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Sending of Turkish peacekeepers to Lebanon is
by no means a growth of Ankara’s imperial pretensions, though some
forces in Armenia think so,” head of the department of international
relations at the institute of political and military analysis Sergey
Markedonov told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, Recep Tayyip
Erdogan despite his “stormy Islamic youth” has staked on Turkey’s
Europeanazation and its accession to the EU.
“However presently Europe demonstrates the whole world its fear to
participate in the peacekeeping operation.
In this situation Turks wish to appear as EU’s ally and even a weapon
of European diplomacy. For Israel a move of the kind made by Turkey’s
is quite admissible, since Turkey has been an ally to the Jewish state
for many years,” he remarked. However the Russian political scientist
considers that the Tel Aviv-Israel relations has considerably cooled
over the situation in Iraq.
“Anyway Turkey is a more favorable “peacekeeper” for Israel. Thus,
Ankara on one hand aspires for Europe and is ready to demonstrate
its loyalty towards the EU. On the other hand this operation will
become a test for relations with Israel. Third, this goal will not
be publicly announced in Turkey, since many Turks feel sympathy for
Hezbollah. Thus Turkish military should know how to behave in the
radical Islamist world. With this move Turkey will acquire a good
notion of the situation in Lebanon, Helbollah’s relations with Iran
and Iran’s intentions,” Markedonov said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MIKHAIL ZABELIN: “WE SHOULD INVITE THOSE TAKING NEGATIVE STANCE ON US TO AZERBAIJAN TO CONVINCE THEM THEY ARE WRONG”
Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 6 2006
“I was pleased that Russian prominent politicians did not attend the
latest events in Khankendi (Stepanakert),” Azerbaijani parliament
member, head of Russian community of Azerbaijan Mikhail Zabelin stated.
He said the community he leads sends an immediate inquiry after any
event that harms Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Stating that the number of cases on Russian politicians visiting the
Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territories has decreased recently,
Mr.Zabelin said they should be invited to Azerbaijan in order to
change their mind, APA reports.
“I invited Russian parliamentarian Konstantin Zatulin, who was in
Nagorno Karabakh, to the meeting of the Presidium of International
Council of Russian Compatriots held in Baku. He accepted my invitation
and arrived in Baku. I took him to the Martyrs’ Alley and told him
the truths and even I asked him, “how it happened that you did not go
to Nagorno Karabakh this time”. He did not answer my question. I think
we’d better invite those taking negative stance on us to Azerbaijan. We
should change their mind, open their eyes to see the truths. Then they
would leave Azerbaijan as friends. I see my duty must be namely this,”
the parliament member underlined.
Commenting on considering the person visiting Nagorno Karabakh without
informing Azerbaijan as unwelcome, Mr.Zabelin disagreed with that.
“I would not do that. You need to convince an individual that he
took a wrong step. By declaring them unwelcome we make them move
away from us. As a result, they are dissatisfied and visit Nagorno
Karabakh when they are invited again. There are people, who have no
idea of Azerbaijan and its Nagorno Karabakh problem. We should work
with them,” he said.
URL:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN EDITOR ‘ATTACKED BY THUGS’
By Karine Kalantarian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 6 2006
The editor-in-chief of one of Armenia’s best-selling newspapers claimed
to have been attacked and beaten up on Wednesday by well-built men
resembling the notorious bodyguards of government-connected wealthy
businessmen.
“After I left home in the morning two young men with shaven heads
attacked me from behind, toppled me to the ground and began kicking me,
mainly trying to target my head,” Hovannes Galajian of the “Iravunk”
bi-weekly told RFE/RL by phone. “When other people came out of the
building they immediately fled.”
“They didn’t say anything. They were silent. They didn’t even swear
at me,” he said, adding that he immediately reported the incident to
the police and will undergo a medical examination by forensic experts
on Thursday.
Galajian said he believes that the alleged attack was in retaliation
for critical articles published by his paper, but would not specify
“Iravunk” reports that might have angered influential individuals.
“We have trodden on many toes and the pool of suspects,” he said.
“Iravunk,” which is linked to a small opposition party, is known
for its hard-hitting coverage of the Armenian government and its
loyalists. Galajian’s description of his alleged attackers matches the
appearance of about two dozen thugs that tried to disrupt an April 2004
opposition rally in Yerevan and attacked photojournalists and cameramen
who filmed their actions. Media reports at the time said the well-built
men work as bodyguards of “oligarchs” supporting the ruling regime.
Galajian was among the editors of Armenia’s leading newspapers who
issued a joint statement last July expressing serious concern about
what they described as a growing harassment of journalists critical
of the government. The statement cited in particular a June attack
on a freelance journalist whose news reporting allegedly infuriated
a local government chief in Yerevan.

CATALAN DEPUTIES CALL FOR RECOGNITION OF ALLEGED GENOCIDE
Turkish Daily News
Sep 06, 2006
Having received a letter from an Armenian group, two Catalan deputies
have come up with a proposal calling for debates in the Spanish
Parliament on the so-called Armenian genocide at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire in the last century.
Rosa M. Bonas and Joan Puigcercos submitted the proposal in June to
the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Spanish Parliament, urging the
recognition of the so-called genocide on the grounds that it was a
crime against humanity.
“We’ll make changes in the proposal by taking out an article pressing
Ankara to recognize the [alleged] Armenian genocide,” Bonas told the
Anatolia news agency.
She stressed that they do not want to oppose Turkey.
Bonas said she has always been sympathetic to tiny and victimized
communities — she herself is Catalan — but noted she learned about
the so-called genocide only after the Armenian committee’s letter.
The Catalan deputy also expressed hope that she would not be
misunderstood by the Turkish public and said, “I’ve always defended
Turkey’s European Union membership in the European Parliament and
I’ll continue to do so.”
The Turkish ambassador in Madrid, Volkan Vural, said Turkey has taken
action at the level of the Spanish Foreign Ministry and the Spanish
Parliament as soon as they heard about the proposal and sent letters
to the two deputies and the head of the Spanish Parliament’s Foreign
Affairs Commission, saying that the proposal would harm Turkish-Spanish
relations.
“In Ankara, the Foreign Minister reacted [to the proposal],” Vural
told Anatolia.
He said the possibility of the proposal’s approval was very weak and
added: “It is clear that it will have no legal meaning even if it is
adopted. It will become clear how wrong and unfortunate an approach
it is to intermingle past events with politics.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA 0 – BELGIUM 1
Sportinglife.com, UK
Sept 6 2006
A Daniel van Buyten goal ensured Belgium returned to winning ways
with a hard-fought victory over Armenia on Wednesday.
Rene Vandereycken’s team could only draw 0-0 with Kazakhstan on August
16 in the Group A curtain-raiser, but managed three points in Yerevan
despite not having it all their own way.
The early exchanges failed to produce any clear-cut chances of
interest.
Armenia midfielder Hamlet Mkhitaryan hit a left-footed shot over the
bar, while at the other end Luigi Pieroni and Karel Geraerts fired
wide of Gevorg Kasparov’s goal.
The Armenians, playing their opening game after having been given
the day off on Saturday, held their own in the first half-hour.
Samvel Melkonyan’s right-footed effort flew wide of Stijn Stijnen’s
goal, and Koen Daerden became the first player to be cautioned after
fouling Melkonyan.
Pieroni forced the first save of note in the 30th minute, Kasparov
catching his left-footed strike from outside the box.
The Armenia stopper was called into action by the same player five
minutes later, this time denying Pieroni with his feet.
Standard Liege midfielder Geraerts then volleyed wide as the visitors
continued to pepper the hosts’ goal.
The Belgians reaped the reward for their pressure four minutes before
half-time when Van Buyten’s header from Jelle van Damme’s cross found
the top corner.
Stijnen opted to punch crosses from Mkhitaryan and Aghvan Lazarian
to safety as the Armenians pushed for a leveller after the break.
Feyenoord defender Pieter Collen was forced off through injury just
before the hour mark, with Anderlecht’s Anthony Vanden Borre coming on.
Van Damme was the second Belgian to have his name taken midway through
the second period for a foul on Mkhitaryan.
Vanden Borre and Pieroni were also booked as the Belgians’ frustrations
at failing to extend their lead grew.
But Club Brugge goalkeeper Stijnen coped comfortably with any efforts
Armenia could muster as Belgium stood firm to secure three valuable
points.
Teams
Armenia Kasparov, Hovsepyan, Arzumanyan, Dokhoyan,
Melikyan,Khachatryan, Karen Aleksanyan, Lazarian (Arman Karamyan
76),Mkhitaryan (Galust Petrosyan 81), Samvel Melkonyan,Shahgeldyan
(Aram Hakobyan 72).
Subs Not Used: Feliks Hakobyan, Bagdarasyan, Pachajyan, Tadevosyan.
Booked: Khachatryan.
Belgium Stijnen, Hoefkens, Simons, Van Damme, Van Buyten,Daerden
(Goor 65), Englebert, Collen (Vanden Borre 59),Geraerts, Dembele
(Defour 77), Pieroni.
Subs Not Used: Vandenbussche, De Decker, Huysegems, Vandenbergh.
Booked: Daerden, Van Damme, Vanden Borre, Pieroni.
Goals: Van Buyten 41.
Att: 8,000
Ref: Gerald Lehner (Austria).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY REJECTS EU CALL TO RECOGNISE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
AFX UK (Focus)
Sep 05, 2006
ANKARA (AFX) – Turkey denounced today a European Union report saying
that Ankara must recognise the 1915-1917 genocide in Armenia as a
condition for joining the EU.
“We are dismayed by efforts aiming to impose preconditions that are
far from objective on questions that require serious academic inquiry,”
the Turkish foreign ministry said in a communique.
A report adopted by the EU parliament’s foreign affairs committee
last night deplored Turkey’s lack of progress in implementing reforms
needed to join the EU, and alluded specifically to Ankara’s refusal
to acknowledge the Armenian genocide.
“Certain elements of the report … written with political
considerations are not compatible with the credibility of the European
parliament,” the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Armenians estimate that up to 1.5 mln of their forebears perished in
systematic killings orchestrated by the Ottoman Empire between 1915
to 1917.
Ankara rejects all accusations of genocide, estimating the number of
Armenian deaths at 300,000 and arguing they were not a consequence
of deliberate extermination but a combination of war, disease, famine
and ethnic conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress