Author: Emil Lazarian

ARTAK GRIGORIAN BELIEVES THAT ARMENIA MAY TOTALLY GIVE
UP COMPLEMENTARY FOREIGN POLICY
AZG Armenian Daily #147, 05/08/2006
Foreign policy
“If OSCE MG doesn’t change its approaches to the settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh problem, I think, Armenia may give up complementary foreign
policy,” Artak Grigorian, member of the Republican Party Board, stated
at today’s press conference. At the same time, he emphasized that till
now the complementary foreign policy of Armenia justified itself,
as the country managed to avert political stresses, to fix stable
economic growth. Grigorian familiarized the journalists with the
content of the federal seminar recently held by the Moscow School of
Political Sciences in Moscow. Sonya Likht, representative of Serbia,
expert of the Council of Europe, stated that by February 2007 one
may expect the recognition of Kosovo’s independence, as there are
no mechanisms that will make Kosovo return under the jurisdiction of
Beograd. The approach of the Serbian expert was supported by almost all
of the Western political experts. In reply to Grigorian’s remark that
the model of Kosovo conflict is similar to that of Nagorno Karabakh,
Chales Grant, representative of the British Council, stated that he has
no idea of the history of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. His colleagues
began telling Grigorian about the repression that Slabodan Milosevic
carried out against the Albanians from Kosovo and the liberation
struggle of the Albanian people. The Western experts tried to prove
to Grigorian that the conflict in Kosovo is a special one and can’t
be compared with that of Nagorno Karabakh.
“I am sure that they are well aware of the history of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, but the policy of double standards is being
displayed in more obvious forms,” he stated. He stated that one
could observe double standards also in the approaches to the Iranian
dossier. Thus, the former Israeli Idsurty Minister Natan Scharanskiy
stated that the attack of Iran by USA is unacceptable, as it threatens
the safety of Israel. In response to the remark of a Latvian expert
that the international legal norms do not allow consider the potential
threat as a ground for unfolding a war, Scharanskiy stated: “No! It
isn’t so.
As we deal with the security of Israel!” in response to Grigorian’s
question whether they took into account the probable consequences of
the was also for the South Caucasus states, Scharanskiy said: “I am
not interested in that at all.” The European political figures and
experts didn’t support the military settlement of the Iranian problem.

AZERI RELIGIOUS LEADER CALLS FOR MUSLIM UNITY AT TEHRAN MEETING – TV
ANS TV, Baku
7 Aug 06
[Presenter] The sheikh of the Caucasus, Haci Allahsukur Pasazada,
has criticized member countries of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference [OIC] for their indifference to the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. The sheikh said that otherwise Lebanon would not have been
subjected to Israel’s aggression.
[Pasazada, speaking over phone] The issues of Karabakh, Lebanon
and Palestinians were raised. All issues that we were interested
in were raised. I spoke and said that troops should withdraw from
Lebanon without preconditions, territories should be liberated and
negotiations should start. I also put forward suggestions.
As far as the Karabakh issue is concerned, I told them once again that
if you had supported me on time, there would have been no problem in
Lebanon. We say brothers, we are all brothers. But if we had supported
each other through difficult times, Armenia would not have attacked
us. If they had supported us when Armenia occupied our lands, no-one
would have attacked Lebanon today.
[Presenter] The sheikh of the Caucasus, Haci Allahsukur Pasazada,
said this in his speech at an international conference of religious
leaders of OIC member countries in Tehran.
In line with instructions from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev,
Azerbaijan has sent aid to Lebanon which has been subjected to Israel’s
aggression, Emergencies Minister Kamaladdin Heydarov has said.
Nearly 1,000 people were killed in Lebanon during 26 days of the
conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NO AMBASSADOR FOR ARMENIA
The Moscow Times, Russia
Aug 7, 2006
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee is putting
off until September consideration of career diplomat Richard Hoagland
as ambassador to Armenia.
The delay stems from objections by some senators to U.S. President
George W. Bush’s administration’s refusal to classify the deaths of
1.5 million Armenians in 1915 as “genocide.” (AP)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARE CYPRIOTS A POST-COLONIAL ANOMALY?
Assyrian International News Agency
Aug 6, 2006
Recently after having a debate on the identity of Cypriots, I was
informed that Cypriots are a colonial anomaly, or deviation from the
common order of being either ‘Greek or Turkish.’ The opinion did not
surprise me as I have often witnessed Istanbulites and Athenians
hesitate when describing who Cypriots are, with many highlighting
the Britishness of the Cypriot character.
In hindsight, the British period of rule in Cyprus was important in
the sense that it coincided with several important and unprecedented
events, which unfolded simultaneously. The British period, which was
the last foreign rule of Cyprus, coincided with an advancement or
giant leap in our understanding of medicine and technology, which
bettered life for Cypriots. It was equally in this period that the
concept of political independence rose to the fore.
Perhaps one of the most significant vestiges of British rule is
language; Cypriots whether Greek, Turkish, Maronite, Armenian or Latin
usually have a good command of the language, some even imitating the
speech of colonial Etonians. Others have acquired colloquial knowledge
of the language through time spent in Britain or other Anglophone
nations. Nevertheless, this is by no means a negative trait; rather it
is a strength and skill that enables Cypriots to open up to the world.
However, we cannot alone look at the interactions between rulers and
their colonials, many people, some persecuted, immigrated to the island
leaving their own mark. Maronites and Armenians to name a few of the
well-known ones, but also Jacobites and Assyrians as well as Jews,
a subject which historian Stavros Panteli has researched extensively.
Cypriot topography too reflects the island’s long history of being
a sanctuary for displaced people from the Levantine and elsewhere.
Villages such as Komi Kebir and Kantara reflect Arabic influences;
Komi Kebir denotes large or noble estate while Kantara means ‘bridge’
in Arabic. Kandou, Gonyeli and Kaymaklý and quite possibly Gaziveren
too reflect Ottoman Turkish influences while Syrianochori and
Armenichori reflect the presence of both Assyrians and Armenians on
the island. Louroudjina, originally known as Laurentia and Bellapais
reflect an Italian influence, whilst Temblos is reminiscent of the
presence of Templars on the island during the crusades.
In culinary terms, Cypriot cuisine represents influences of Cyprus’
foreign rulers and residents. The Cypriots with their predilection
for such delicacies as Bumbar have naturally selected and kept for
themselves the most delicious products brought by their past rulers.
>>From the Egyptians, Molokhia and Kolokas were adopted, while Þamiþi
(Damascus pastry) reflects a Syrian influence. One of the few British
influences I can think of in Cypriot cuisine is the term “Verigo”,
used to describe a large Cypriot grape, locally coined after a British
officer after having tasted a grape remarked “Very Good.”
Equally the laxity towards religion demonstrated by Turkish Cypriots
stems not from spending time with the ‘godless’ British but again
from our diverse origins. The arrival of Alevis from Anatolia in the
16th century (who were later Sunnified) and the conversion to Islam
of mostly Latins and Maronites have instilled a more relaxed attitude
towards religion by the Turkish Cypriots.
In terms of Cyprus’ dialects, one might add that there are numerous
English influences, but Cypriots even before the arrival of the
British had a distinct dialect. Both Kýbrýslýca (Cypriot Turkish)
and Kypriaka (Cypriot Greek) reflect the islands many rulers, foreign
influences, and archaic expressions from both Ottoman Turkish and
Classical Greek. Dialect reflects one’s environment, coexistence and
varied origins.
Contrary to being a mere anomaly, many terms Turkish Cypriots use
are in fact more archaic and original forms of Turkish than Istanbul
Turkish. The Cypriot Turkish suffix –inan, which denotes ‘with’
originates from the Old Anatolian Turkish –ilan, while our preference
for Aorist tense as opposed to Present Progressive merely demonstrates
the fact that the –iyor suffix (pr.progressive) developed in Anatolia
after the settlement of Cyprus by the Ottomans. Expressions such as
“Beytambal galsýn” derive from Yoruk Turkish, a dialect spoken by
partially nomadic Turkmens living in the Taurus Mountains.
The serendipity of crossing cultures predates the British period of
rule in Cyprus and has been propitious in some cases. But the exchange
of culture brought by successive rulers is not however confined
to Cyprus; all neighbouring countries, Greece and Turkey included
have their own degree of inter-cultural contacts and exchanges. Such
cultural contacts and exchanges do not lead to an anomaly of a ‘pure
culture’ but rather it build bridges with new territories and peoples,
injecting new and perhaps better ideas and innovation.
Foreign influences whatever way it may manifest itself does not
necessarily terminate the longevity of a people, but provides new doors
of opportunities too. For the Cypriots the British period increased
the enlightenment of the populace resulting in new positions for
Cypriots. Cypriots through the British served in such places as Hong
Kong, Malaya and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), where a Turkish Cypriot man
was appointed Supreme Court Judge in Harare.
Despite the obvious influences of British rule, one cannot ignore
Cyprus’ long list of other rulers and residents. As is often the case
the British take case is highlighted as it was one of the last of
Cyprus’ rulers. Let us not also forget that the process of cultural
and linguistic influences is continuing albeit in a different form.
Today the time of colonialism may be over but Cyprus is still presented
with a profusion of foreign influences owing to its position as a
gateway to he Near East.
The relative ease at which Cypriots can now travel is bringing
different ideas and ways of thinking to the island. So too the
influence of Kurdish, Syrian and Black Sea Laz residents in Northern
Cyprus, and Sri Lankans, Thai and Russians in Southern Cyprus will
also gradually shape our culture in time. Cypriots today are the
current result of not just British rule but their entire history and
cultural contacts, but the process is far from over.
By Alkan CHAGLAR
–Boundary_(ID_onIIIgncbZeN C2LvBbn4pA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Karabakh rights activist denies Azeri colleague’s “mass grave” report
Regnum, Moscow
5 Aug 06
A rights activist from Nagornyy Karabakh has denied a report by his
Azerbaijani colleague that “a mass grave of Azerbaijani soldiers
has been found in the vicinity of the village of Marzili in Agdam
District”.
Regnum news agency has quoted the coordinator of the Nagornyy Karabakh
committee of the Helsinki Initiative-92, Karen Ogandzhanyan, as saying
that rumours on possible graves have been in fact disseminated, but
for the time being there are no facts about “precisely where and how
many”. Ogandzhanyan said he was surprised where the chairman of the
Azerbaijani national committee of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly,
Arzu Abdullayeva, had obtained this information from. At the same
time, Ogandzhanyan expressed confidence that the Azerbaijani media
ascribed this statement to Abdullayeva as the rights activists had
had experience of this kind in the past as well.
A report posted on KavkazWeb.net website on 4 August also quoted
Abdullayeva as saying that 21 Azerbaijanis had been buried in a mass
grave in the vicinity of the village of Marzili in Agdam District. One
of them has been identified as an officer of the Sumqayit regiment,
Lt Aliyev, the website said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish writer on trial
Cyprus Observer, Cyprus
Aug 5, 2006
The Beyoglu prosecutor’s office in Istanbul yesterday formally opened
a lawsuit against novelist and Turkish Daily News columnist Elif
Safak on charges of “insulting Turkishness”, after a court approved
the indictment. The opening of the case against Safak was announced
on the same day that an Istanbul court dropped a lawsuit against
novelist Orhan Pamuk. Safak will stand trial because of the words
uttered by fictional Armenian characters in her novel “Baba ve Pic”
(The Bastard of Istanbul). She is accused of belittling Turkishness in
her book. Both the Pamuk and Safak cases were initiated by nationalist
lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz.

Suspected skinheads attack three Caucasians in Moscow
Agence France Presse — English
August 5, 2006 Saturday 10:00 PM GMT
MOSCOW, Aug 5 2006 — A group of suspected skinheads attacked three
residents of Russia’s Caucasian republic of Dagestan in a suburban
Moscow train, Russian news agencies reported late Saturday.
“Two Dagestanis were hospitalised in a serious condition, another one
was allowed to go home,” police sources were quoted by the ITAR-TASS
news agency as saying.
Police were questioning witnesses and searching for the culprits,
the sources said.
Recognisable Russian ethnic minorities — especially Chechens and
other Caucasians — as well as Armenians, Roma gypsies and Jews,
and foreign nationals such as Africans and Asians, have increasingly
been targeted in racist attacks.
Although a string of murders by skinheads has grabbed the headlines,
human rights campaigners also accuse Russian security forces and
semi-official law enforcement militias of routine abuses and point
to a climate of near-impunity.
Crimes against foreigners in Russia have risen by 33 percent this year
compared with the same period in 2005, with 6,000 crimes registered
against foreigners and non-citizens, the interior ministry has
announced.
Rights defenders reported that ethnic hatred motivated 18 murders
and 129 attacks this year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Business Times Singapore
August 5, 2006 Saturday
Stiffer penalties proposed for damaging national monuments;
But some think the proposed changes penalise private owners twice
over
by Wee Li-en
(SINGAPORE) Private individuals or companies who own a little bit of
Singapore history could soon have to take even more care to look
after it properly.
Major amendments to the Preservation of Monuments Act are proposed by
the Preservation of Monuments Board to strengthen its powers against
errant building owners.
At present, a person who damages a monument faces a maximum fine of
$5,000 or a jail term of up to six months, or both.
The proposal raises this penalty to a maximum fine of $200,000 or up
to 12 months in prison, or both.
For continuing offences, a further fine not exceeding $100,000 a day
can be imposed.
Besides, the court will have the power to order the offender to
restore the national monument at his own expense and to the board’s
specifications.
Singapore’s 55 national monuments include Raffles Hotel, the Armenian
Church and the Nagore Durgha Shrine.
The owners and occupants of these national monuments will be
duty-bound to ensure that the monuments are properly maintained.
If they do not comply with preservation notices sent by the board
requiring maintenance works to be done, they can be fined up to
$25,000.
The board will be able to send officers to enter a national monument
at any time to carry out works and to get the owner to pay for the
work.
The minister will be empowered to restrict activity on land
surrounding national monuments to ensure the monuments are not
endangered.
The board said that the existing Act is insufficient to protect
monuments from errant owners who in some cases cause irreparable
damage.
BT understands that the board was referring to unauthorised
renovations made to the Tan Si Chong Su Temple at Magazine Road. The
temple official responsible was fined $500 in 2003.
Kevin Tan, president of the Singapore Heritage Society, welcomed the
stronger penalties for those who damage monuments, but said that
there might be problems with the provisions which imposed obligations
on their private owners.
‘Many people who own monuments do not ask for their buildings to
become monuments, they just happen to be buildings that are deemed
important and historical,’ he said.
Dr Tan said that the proposed changes penalised private owners twice
over.
‘If you have your property designated as a national monument, it is
as good as saying this property has become economically unviable,’ he
said, as it loses any future redevelopment potential.
The board invites the public to share their views on the proposed
changes. The consultation exercise is expected to be completed by
early October.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armavia denies alleged debts to Russian sky controllers
by: Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
August 4, 2006 Friday 11:42 AM EST
The Armavia Armenian Airline said on Friday it has no debts to Russian
air traffic controllers.
“The airline has fully met financial commitments to the Russian State
Air Traffic Control Corporation,” Armavia Deputy General Director
Rafael Avstikyan told Itar-Tass. “All the technical problems have been
smoothed over. Our planes flied, are flying and will fly to Russia.”
The Russian State Air Traffic Control Corporation said earlier in the
day that it would stop giving aero-navigation services to Armavia
in the Russian skies starting from August 14, because of the debt
nearing $800,000.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 2006
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE TO MARK 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIA’S
INDEPENDENCE
Beverly Hills, CA – As the Republic of Armenia prepares to celebrate
15 years of independence next month, the Assembly today welcomed a
decision by California State Senators Charles Poochigian (R-Fresno) and
Joseph Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to introduce a resolution in the State
Senate designating September 21, 2006 as “Armenian Independence Day.”
A similar resolution will also be introduced in the State Assembly
by Majority Leader Dario Frommer (D-Glendale) and Assembly Member
Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton), making California the first state to
mark the anniversary of Armenia’s independence.
“The Armenian Assembly would like to thank Senators Poochigian and
Simitian, as well as Assembly Members Frommer and Aghazarian, for their
leadership and for promoting ever-closer U.S.-Armenia relations,”
said Western Office Director Lena Kaimian. “Through their efforts,
California continues to be at the forefront of new legislative
initiatives in promoting issues important to Armenian-Americans.”
Simitian and Frommer both participated in an Assembly-led delegation
to Armenia in 2001.
Both resolutions recognize September 21, as “A Day of Celebration
of the California-Armenia Relationship,” and encourage the people
of California to recognize the many talents, achievements, and
contributions that Californians of Armenian heritage make.
The resolutions also note that California is home to the largest
population of Armenians in the U.S., and state, “those citizens have
enriched California through leadership in the fields of academia,
medicine, business, agriculture, government, and the arts, and are
proud patriotic practitioners of the American citizenship.”
Since its independence from the Soviet Union in December 1991, Armenia
has vigorously pursued free-market reforms within a democratic
framework. The United States was among the first countries to
recognize the fledgling democracy and over the years, the governments
developed a strong partnership based on shared values and mutual goals.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.
###
NR#2006-073
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress