Author: Emil Lazarian

frieze, UK
March 30 2005
Review: Akram Zaatari
Portikus, Frankfurt, Germany

The first thing encountered was a reading table covered with
publications and rows of postcards showing vintage photographs of
Arab citizens. This was not a cash-strapped institution’s hard sell
of exhibition-
related items, but a way of introducing the realm in which Akram
Zaatari works; all the items relate to his ongoing efforts for the
Arab Image Foundation, which he co-founded, dedicated to the
preservation of documents from the Middle East and North Africa.
Zaatari is from Lebanon, a country whose history is marred by both
physical annihilation and memory-related erosion, and his artistic
practice is bound to a concept of salvaging the past, of preserving
documents and collecting stories that contrast with the official
state version of history. `Diversity’, he once stated in an
interview, `is the most important factor in resisting collective
misrepresentations […]. Focusing on individuality thus becomes a
political mission.’
Zaatari’s work is indeed political, but not heavy-handed, didactic or
polemical. He creates films that are charming, delicate and intimate,
revealing aspects of his own life and of other people’s, illustrating
how broad governmental decisions affect specific personal lives.
Often there is an element of investigation or pursuit, starting with
a premise or a clue, which Zaatari follows to its end, fleshing out a
story, recording his alternative history.
How I Love You (2001) opens with a typed chat-room conversation,
where the artist tries to find gay men – criminals under Lebanese law
– willing to talk on camera about the passions they cannot otherwise
express freely. Zaatari veils their identities not with a clichéd
dark silhouette but with lighting so bright that their features are
bleached out. In Her + Him, Van Leo (2001) a journey is instigated by
a photograph of the narrator’s grandmother, posing naked in a
professional studio. The printed signature `Van Leo’ leads Zaatari to
Cairo, where the Armenian-Egyptian photographer settled in 1924 and
opened a portrait studio in 1947. The piece weaves the moving colour
portrait of this ageing artist together with his monochrome
portraits. This contrast of images and of classic and modern
techniques – split screen, electronic colouring, the layering of
Arabic script over the picture – articulates an unspoken commentary
on the fundamental changes over the last 50 years in both artistic
practice and Egypt’s socio-political reality.
The effects of war were addressed in a darkened room, in a display
case of the artist’s diaries from 1982 (the year of the Israeli
invasion), in which Zaatari noted military movements alongside the
weather and films he had seen. A photo album of snapshots that the
16-year-old shot from his balcony, show massive explosions from
repeated air strikes. Six of these photographs were filmed in
sequence and, together with a recording of F-16s screaming overhead,
the 76-second video This Day June 06, 1982 (2003) gives a short but
startling portrait of a teenager’s daily reality.
In This House (2004) does more than metaphorically dig; here the
artist actually burrows into the garden of a private home. Zaatari
discovered that Ali Hashisha, a well-known photojournalist, had
formerly been a freedom fighter with the Democratic Popular Party
and, as the leader of a militia group, had used the house as a
hideout for six years. As Ali explains on camera, in 1992, when the
militias were disbanded, he wrote a letter to the displaced owners of
the house, explaining the group’s mission and expressing gratitude
for the `loan’, then hid it in the garden encased in a mortar shell.
The film literally unearths this part of both his past and Lebanese
history: images of Ali’s press credentials, newspapers with his
photojournalist war images, personal photographic souvenirs from the
front and pictures from his childhood flash past on one side of the
screen, while on the other side a video shows the progress of the
hunt for the letter. While the digging continues, Ali describes how
the white of the building had signified hope, how he tried to
maintain the land despite the constant search for wood, disallowing
the felling of a 25-year-old olive tree because `what kind of human
gesture would that be?’
As the show’s title, `Unfolding’, suggested, history is always in the
process of being rewritten and, as the letter is finally unearthed,
unfolded and read, the mass of people who had joined the search –
workers, a policeman, the house owner, his wife, and a military
representative (in case the mortar was live) – all come away with a
new view of what had once come to pass. Amanda Coulson
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turks pooh-pooh `Mein Kampf’ popularity
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
March 29, 2005
A Turkish official downplayed the popularity of Hitler’s manifesto.
`There is no racism in the country,’ government spokesman Cemil Cicek
said Monday when asked to comment on news that `Mein Kampf’ has been one
of the top-10 best sellers in Turkey over the past two months, Reuters
reported. Observers say the popularity of the book, which outlines a
case for German nationalism in addition to its fierce anti-Semitism,
reflects rising nationalism in Turkey at a time when many Turks worry
that their country is making too many concessions to the West in a bid
to join the European Union.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CENN – March 29, 2005 Daily Digest
Table of Contents:
1.. US Wants Kazakh Oil To Be Exported Through BTC
2.. SOCAR To Rxport 4th Portion Of Baku-Supsa Oil in April
3.. U.S. Oil Company Withdraws from Offshore Azerbaijani Oil Field Project
4.. Forum of Environmental NGOs in St. Petersburg
5.. How Do You Solve A Transboundary Problem If You Don’t Talk To Your
Neighbor?
6.. Vacancy Announcement — National Coordinator for CEE Bankwatch Network
7.. Vacancy Announcement — Lawyer
1. US WANTS KAZAKH OIL TO BE EXPORTED THROUGH BTC
Source: State Telegraphic Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azertag,
March 28, 2005
Ambassador of the United State to Kazakhstan Mr. John Ordway told a press
conference in Almaty his country supports the idea of exporting Kazakh oil
through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. He expressed hope the
negotiations on the issue would bring a positive result.
2. SOCAR to export 4th portion of Baku-Supsa oil in April
Source: AssA-Irada, March 26, 2005 2
The State Oil Company (SOCAR) will export this year’s fourth portion of
Azeri Light profit oil through the Baku-Supsa western pipeline in April.
The consignment totaling one million barrels (140,000 tons) will be loaded
to tanker from the Supsa port of Georgia in mid-April, SOCAR said.
The results of the tender to determine the purchaser of the consignment will
be announced early next month.
This is the 41st portion of the Azeri Light profit oil produced by SOCAR
from the Chirag field within the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) project.
British Glencore and Arcadia Petroleum, as well as Czech Unipetrol Refinery
companies, purchased oil consignments, one million barrels each, exported
via the western route in January-March.
SOCAR has not predicted yet the amount of oil to be exported through the
Baku-Supsa pipeline this year. The company exported a total of 7.2 million
tons of oil via the western route in 2004.
3. U.S. OIL COMPANY WITHDRAWS FROM OFFSHORE AZERBAIJANI OIL FIELD
PROJECT
Source: RFE/RL Newsletter, March 25, 2005
Officials of the U.S. Exxon Mobil energy firm announced on March 24, 2005
the company’s withdrawal from a project to develop the Zafar-Masal offshore
Caspian oil field after test drilling failed to discover any significant oil
deposits, Turan reported. The decision was announced following a meeting
with Azerbaijani State Oil Company (SOCAR) President Natik Aliev to
negotiate the terms of the financial penalty resulting from the withdrawal.
Exxon Mobil withdrew in 2002 from a second contract to develop the Oguz
field after similarly failing to find oil in commercially viable quantities
after drilling two trial wells (see “RFE/RL Newsline,” 6 June 2002).
4. FORUM OF ENVIRONMENTAL NGOS IN ST.PETERSBURG Press release
March 24, 2005 Forum of environmental NGOs was held on March 24, 2005, in
St.Petersburg. Over 50 ecoNGOs representatives gathered together for the
first time in the 3rd millennium. The Forum was organized by the working
group on the basis of the Public Centre for Environmental Information,
including the Centre for Environmental Initiatives, Children of the Baltic,
Transboundary Environmental Information Agency and partner NGOs. The
discussion at the Forum showed different levels and interests of
organisations, different approaches to cooperation between environmental
NGOs, and different views on principles of interaction with authorities. All
Forum participants showed great interest in strengthening cooperation
between ecoNGOs. The Public Centre for Environmental Information in
St.Petersburg was proposed as an informational and organisational resource
centre for further work on enhancement of such cooperation. The working
group will analyse NGO proposals and will organise the next meeting, to be
held two months later. For more information please contact: Alexander
Fedorov Olga SenovaCentre for
Environmental Initiatives Children of the
[email protected] [email protected]
5. HOW DO YOU SOLVE A TRANSBOUNDARY PROBLEM IF YOU DON’T TALK TO
YOUR NEIGHBOUR?
Source: IUCN, March 24, 2005
IUCN launched a new project to stimulate learning on transboundary water
management at the occasion of World Water Day 2005, yesterday. The project
is part of a broad-scale initiative, called International Waters: Learn
“Structured Learning”. Sponsored by the Global Environment Facility, the
structured learning initiative intends to enhance transboundary water
management through open dialogue and advanced communication. This initiative
allows managers and other practitioners of large-scale regional projects
which focus on aquifers, lakes, river basins, and large marine ecosystems to
share their experiences and learn from one another. As one of four thematic
project activity leaders of this initiative, the IUCN Global Marine
Programme is facilitating a four-year learning exercise around large marine
ecosystem (LME) projects, by stimulating and coordinating a series of
topic-based electronic and face-to-face discussions between regional
projects around the world.
6. Vacancy Announcement — National Coordinator for CEE Bankwatch
Network The Association “Green Alternative” Georgian Environmental watchdog
group is seeking National Coordinator for CEE Bankwatch Network. CEE
Bankwatch Network (Bankwatch), established in 1995, is an international
environmental organisation with member groups from Central and Eastern
Europe. Our mission is to prevent environmentally and socially harmful
impacts arising from international development finance, and to promote
alternative solutions and public participation. For further details, please
consult our website at: <; or <;www.green alt.wanex.net The Coordinator will be responsible for the implementation of the existing Bankwatch work plan in Georgia as well as developing the new initiatives in frame of this position within the Green Alternative and Bankwatch. National Coordinator will work closely Regional Coordinator for Caucasus and correlate its activities with other programs of Green Alternative/Bankwatch The ideal candidate should: · be an NGO campaigner with at least three years' experience· have a knowledge of environmental issues, especially related to energy, forestry and transport,· have excellent communication skills in English (both written and oral) and Georgian· have a basic knowledge of International Financial Institutions· be ready to travel extensively· be able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines. Job · Monitoring the activities of international financial institutions (IFIs) e.g. World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development International Monetary Fund,· Investigating selected projects that receive funding from IFIs and ensuring proper public participation and environmental and social standards;· working with the media to increase awareness of IFI activity;· communicating with IFIs on policy and project related issues;· coordinating national and international campaigns within Green Alternative and among Georgian NGOs;· communicating and reporting to the international network on activities;· conducting research and analysis on issues required during campaigning The national coordinator position is FULL-TIME, is located at the Green Alternative office in Tbilisi. We are seeking multi year cooperation. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest along with CV and letter of Intention no later than April 25, 2005 to: Manana KochladzeRegional Coordinator for CaucasusCEE Bankwatch NetworkE-mail: [email protected] Only short listed candidates will be contacted Manana Kochladze Regional Coordinator for CaucasusCEE Bankwatch NetworkVisiting address: Rustaveli avenue. 1. entrance I. floor 4Mailing address: Chavchavadze 62, Tbilisi, Georgia, 01062Tel: 99532 22 38 74, 99 04 72Fax:995 32 93 24 03E-mail: [email protected] 7. Vacancy Announcement -- Lawyer Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRIDC) Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRIDC) announces an opening for the full-time position of Lawyer for its Tbilisi office. Position title: Lawyer Duties include: a.. Legal consultations b.. Preparation law-suits, etc c.. Representation of clients at courts d.. Preparation analytical reports Requirements: Law degree - At least two years of work experience in the filed of Criminal, Adminsitrative and Civil Law - Knowledge of English and Russian Languages - Ability and motivation to work independently as well as team member; - Knowledge of MS office/internet applications. Interested candidates should send their CV and Cover letter by e-mail:[email protected] Contact Information Ucha Nanuashvili, Executive Director 89/24 Agmashenebeli Ave., 12th floor Tbilisi, 0102 995 (32) 951003 995 (32) 951003 [email protected] ******************************************* CENN INFO Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) Tel: ++995 32 75 19 03/04 Fax: ++995 32 75 19 05 E-mail: [email protected] URL: From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SwissInfo / Edicom , Suisse
28 mars 2005
Micheline Calmy-Rey se rend cette semaine en Turquie

BERNE – Le voyage de Micheline Calmy-Rey cette semaine en Turquie
suscite de lourdes attentes de la part des communautés dont le destin
est lié au pays. Les Arméniens et les Kurdes lui demandent notamment
de plaider leur cause auprès d’Ankara.
Amnesty International (AI) a adressé ces jours une lettre à la cheffe
du Département fédéral des affaires étrangères (DFAE). L’ONG y
déplore qu’Ankara n’ait pas signé le protocole facultatif à la
Convention de l’ONU contre la torture. «Nous apprécierions que vous
interveniez à ce propos auprès de votre homologue turc» Abdullah Gül,
dit la missive.
De même, AI lui demande d’attirer l’attention des autorités turques
sur le cas d’un avocat militant des droits de l’Homme dans la ville
de Tunceli, dans le sud-est kurde, victime de «menaces» de la part de
la gendarmerie locale. Mme Calmy-Rey se rendra dans cette région
mercredi, au deuxième jour de sa visite.
«Le voyage (dans le sud-est kurde) de Mme Calmy-Rey est très
important», relève Deniz Alkan, porte-parole du Centre kurde des
droits de l’homme de Genève. «Elle verra ainsi ce que les gens sur
place veulent vraiment», dit-il.
La conseillère fédérale pourrait aussi aborder la question du
génocide arménien avec son homologue turc. Mais Stefan Kristensen, de
l’Association Suisse-Arménie, est sceptique: «Le seul langage que la
Turquie comprenne est celui du rapport de force». A cet égard, l’UE a
un rôle important à jouer, selon lui, car elle détient la «carotte»
de l’ouverture des négociations d’adhésion.
A l’inverse, Hatice Yürütücü, représentante de la communauté turque
au sein de la Commission fédérale des étrangers, appelle à ne pas
réduire les problèmes de son pays à la question kurde ou arménienne.
«Il ne faut jamais oublier que la Turquie est plus grande que la
Suisse, que sa géographie et sa culture sont autres et que les
problèmes y sont différents», poursuit-elle.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 29 2005
`Major results in conflict settlement not expected soon’

Baku, March 28, AssA-Irada
The positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the Upper Garabagh
conflict settlement have not drawn closer thus far and no major
results should not be expected in this area soon, the Armenian
President’s adviser on national security Garnik Isagulian told
Interfax news agency.
Isagulian said Azerbaijan sees the conflict resolution in the context
of its territorial integrity, while Armenia insists on Upper
Garabagh’s gaining independence.
`The truce agreement was signed by three parties: Azerbaijan,
Garabagh and Armenia, with the latter signing the document as a
guarantor of Garabagh’s security’, Isagulian alleged.
The next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers,
which is a continuation of the `Prague talks’ on settling the Upper
Garabagh conflict, which started in 2004, is scheduled for April.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
March 28, 2005, Monday
GEORGIA SWAPS BASES FOR APARTMENTS
SOURCE: Kommersant, March 24, 2005, p. 10
by Vladimir Novikov
Russian-Georgian consultations on the level of foreign ministries
with regard to withdrawal of Russian military bases from Batumi and
Akhalkalaki began in Moscow on March 24. The day before Georgia’s
Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili stated that incidents similar
to the incident, which happened on the Georgian-Abkhazian
administrative border, might frustrate the process of negotiations.
Mrs. Zourabichvili implied the incident which occurred in the village
of Ganmukhuri (Georgia) in the zone of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict
last Tuesday. A large group of the Russian peacekeepers entered the
village. They surrounded the building in which a unit of the Georgian
MVD’s special forces had settled, and demanded them to surrender
their weapons. They were given a refusal. UN military mediators
interfered in the situation. As a result of the talks between Russian
peacekeepers with Gigi Ugulava, governor of the Samegrelo district,
the tension was relieved.
According to Russian peacekeepers, conducting an exercise in their
responsibility area they accidentally faced a unit of the Georgian
MVD’s special forces and decided to verify the legality of its stay
there. Georgia’s Foreign Minister Vano Merabichvili stressed that
taking a Spetsnaz into the village of Ganmukhuri at request of the
local Georgians was a forced measure, because the Abkhazian police
had held a cleanup there, as a result of which locals were injured.
This incident may affect the process of talks on the problem, which
doesn’t directly concern the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. Discussed
at the consultations are the terms and conditions of withdrawing the
Russian military bases; responsible for the Russian side is Igor
Savolsky, an ambassador on special errands, while Deputy Foreign
Minister of Georgia Merab Antadze is head of the Georgian delegation.
Tbilisi has taken the following stand: Georgia is ready to accept
withdrawal of the Russian forces within 4 years (by January 1, 2009),
with the stipulation that the troops are present “in the withdrawal
mode” during this entire period, i.e. no exercises are to be held and
no new military hardware is introduced, against the background of
personnel cutbacks. Georgia is also ready to present Russian officers
apartments in downtown Tbilisi, which they would be able to sell with
profit before their leave to Russia; this is the maximal compensation
Georgia can offer.
Besides, Georgia is ready to find $10-15 million (it hopes to get
this money from international donors) to transport the personnel and
the military equipment to Russia. Georgia’s Foreign Minister Salome
Zourabichvili thinks the figure of $300-350 million announced by
Moscow is unreal. However, most important in the position of Moscow
is not the demand for money, but the circumstance that Russia flatly
refuses to take the troops “into the withdrawal mode.” Even if Moscow
agrees to the four-year period, the Defense Ministry insists that the
bases be functioning in the common mode within this period.
Georgian experts fear that Moscow will procrastinate again and when
the timeframe elapses it would refer to resistance of locals – as is
now happening in Transnistria and might occur in Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti
(of south Georgia where a base is stationed) populated by Armenians.
Translated by Andrei Ryabochkin
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
03/28/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Congressional Letter to Bush on Armenian Genocide Gaining Momentum 2) Lebanese President, Catholicos Aram I Meet Amid Growing Tensions 3) Arab Tribal Leaders Arrive in Yerevan 4) Novorossiisk Armenians Fear Continued Persecution 5) Poll Shows Distrust Between Armenians, Turks 6) Armenia Garners First-ever World Cup Win 1) Congressional Letter to Bush on Armenian Genocide Gaining Momentum WASHINGTON, DC--Bipartisan efforts to urge President Bush to keep his 2000 campaign pledge to properly characterize the Armenian Genocide as "genocide" continued to grow this week, with over 90 US Representatives having cosigned a Congressional letter to the White House, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), the letter calls on President Bush to join House members "in reaffirming the United States record on the Armenian Genocide" in his annual April 24th commemorative statement. "By properly recognizing the terrible atrocities committed against the Armenian people as 'genocide' in your statement, you will honor the many Americans who helped launch the unprecedented US diplomatic, political and humanitarian campaign to end the carnage and protect the survivors." Members of Congress joining Representatives Pallone and Knollenberg as co-signers of the letter, as of Friday, March 25th, include: Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Tom Allen (D-ME), Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Charles Bass (R-NH), Melissa Bean (D-IL), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Howard Berman (D-CA), Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Mary Bono (R-CA), Jeb Bradley (R-NH), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Susan Davis (D-CA), William Delahunt (D-MA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), David Dreier (R-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Bob Filner (D-CA), Mark Foley (R-FL), Barney Frank (D-MA), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Steve Israel (D-NY), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Sue Kelly (R-NY), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), James Langevin (D-RI), John Larson (D-CT), Sander Levin (D-MI), John Lewis (D-GA), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Jim McDermott (D-WA), James McGovern (D-MA), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Martin Meehan (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Candice Miller (R-MI), George Miller (D-CA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Collin Peterson (D-MN), George Radanovich (R-CA), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Edward Royce (R-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), H. James Saxton (R-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Joe Schwarz (R-MI), E. Clay Shaw (R-FL), Christopher Shays (R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), John Shimkus (R-IL), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Mark Souder (R-IN), John Sweeney (R-NY), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Mark Udall (D-CO), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). Over the past weeks, in statements on the House floor, a number of House Members have already spoken out about the importance clear and unambiguous US reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, including Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone and Reps. Michael Bilirakis, Barney Frank, Patrick Kennedy, James Langevin, and George Radanovich. Support for the letter is expected to grow considerably, as the Armenian American community continues its grassroots campaign to urge legislators to become signatories. The ANCA launched a WebFax campaign last week, which, in addition to calling on House Members to cosign this letter, urges activists to appeal directly to President Bush on this key issue. 2) Lebanese President, Catholicos Aram I Meet Amid Growing Tensions ANTELIAS (Combined Sources)--On the evening of March 25, His Holiness Aram I held a lengthy met with President Emile Lahoud to discuss a line of issues concerning Lebanon's volatile state. During the past week, Holiness has also met with France's Ambassador to Lebanon Bernard Emie, representatives of the countries opposition, as well as Prime Minister Omar Karame's representative Sebouh Hovnanian. In his meeting with Hovnanian, His Holiness stressed the importance of stabilizing the political situation of the country and organizing the upcoming parliamentary elections. "Accordingly, if it would be difficult to form a national unity government presently, our proposal is that a government comprised of people trusted by the Lebanese communities be quickly established, in order for the political life in the country to normalize," he stressed. A blast on Saturday ripped through an industrial property in the mainly Christian northeastern suburb of Bouchrieh injuring five people and setting at least six factories ablaze. The attack followed bombings on March 19 and March 23 that targeted two Christian strongholds, killing three people and wounding at least 10. There was swift reaction to the blast from the international community. Following a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Tokyo, French President Jacques Chirac said: "All those who try and create chaos in Lebanon will be caught and severely punished." In a joint statement, Chirac and Koizumi insisted that "UN Security Council Resolution 1559 be fully implemented." UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, in his condemnation of the latest violence, said that the people of the Lebanon must be allowed to decide their nation's future without intimidation. The Secretary-General was "especially saddened that this latest attack, the third in Lebanon in only a week, was carried out on the eve of Easter, just as many of the nation's Christians were preparing to attend mass," a spokesman of Annan said in a statement released on Sunday. He called on the Government of Lebanon "to act rapidly to prevent the security situation from deteriorating" and urged all concerned parties "to do their utmost to safeguard Lebanon's stability and national unity." Meanwhile, US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Elizabeth Dibble reiterated US condemnation of the blast, saying Lebanon is under the international "microscope." In an interview with Radio SAWA in Washington, Dibble said: "The international community is watching Lebanon very closely. The [Lebanese] population deserves to live free of fear in a non-violent atmosphere. We hope no other attacks will take place." On Monday Lebanese opposition politicians continued to point the finger at the Lebanese security services controlled by the Syrian-backed government, accusing them of seeking to foment confessional unrest as Syria withdraws its troops from the country. About 2,000 Syrian troops have pulled out of eastern Lebanon over the past week, a senior Lebanese security source said on Monday, bringing Syria a step closer to ending its 29-year military domination of Lebanon. The source said small units in the eastern Bekaa Valley were going home, leaving behind