Author: Emil Lazarian

SENATOR CHUCK POOCHIGIAN HONORED AT LOS ANGELES AREA DINNER FOR
CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL CAMPAIGN

LOS ANGELES, January 19 (Noyan Tapan). California State Senator Chuck
Poochigian (R-Fresno) was honored at a dinner in support of his
campaign for Attorney General held at Sheraton Universal Hotel in
Universal City on Thursday, January 13, 2005. The dinner program
featured California’s 35th Governor, George Deukmejian, who also
served as Attorney General. Dr. Joan Otomo-Corgel, a longtime
Poochigian family friend was the emcee for the event. Governor
Deukmejian was introduced by former California Congressman and
Assemblyman Steve Kuykendall. Governor Deukmejian offered remarks on
the history and importance of the office of Attorney General and
praised Poochigian and his wife, Debbie, for their work in government
and politics. He warmly introduced Senator Poochigian to approximately
500 enthusiastic dinner guests. Senator Poochigian spoke about his
preparation for the office beginning with his work as a member of the
senior staff to Governors Deukmejian and Pete Wilson. His
responsibilities had included considerable work in assisting in the
selection of members of the judiciary and seeking men and women for
appointment who were highly respected, hard-working, and committed to
the rule of law. He spoke of the importance of similar qualities in
the state’s chief law officer who, in the ideal, should judiciously
carry out the duties of the office. Senator Poochigian spoke about the
challenges of conducting a statewide race and the necessity of having
strong involvement of committed supporters throughout California. He
encouraged guests to actively participate in the campaign and to
encourage others to join in the effort. Entertainment was provided by
Fred Travalena, a renowned singer, impressionist, comedian and song
writer who has performed internationally on stage and screen. Jill
Simonian, who is a television host of World Entertainment Connections,
sang the National Anthem and closed the evening with a wonderful
rendition of America the Beautiful. First elected to the Legislature
in 1994, Chuck Poochigian has in the course of two Assembly and Senate
terms, represented Central California from Bakersfield to the
Sacramento county line. He has been in the leadership of the
Republican Caucus for his entire time in the Legislature – beginning
in his first term when he chaired the Appropriations Committee and was
named “Republican Rookie of the Year” (in a class of 22). He has had a
distinguished legislative career with many important legislative
accomplishments in the fields of education, business and law
enforcement. Most recently, he was the author of comprehensive
legislation sponsored by Governor Schwarzenegger to reform
California’s workers’ compensation system.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
January 23, 2005 Sunday 1:39 AM Eastern Time

Yushchenko-third and youngest Ukrainian president

KIEV

New Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko enters his presidential
office on Sunday. He is the third head of state in independent
Ukraine: Leonid Kravchuk was the first. Then, Leonid Kuchma was
elected two times, but Yushchenko is the youngest of them: a month
later, he will turn 51 on February 23. He had been born in the
village of Khoruzhevka, Sumy Region in 1954.

In 1976, Yushchenko graduated from the Ternopol financial and
economics institute. Then, he served in border troops of the Soviet
Army on the Soviet-Turkish border, not far from the then city of
Leninakan, Armenia.

Since 1976, he worked in the banking system at first as an economist
and then head of a branch of the State Bank of the USSR in the Sumy
Region. Between 1985 and 1999, he was moving up the ladder of the
banking career up to the head of the Ukrainian republican branch of
the State Bank of the USSR.

In 1984, he graduated from the post-graduate courses of the Ukrainian
research institute of economics and agriculture, receiving the degree
of Candidate of Economic Sciences. Since 1992, worked as first deputy
board chairman of the Ukraina commercial agro-industrial bank.
Chairman of the Ukrainian National Bank between January 1993 and
December 1999.

The republic carried out successfully a monetary reform under his
guidance. He established a state treasury and started setting up a
mint. In 1997, Yushchenko ranked among the six best bankers of the
world.

He was Ukrainian prime minister from December 1999 and to April 2001.
In January 2002, Yushchenko formed and headed the election bloc Our
Ukraine, incorporating ten center-right parties. The bloc received
the highest support among other parties and blocs at the
parliamentary election in March 2002 – 24.7 percent electors voted
for it. Yushchenko headed the Our Ukraine parliamentary faction,
numbering 101.

On December 26,2004, Yushchenko carried the elections, winning 51.99
percent of the electorate in the rerun of the second round of
elections.

He married the second time. Has five children: two sons and three
daughters as well as two grandsons.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
Jan 20 2005

Analysis: Moscow Sheds Light On Karabakh Talks
By Liz Fuller

In order not to risk jeopardizing any rapprochement that has been
achieved, the participants in what has come to be known as the
“Prague process” of ministerial level talks under the aegis of the
OSCE Minsk Group on approaches to resolving the Karabakh conflict
have until now abided by a gentlemen’s agreement not to divulge to
the press the specific topics under discussion.

In line with that agreement, neither Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian nor his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov have
divulged any details of their most recent talks in Prague on 10-11
January. But four days after those talks, the Russian Foreign
Ministry issued a press release
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listing specific issues under discussion, adding that on some of
those issues the two sides’ positions have become closer.

Speaking to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service after meeting with Mammadyarov
on 11 January, Oskanian characterized the mood of the talks as
“positive.” He said that “full agreement” has not yet been reached on
the principles of a settlement, but that “there is a general
framework of issues, but as this meeting showed, they need to be
consolidated.” He added that “it is still too early to disclose any
details.” Briefing journalists in Yerevan the following day, Oskanian
predicted that settlement talks this year will be “quite intensive,”
thus marking a qualitative shift to a new, more serious phase of
discussions. Noyan Tapan quoted him as saying that “all elements”
related to a peaceful solution of the conflict are on the table,
without listing those elements.

Oskanian further noted that Azerbaijani media frequently misrepresent
the nature and focus of the talks, and that “everyone” — presumably
meaning both Mammadyarov and the U.S., Russian, and French
co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group — agree that “officials should
be more circumspect when making statements.”

On 13 January, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov
similarly briefed journalists in Baku on the Prague talks. Azimov
said that while Baku insists that any solution to the conflict must
preserve Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, the restoration of
territorial integrity alone will not solve all problems: in that
context he mentioned specifically the future peaceful coexistence of
the Armenian population of Karabakh and those Azerbaijanis who fled
the region over a decade ago when the conflict first turned violent
and hope to return there.

Azimov also listed issues that could form part of a hypothetical
solution to the conflict. He said that if Armenian troops are
withdrawn from Azerbaijani territory, Azerbaijan would be ready to
restore economic and other relations with Armenia. He was quoted by
zerkalo.az as saying that “a little later, the question of the return
to the region of the Azerbaijani population and the coexistence of
the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities in Nagorno-Karabakh must be
addressed. Once interregional ties and ties between Nagorno-Karabakh
and Armenia [on the one hand] and the government of Azerbaijan are
established, it will be possible to achieve a normalization of the
situation and set about seeking a solution to other political
questions.” Whether Oskanian and Mammadyarov have discussed that
specific sequence of events is not clear, however.

Azimov dismissed as “speculation” reports that the liberation of
three of the seven districts of Azerbaijan currently under Armenian
control is under discussion: he said that “in the course of the
Prague process the question of liberating all seven districts
surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh at the first stage is being discussed.”
According to echo-az.com, Azimov likewise denied that the possibility
of holding a referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh on the region’s future
status was addressed in Prague, and he expressed regret that such
“unreliable information” finds its way into the press. In an article
published in “Le Figaro” last month, former Spanish Foreign Minister
Ana Palacio and Pierre Lellouche, who is NATO Parliamentary Assembly
president, argued that the Karabakh conflict differs fundamentally
from those in Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transdniester, and that
“the Europeans, Americans, and Russians should jointly defend a
compromise [settlement] that would give Armenia temporary control of
Karabakh in exchange for the withdrawal of Armenian forces from
Azerbaijani territory, [with] the final status of Karabakh to be
decided by its inhabitants in a referendum in five or 10 years’
time.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry press release listed among the
“contentious issues” under discussion: the withdrawal of [Armenian]
troops, demilitarization of the previously occupied territories,
international security guarantees for the Armenian population of
Karabakh, and the unrecognized republic’s future status vis-a-vis
Azerbaijan. The press release reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to
contribute, together with the other two Minsk Group co-chairs, to
“deepening the mutual understanding between Armenia and Azerbaijan”
with a view to bringing about a peaceful solution to the conflict.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A. Inc.
Regional Executive
517 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, CA 91202-2812
Telephone: (818) 500-1343
Fax: (818) 242-3732
e-mail: [email protected]
Submitted by: Rita Hintlian, ARS Regional Executive, Secretary
Staff Contact: Dr. Rita Vorperian, Executive Secretary

ARS OF WESTERN USA HONORS
VOLUNTEER SOCIAL WORKER IN HER EIGHTIES

Glendale, CA – the Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A. (ARS-
WR) Christmas party took on a special celebratory mood on January
4, when General Accountant/Controller Jasik Jarahian announced
that one of the social services workers, Annig Sarkissian, was
being honored for her volunteerism. Santa swooped the thin tall
lady, who was a little shy, from her seat and brought her to
center stage. ARS-WR Regional Executive Chair, Angela Savoian;
ARS-WR Social Services Director, Sona Zinzalian; and Assistant
Director, Louise Gourjian were on hand to explain why Sarkissian
was so precious for the Social Services Agency and the Regional
Executive, and honored her with a plaque.

Volunteerism is the essence of ARS. Since ARS members practice
volunteerism daily, they are familiar with the concept. However,
it is unique to have someone explain how a volunteer will ask
permission to be absent, as Zinzalian did, describing
Sarkissian’s work ethic. The volunteer who does not stop when
there is any more work left in her area, but asks if the Regional
Executive’s Accountant needs help. Gourjian read the plaque
recognizing the work of the former staff-member-turned-volunteer.
Savoian expressed the Regional Executive’s appreciation of
Sarkissian’s presence within the office saying, “We are so happy
that we have someone like you amongst us.” The honoree, who is in
her eighties, in turn promised to volunteer until she turns 100.
The cheers were especially strong from several tables, where some
of her social services colleagues from the five offices in the
Southland were seated.

The Christmas party is an annual event, which amongst the 350 ARS
members attending from San Diego to the San Fernando Valley,
included three generations of ARSers. ARS Central Executive (CE)
representative, Hasmig Derderian, ARS CE member Anahid Meymarian,
and ARF Central Committee representative, Vahe Bozoian were among
the attendees. An east coast transplant, Yeretzgin Habeshian,
officiated the prayers. Meymarian, speaking on behalf of the ARS-
CE, urged the membership to stay physically and mentally healthy
in order to carry on the name and reputation of the ARS, an
organization, which will celebrate its centennial in 5 years.
Savoian, invited the Regional Executive members who were present,
to join her for a toast, explaining her appreciation for being
surrounded by like-minded board members, which make the meetings
to discuss the serious issues for the ARS more enjoyable.
Savoian also announced the start of the campaign to assist the
tsunami victims and January 15, the special fundraising day, when
the ARS-WR Regional headquarters were open to accept donations.

Jarahian was the party coordinator this year, and she had
arranged for performances by Razmig Mansourian and Alen
Aghajanian. A new addition, the cappuccino service was especially
popular this year, along with a uniquely decorated and supplied
fruit table, which was a donation by Arthur Hamedi.

For a brief few hours, ARSers enjoyed the company of fellow
members in a happy and carefree setting, only to return to their
chapters and continue to carry their responsibilities in service
of their communities.
ARSwestUSA.org

BUSH IS DANGEROUS FOR THE WORLD, BBC PRESUMES

Azg/arm
20 Jan 05

The public poll carried out by BBC, testifies to the fact that the
majority of the world’s population is against the re-election of
George Bush, the US President.

According to the poll carried out in 21 countries, only the residents
of India, Poland and the Philippines believe that during Bush’s
secondtenure the world will become a safer place to live.

The residents of all the 21 countries protest against sending their
compatriots for joining the troops in Iraq. “The negative attitude
towards Bush is widely spread and includes the American electorate, as
well,” Steven Cool, head of International Policy Programs, said.

In Russia, 39% of the population is against the re-election of Bush,
while 16% are for it. 64% of the Russians think that the American have
negative impact of the world’s developments, while 16% of them
estimate the actionsof the American positively.

In all 21 countries 58% of the population are against the American
President’ s re-election. The Western European, Latin American and
Muslim countries are among the ones that evaluate negatively the
America’s influence on the world. The Great Britain, France, Germany,
the US allies, as well as Canada and Mexico, its neighbors, are among
these countries.

Poland is the only exception in Europe. The majority of its residents
evaluate positively the actions of Bush and the American, in general.

82% of the Turkish citizens are against the re-election of Bush, as
they think that it may endanger the safety of the world. Taking into
account that fact that turkey is the only Muslim NATO member, such an
attitude is a serious political blow directed against the US.

Indonesia and Lebanon are not content with the US foreign policy. In
Argentina 79% of the country’s citizens are against Bush, while in
Brazil the number of such people amount to 78%.

On the contrary, 62% of the Indian citizens evaluate the re-election
of Bush positively.

By Petros Keshishian

La Croix , France
18 janvier 2005

Turquie. Arménie.
En France, les Turcs et les Arméniens veulent cohabiter en paix. Les
Arméniens – ou Français d’origine arménienne – craignent que le débat
sur l’adhésion de la Turquie à l’Europe ne suscite des tensions.

par ROYER Solenn de

Le 27 novembre dernier, à Valence, en plein centre-ville. Derrière
une table de fortune montée à côté de la mairie, une dizaine de
membres d’associations arméniennes distribuent des tracts aux
passants pour dénoncer l’éventuelle adhésion de la Turquie à l’Union
européenne. Les manifestants font également signer une pétition.
Indignés par les propos retranscrits sur les tracts, une dizaine de
jeunes Valentinois d’origine turque s’approchent du stand. La tension
monte. Ce sont d’abord des insultes. Puis des coups. La rixe fait
quatre blessés côté arménien, dont deux avec une interruption
temporaire de travail (ITT) de deux jours. Les victimes ont déposé
plainte. Aucun des jeunes agresseurs n’était connu des services de
police. “Il s’agit d’un incident ennuyeux mais isolé”, veut
relativiser un responsable policier.

Dans la capitale de la Drôme, qui a toujours vu les communautés
arménienne et turque vivre en bonne intelligence, l’incident a marqué
les esprits. Dans les jours qui ont suivi la rixe, le préfet du
département, Christian Decharière – qui vient de quitter ses
fonctions – a organisé une rencontre entre des responsables
associatifs arméniens et turcs, ainsi que des élus. “Nous avons
expliqué aux Turcs que les Arméniens avaient le droit d’exprimer
librement leur ressentiment concernant l’histoire dramatique qu’ont
vécue leurs familles dans le passé, explique le préfet. C’est la
première fois que de tels faits se produisent ici.”

Selon le maire de Valence, Lena Balsan, la communauté arménienne
compte pour 10% de la population valentinoise. Il s’agit de la
diaspora la plus importante en France, après Paris et Marseille. Les
premiers migrants, rescapés du génocide orchestré par l’État Turc en
1915, sont arrivés par le sud de la France, ont longé le Rhône, et se
sont arrêtés là où ils trouvaient du travail, notamment dans les
industries textiles de la Drôme ou les soieries d’Ardèche. “Il s’agit
d’une communauté exemplaire en matière d’intégration, observe Lena
Balsan. Qui a toujours respecté les lois de la République.” Même
chose côté turc, renchérit le préfet de la Drôme, en ajoutant que
“l’éducation est une notion très forte dans les familles turques”.

Une multiplication de petits incidents

Pour le président de la Coordination des organisations arméniennes de
Drôme-Ardèche, Robert Tafankejian, l’incident de novembre ne serait
pas lié à des difficultés entre les deux communautés. Mais “le fait
d’une minorité de jeunes issus de l’immigration turque qui ont grandi
dans l’ignorance” et “perpétuent le négationnisme du génocide,
véhiculé depuis toujours par l’État turc”. “Ceux qui sont nés en
France sont très radicaux, explique ce responsable associatif
d’origine arménienne. Ils restent entre eux, collent le drapeau turc
à l’arrière de leurs voitures et cultivent un ultranationalisme.”
Pour le président de l’association culturelle et sportive
franco-turque de Valance, Selami Aslantas, “si les première et
deuxième générations de l’immigration turque en France n’ont pas
réagi, la troisième en a assez de se faire traiter d’assassins.”
C’est ainsi que Selami explique “le dérapage” du 27 novembre.

Pour le vice-président de l’association culturelle des jeunes
Français d’origine turque de Valence, Herkan Erben, ce sont au
contraire les jeunes Français d’origine arménienne qui auraient
tendance à “se replier sur leur identité”. “Certains d’entre eux ne
cessent de répéter à nos enfants: “ Ton grand-père a tué le mien! ”
Ce n’est pas ainsi que l’on btira le monde ensemble!” Avant la rixe
de Valence, les associations arméniennes ont recensé d’autres
incidents, de moindre importance, visant la communauté. Le 14
novembre à Marseille, alors que Jacques Chirac inaugurait la nouvelle
bibliothèque, des manifestants arméniens – venus rappeler au chef de
l’État que les négociations sur l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’Europe
devaient être conditionnées à la reconnaissance du génocide arménien
par l’État turc – se seraient fait “violemment insulter par un Turc”,
raconte le président du Conseil de coordination des organisations
arméniennes de France (CCAF) pour la région PACA, Michel Guéviguian.
Le CCAF avait alors aussitôt demandé au préfet de police de Marseille
de “sécuriser” les lieux de culte arméniens, en prévision du “Noël
arménien”, le 6 janvier.

Depuis 2003, le Comité de défense de la cause arménienne, basé à
Paris, a également recensé plusieurs profanations de monuments dédiés
aux victimes du génocide arménien: à Vienne, Paris, Grenoble, ou
encore Alforville. Des actes souvent perpétrés autour du 24 avril,
date de la commémoration du génocide. “Ce sont des actes isolés,
oeuvre d’une minorité radicale”, veut relativiser le Comité, qui se
refuse à voir dans ces incidents le signe d’une “montée en puissance
du sentiment anti-arménien en France”. Toutefois, le débat sur
l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’Union européenne fait craindre à
beaucoup une recrudescence des tensions entre les Arméniens et les
Turcs. “C’est évidemment le débat sur l’élargissement qui a provoqué
les incidents de Valence”, note de fait le maire de la ville. “Nous
ne voulons pas être exagérément alarmistes, renchérit le président du
CCAF, Ara Toranian. Mais nous sommes inquiets. Pas tant des menaces
physiques que de l’entrée d’une Turquie négationniste dans l’Europe.
Et des conséquences que cela pourrait avoir sur la mémoire d’une
part, et sur notre liberté d’expression en France, d’autre part.”
Pour Ara Toranian, “il faut pénaliser le négationnisme du génocide
arménien. C’est le seul moyen de couper court aux risques de
dérapage.”

Les agresseurs “regrettent ce qu’ils ont fait”

Coordinateur de l’association citoyenne des originaires de Turquie
(ACORT, basée à Paris), Umit Metin estime que le débat sur l’adhésion
de la Turquie et l’expression d’une opposition, parfois virulente, à
cette adhésion suscitent “un repli identitaire” chez les Turcs de
France. “Nous nous sentons attaqués par certains propos, alors que
nous sommes pour la plupart citoyens français et européens.”

En attendant, les Arméniens de Valence assurent qu’ils ont pris leurs
“dispositions” pour que l’incident de novembre dernier ne se
reproduise pas. “Dorénavant, nous aurons notre propre service
d’ordre”, prévient Robert Tafankejian. De son côté, Selami Aslantas
veut croire que tout s’est “arrangé”. “Nous ne voulons pas que cet
incident se reproduise, assure-t-il. Nous sommes ici pour travailler
et nourrir une famille, pas pour nous taper dessus.” Le responsable
associatif explique que les jeunes agresseurs ont été “punis par
leurs parents”, et qu’ils devront “retaper le local associatif du
quartier”. “Croyez-moi, dit Selami, ils regrettent ce qu’ils ont
fait.”

SOLENN DE ROYER

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 18 2005

Powell states support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in a reciprocal letter to
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, stated US support for
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
`The United States supports Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and
believes the Upper Garabagh conflict must be fully resolved through
peace talks being held by the two sides, considering their
positions.’
Powell expressed his gratitude for the letter sent by Azerbaijan,
which lays out the country’s initiative to discuss the situation in
the occupied Azeri land at the UN General Assembly. Powell said
Washington remains committed to a peace conflict resolution and
welcomed the talks between Azeri and Armenian foreign ministers in
the Prague format and those held by the two countries’ Presidents in
Warsaw and Astana.
With regard to the draft resolution submitted by Baku to the UN
General Assembly, Powell said the OSCE Minsk Group, while keeping the
talks in the same format, will outline actual ways of eliminating the
concerns indicated by Azerbaijan.
Powell also said he was satisfied with the fact that the fact-finding
mission to visit occupied Azerbaijani territories will include
experts and is looking forward to getting the results.*

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Jan 18 2005

The Armenian contingent of peacekeepers to leave for Iraq today

Armenia takes 5th place on inflation level among CIS countries in
Jan-Nov 2004

Sitting of the commission on celebration of 1600th anniversary of
creation of Armenian written language takes place today

Appointed new Ambassador of Armenia to Bulgaria

Activity dedicated to 15th anniversary of Armenian massacre in Baku
takes place in Yerevan

An exhibition `Discover Armenia’ of the Armenian art is opened in the
art center of Ganshoren Brussels community

*********************************************************************

THE ARMENIAN CONTINGENT OF PEACEKEEPERS TO LEAVE FOR IRAQ TODAY

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. The Armenian contingent of peacekeepers
consisting of 46 people will leave for Iraq. Hercules C130 American
military airplane landed in Armenia to take Armenian servicemen to
Iraq. According to the commander of the group Garush Avetisyan, the
Armenian contingent will leave for Kuwait first and then for Iraq.
The contingent as a part of the Polish division will participate in
the process of maintaining stability in Iraq. Armenian peacekeepers
include a commander, signal officer adjunct to the headquarter of the
Polish division, a commander of the platoon, 3 doctors (a
cardiologist, a therapeutist and a psychiatrist), 10 combat engineers
and 30 drivers. The Division will be divided into two parts – drivers
and combat engineers will be located in the city of El-Hilla in the
South of Baghdad, and doctors will be located in the South-West of
the capital of Iraq. According to Avetisyan, two-week training will
be organized before the peacekeeping mission begins.
As RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan stated before, since the
authorities approved of the contingent’s staying in Iraq for a year,
6 months later the staff will be replaced.
On December 24, 2004, RA NA ratified the memorandum about sending
Armenians to Iraq, where they will be under the command of Polish
division. 91 deputies voted for sending the contingent to Iraq, 23
deputies-against, and 1 abstained. The decision was taken after the
discussions lasting for 7 hours behind the closed doors. Two
opposition factions boycotting the parliament, namely Justice bloc
and National Unity, participated in the discussions. Dashnaktrsutyun
party, which is a part of the ruling coalition, and Justice
opposition bloc were against sending Armenian servicemen to Iraq.
A.H.-0 –

*********************************************************************

ARMENIA TAKES 5TH PLACE ON INFLATION LEVEL AMONG CIS COUNTRIES IN
JAN-NOV 2004

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. Armenia takes 5th place on inflation
level among CIS countries in Jan-Nov 2004, with inflation level of
7.4%, CIS Statistic Committee reports. At this maximal growth of
prices was registered in Belarus – 18.4% and minimal – in Kyrgystan –
4.2%. In the rest countries it goes as follows Azerbaijan – 6.4%,
Georgia – 5.5%, Kazakhstan – 6.9%, Moldova – 12.4%, Russia – 10.8%,
Tajikistan – 6.8%.
At the same time the biggest growth of consumer prices was registered
in Azerbaijan – 2.3% and deflation in Tajikistan made 0.3%. In
Armenia the prices grew by 0.8%, in Russia – 1.1%. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

SITTING OF THE COMMISSION ON CELEBRATION OF 1600TH ANNIVERSARY OF
CREATION OF ARMENIAN WRITTEN LANGUAGE TAKES PLACE TODAY

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. Sitting of the commission on celebration
of 1600th anniversary of creation of Armenian written language took
place today in Yerevan under the chair of RA PM Andranik Margarian.
The Commission specified places and terms of conduction of more than
two dozens of activities envisaged by the program and determining the
figures responsible for their realization. The activities will start
in May-June 2005 with republican festival of declamation, the
activities will also be conducted in Nagorno Karabakh and Armenian
regions. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

APPOINTED NEW AMBASSADOR OF ARMENIA TO BULGARIA

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. The decree of RA President Robert
Kocharian appointed Sergey Manaserian Armenian Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bulgaria, President’s press
service told ARKA. L.D. –0 –

*********************************************************************

ACTIVITY DEDICATED TO 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN MASSACRE IN BAKU
TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. Activity dedicated to 15th anniversary
of Armenian massacre in Baku took place in Yerevan. According to the
organizer of the activity, the Chairman of Public Organization Center
of Civil Society Svetlana Aslanian `similar crime should not be
forgotten’.
RA Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdian refugees from Baku and representatives
of public organizations took part in the activity.
Aggression against Armenians of Baku in the form of murders, violence
and robbery became more frequent in December 1989. By January 12-13,
1990, massacres of Armenians in Baku acquired an organized and
ubiquitous character. On January 13, 1990, 60 thou activists lead by
the National Azeri Front in a mass meeting, started the methodical
`cleanup’ of the city from Armenians. There are numerous facts of
brutal carnages of the peaceful Armenian population in the Azeri
capital. The exact number of killed is still unknown. Only when the
Soviet forces entered Baku on January 20, the survived Armenians
managed to leave the country. L.D. -0 –

*********************************************************************

AN EXHIBITION `DISCOVER ARMENIA’ OF THE ARMENIAN ART IS OPENED IN THE
ART CENTER OF GANSHOREN BRUSSELS COMMUNITY

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. An exhibition `Discover Armenia’ of the
Armenian art is opened in the art center of Ganshoren Brussels
community. According to RA MFA Press Service Department, work by
artists Levon Aghayan, Avetis Balayan, Samo, and sculptors Mariam
Grigoryan and Suren Oganyan are exhibited. The exhibition will last
till January 23. A.H. –0–

SONS OF THE ARMENIAN NATION WHO “TURNED INTO” KURDS AND TURKS

Azg/arm
18 Jan 05

It was a taboo till recently to write of the Armenians who were
forcibly turned into Turks and Kurds during the Ottoman reign. Most of
them, living today in Western Europe, Western Armenia and Cilicia
(modern-day Turkey), are going through a revival of national
identification. After the Armenians of Hamshen, those from Sassoon,
Mush and Taron, who were forcibly converted into Islam,are especially
easy to talk with about their past and present. They try to return to
the bosom of their nation by overcoming their “guise”, the names and
surnames, and to fight for their rights and to recover the historic
legacy of their forefathers massacred by the Turks.

One can meet those Armenians returning to their roots in Germany as
well as in Armenia especially after the war in Iraq and the vents at
the Turkish border. Some “Kurdish” Armenians fought in the ranks of
the PKK (Kurdish Workers’ Party) and got disappointed after Ojalan’s
capture and left for Germany where they could find a wide field for
political and national activity. They settled in Frankfurt, Wiesbaden,
Stuttgart, Mainz and elsewhere.

“I was born in Karmir Khach (Kzl Akhach) village of Taron. We shunned
the Armenian Genocide as we accepted Islam feigningly and were
Kurdish-speaking. My father and brother enrolled in the PKK to fight
against Turkish fascism, they were imprisoned and tortured numerous
times. I’ve been studying andworking here in Germany for a long time
and am in touch with the Armenian communityand the progressive
forces. But in Western Armenia, especially in originally Armenian
Vardo town, which was stricken by an earthquake in 60s and where my
relatives live, human rights violations are rampant”, Simon Kostanian
(Sardet Kosdun), who regained his Armenian identity today, tells.

Razmik Hakobian (Nureddin Yagub) from one of Cilicia villages was a
PKK warrior but was arrested and jailed in one of Ankara’s horrific
prisons. He is a writer and a film director who is planning to shoot a
film about the life of Diaspora Armenians.

“My parents concealed our identity particularly because being an
Armenian was an unforgettable affront in Adiamani where I am coming
from. Despite this, many “Kurdish” and “Turkish” Armenians were called
“gyavur”. The film I am trying to shoot is about an Armenian outcast
and also is an odyssey of a Western Armenians who survived the
Genocide. I shall realize my plans if I find necessary support in
Armenia and by the help of our confederates in WesternEurope”, Razmik
tells.

The number of Armenians, who only now discover their identity, above
all in Sassoon and Mush, amounts to thousands.

“There are around 1000 Armenians in Mush. The Turkish government has
forgotten us for a while, as there are the Kurds to deal with. The
sons of the Kurdish people say sorry for their fathers’ deeds who were
killing Armenians together with the Turks”, Armen from Mush says.

By Hamo Moskofian in Wiesbaden-Marseilles

Armenian president signs bill to combat money laundering

.c The Associated Press

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Armenian President Robert Kocharian has signed
into law a parliamentary bill on combating money-laundering, his
office said Sunday.

The new law, which is also intended to help block funding of
terrorism, requires banks to report money transfers by individual
clients exceeding the equivalent of US10,000 (about euro7,600) and
obliges business structures to report all real-estate deals worth the
equivalent of more than US$100,000 (about euro76,000).

The law establishes a special structure under the ex-Soviet republic’s
Central Bank to track down money-laundering.

01/16/05 13:41 EST