Author: Emil Lazarian

BELMONT LIBRARY HOSTS CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT
Lexington Minuteman, MA
March 30 2006
Pianist Levon Hovsepian and cellist Arkady Beletsky will present
an afternoon concert of chamber music at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 2,
at the Belmont Public Library, 336 Concord Ave. The free concert,
which will be held in the Assembly Room, is sponsored by the Friends
of the Library as part of the Music on Sunday series.
Hovsepian and Beletsky, who are both on the faculty of the Indian Hill
Music Center in Littleton, will perform works by Bach, Beethoven,
Brahms, Arutunian, Prokofiev, and Popper. Hovsepian also teaches at
the Powers Music School in Belmont.
Both Hovsepian and Beletsky began performing professionally as
children and achieved performing careers overseas before moving to
the Boston area. A graduate of the Komitas Conservatory in Soviet
Armenia, Hovsepian performed throughout Armenia, Estonia and Moldova
and appeared as a soloist with the Yerevan Symphony Orchestra and
on Armenian national television. After attracting major critical
attention in Armenia, he was invited to study at the Longy School
of Music in Cambridge. He made his New York debut in 1994 and became
known for his compelling interpretive style and expansive technique.
He was a prize winner at the Arlington Concerto Competition and has
appeared as a soloist with the Salem Philharmonic Orchestra, the New
England Philharmonic Orchestra, WGBH radio, and Moscow Radio.
Beletsky was born in Kiev, Ukraine and completed his master’s degree in
music at the Gnesin Institute of Music in Moscow. In 1983 he founded
the Renaissance Chamber Ensemble, which rose to prominence as one of
the most prolific and well-regarded chamber groups in pre-Perestroika
Russia, headlining over 1,000 concerts throughout the 15 republics
of the Soviet Union. In 1989 Beletsky emigrated to the U.S. with his
family. Since then, he has performed solo, chamber and orchestral work
at Jordan Hall, Sanders Theater and Mechanics Hall, has participated
in numerous music festivals, and has made a live appearance on WGBH’s
“Morning Pro Musica.”
For more information about the concert, please call 617-489-2000,
ext. 2870.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IN THE ARTS: NORA ARMANI
Atlanticville, NJ
March 30 2006
Nora Armani, international singer/actress, will star in a one-woman
show, “On the Couch With Nora Armani,” on Saturday, April 1, at 8
p.m. at St. Stepanos Armenian Church, 1184 Ocean Ave. in Elberon.
Armani alternates between humor and nostalgia in recounting the story
of her family’s expulsion from Armenia by the Turks, their witnessing
of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, her youth in post-revolution Egypt
and immigration to America. This special production is presented for
the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Program and is sponsored by the
Center for Holocaust Studies at Brookdale Community College. Tickets
are $15, $12 for members of the center. For reservations, call (732)
842-650.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

STRENGTHENING OF PARLIAMENT-SOCIETY LINK HIGHLIGHTED
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
March 30 2006
On March 28, a meeting of volunteers of citizens’ information and
communication centers was organized in the National Assembly, in
which NA employees, representatives of USAID/Armenia: Legislative
Strengthening Program, 20 communities of the republic, public
organizations attended.
In his opening speech Hovhannes Zargaryan, Deputy Chief of NA Staff,
informed that by NA President Artur Baghdasaryan’s order a task was
given to strengthen the parliament-society link, which will promote
the further development of democracy and freedom of speech. Hovhannes
Zargaryan proposed those present to promote the solution of the
community problems by ongoing meeting in non-formal conditions. Mr.
Zargaryan informed that studies have been carried out in the
communities of the republic on the establishment of the information
centers. He is convinced that National Assembly and USAID/Armenia:
Legislative Strengthening Program promoted the qualification of NA
Staff employees and rise of work efficiency.
Jill Pender, Director of USAID/Armenia: Legislative Strengthening
Program noted that the goal of the meeting is to promote the
strengthening of parliament-society link. As Mrs. Pender characterized,
USAID/Armenia Legislative Strengthening Program is a special model
of parliament and citizens cooperation.
Hovik Ohanyan, Head of Local Governance Issues Division of Regional
Policy and Analysis Department of the National Assembly and Edward
Safaryan, USAID/Armenia; Legislative Strengthening Program specialist
on Community Policy highlighted the establishment of information
and communication centers, making participant the community in the
legislative works, the establishment of the working relations between
the communities and the National Assembly.
Gohar Poghosyan, Deputy Head of NA Public Relations Department,
Tatul Soghomonyan, Head of Secretariat, Ashot Khachatryan, Head of
Legislative Analysis and Development Department, Lusine Hovhannisyan,
Head of the Division of Information Supply of the Computer Network,
Marusya Asatryan, Head of Information Department, Fatma Khachatryan,
Head of Library Division, Hakob Harutyunyan, Head of Citizen and Letter
Reception Division, Tigran Ghazaryan, Head of Social Policy Research
Department presented the main functions of their subdivisions, the
procedure of organization of parliament works, saying that the freedom
of information is carried out through information accessibility,
which is also an impetus for strengthening parliament-society link.
Concluding the results of the meeting Hovhannes Zargaryan,
Deputy Chief of NA Staff, highlighted the further cooperation, the
implementation of practical steps directed at the establishment of
the communication centers, ensuring that the National Assembly and
USAID/Armenia: Legislative Strengthening Program are ready to promote
their implementation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DIVERSITY DAY CELEBRATED BY SOME LOCAL STUDENTS
Midland Daily News,
March 30 2006
Recently 8th grade English and history students at Jefferson Middle
School participated in an annual “Diversity Day.” The day was part of
“Prejudice and its Consequences,” a unit in which students read “The
Diary of Anne Frank” and “Flowers of Algernon” as well as several
novels with prejudice-related themes; learn about World War II and
the Holocaust; and research and write about a different kind of
prejudice. They learned first hand about the value of diversity in
today’s world.
Thirty-three presenters held a total of 80 sessions, running
concurrently during four 20-minute time slots. In groups of 8-10,
students went to four different sessions to hear about the different
kinds of prejudice. Ranging in age from 16 to 91, presenters came
from Mount Pleasant, Midland, Grand Rapids and Detroit.
Students heard from people who had experienced being a POW and fighting
in the Battles of the Bulge, working as a “Rosie the Riveter,”
being in Memphis during the assassination of Martin Luther King,
living with a disability and being among the first African-Americans
living in Midland, among others. Stories of others’ battles against
prejudice covered Armenian genocide, the Japanese internment camps,
landmark civil rights Supreme Court decisions, the 6,000,000 paper
clip project and more. Students also had a chance to test their own
gender stereotypes in a “Men are from Mars” game and learn about
working with people with mental illness and physical and mental
disabilities from professionals in those fields.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ERDOGAN’S FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER BAGIS IN WASHINGTON
Anatolian Times, Turkey
March 30 2006
WASHINGTON – Egemen Bagis, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
foreign policy adviser and Justice & Development Party (AKP) deputy,
met Congress members and representatives of Turkish community in
Washington on Wednesday.
Bagis, who is currently in Washington to attend the 25th annual
conference of American-Turkish Council and Turkish-U.S. Business
Council, held meetings with Ed Whitfield and Robert Wexler, founders
of Turkish Friendship Group in U.S. Congress, as well as officials
of Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA).
Speaking to A.A regarding his meetings in Washington, Bagis said,
“we have discussed Turkish-U.S. relations, increasing trade with Iraq
and Afghanistan as well as allegations of so-called Armenian genocide
in the meetings.”
“While April 24th (the date Armenians accepted as anniversary of
so-called genocide) is getting closer, U.S. Congress’ support to
Turkey continues. There is no negative atmosphere,” he noted.
“I explained Turkey’s efforts to settle stability in Iraq. After the
United States, Turkey is the second country with the highest number of
losses (truck drivers, engineers and workers) in Iraq. Turkey exerted
great efforts to convince Iraqi Sunnites to take part in elections
in Iraq. I also conveyed that bases in Turkey are used for soldier
rotation, and Turkey sent humanitarian aid to Iraq. Congress members
told me that they appreciated Turkey’s friendship,” said Bagis.
“U.S. officials asked me about the invitation of Hamas delegation
to Turkey. The visit of Hamas delegation should be considered as the
continuation of the will which brought together the foreign ministers
of Israel and Pakistan, and which supported participation of Sunnite
leaders in elections in Iraq. Turkey has exerted and will exert every
type of effort to prevent death of innocent people in the region.
International community was aware of Hamas’ participation in elections,
and Hamas won the elections. After it was elected, Turkey directly gave
messages to Hamas which could not be given by other countries. This is
a part of our geographical and historical responsibility,” said Bagis.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

REPORTS ON ALLEGED MURDER OF AZERI SERVICEMAN FALSE
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.03.2006 00:38 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ This is approximately 25th time the Armenian Ministry
of Defense (MOD) lately denies Azeri MOD reports on alleged break
of the cease-fire by the Armenian party, Armenian MOD Spokesperson,
colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
In his words, a recurrent statement that serviceman Aliyev Farid
Ragim oglu was killed by an Armenian sniper is false.
According to the version of the Azeri party, the incident took pace
“near Alibeyli village in Tovuz region of Azerbaijan.” At that, it
should be noted, that the Azeri serviceman could have been killed by
a sniper, only if he had been within the firing range of a kilometer
from the Armenian positions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS MAY MEET IN APRIL
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.03.2006 01:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next meeting of co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group for settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict may be held
this April, OSCE MG US Co-Chair Steven Mann stated during a video
conference, organized by the US Embassy in Armenia. He also did not
rule out Armenian and Azeri FMs meeting soon, however noting that
“exact terms are not determined yet.” The date of the mediator’s next
visit to the region is not determined either. “We are now trying to
analyze the situation and outline further steps. After the latest
meeting with Armenian and Azeri Presidents I can say with hope that
we can find ways of settlement,” Steven Mann said, reports IA Regnum.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI WRITER: WE MUST CRUSH AND SMOTHER ARMENIANS LIKE PESTS AND LEPERS
YEREVAN, MARCH 30. ARMINFO. Azeri “writer” and “intellectual”
Elchin Gasanov calls for a new war with Armenia, in his article
“War is Inevitable” in Echo daily he goes into the world history and
compares the military experience of the German Nazi with the military
experience of the Azeri army.
Openly expressing his sympathy for the Nazi, Gasanov reproaches the
Azeris for their “complex of defeated.” “It’s awful! Armenians do
not understand words. They must be crushed and smothered like pests
and lepers.” “So my conclusion is: iron and blood! War is inevitable!”
“Otherwise we will never be able to wash away our disgrace and nobody
will respect us. It’s bad but it’s true.” Noting that the Azeris have
lost their Waterloo, Gasanov quite illogically claims: “War is the
best cure for people, it cures and cripples. But we need it more than
the Armenians do. But the Armenians want it too – or where will they
spend the money they get from abroad? Whoever says that Armenians are
altruists will cause my anger. This is a farce. They too love money,
love living well.”
So, in order not to cause Gasanov’s anger we better not argue with him.

ADS HINDER SOAP OPERAS?
Panorama.am
15:44 30/03/06
“Today the Language State Inspectorate, as an institute working and
carrying out a linguistic policy, also controls the advertisement
language. Of course it is on a very low level, as our language is
represented in advertisements as an accumulation of consonants by
means of such words as “trvcvum e, kcvcvum e, khpvcvum e” and many
others. Even an Armenian doesn’t have the heart to utter those words,”
complained the deputy of the head of the Language State Inspectorate
Marine Hovyan during the discussion of the language of advertisements
held today.
It turns out that there are no such people to complain either of
the language of the ads or of their existence in general. As the
executive manager of the Centre of Study of Public Opinion Karine
Titanyan informs the 91.1% of the 500 Armenians, who took part in
public-opinion poll, simply dream of never watching TA advertisements
again. 7.7% of them want the TV ads to increase in number but in the
meantime become of higher quality and taste. And in the regions of
the republic 97.8% of 2260 cannot bare the advertisements, moreover
when they are broadcast in the middle of the soap operas.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PUT IN A WORD FOR AUTHOR SONG…
Panorama.am
13:55 30/03/06
The Republican Festival of author song “Golden Lyre 2006” is going
to be held from May to June of the current year in Yerevan. The
organizers of the festival are producing centre “Ovatsia” (Ovation)
and RA Ministry of Culture. However, as the Deputy of the Minister of
Culture Karine Khodikyan mentioned, the initiators of the festival
turned to the Ministry for help when the budget of the current year
was already passed. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Culture set to help
with the organization of the festival.
Particularly, it gave a building to hold the contest in.
“The Ministry of Culture considers the author song a very important
genre for us and we need new artists in the field,” Karine Khodikyan
mentioned.
The bards present at the press conference noticed that a festival of
author song hasn’t been held since 1999.
“And it means that a generation of new singers we know nothing about
has grown up since then,” Edward Zorikyan said. Tatevik Aghamiryan
mentioned that there is a great vacuum of author song in Armenia. “We
don’t even know on what level we are now,” she said.
As the chairman of the producing centre “Ovation” Samvel Mesropyan
said, at the moment there are 40-50 famous artists of this genre in
Armenia. And the festival aims at search of new names.
To note, applications for participation in the festival are accepted
until April 20. The first stage of the contest is going to be held
from May 10-15, and the gala-concert of the winners of the contest
and famous artists will take place from June 6-10. It is expected
that such famous representatives of Armenian author song as Rouben
Hakhverdyan, Armen Movsisyan, and Arthur Meschyan are going to take
part in the festival.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress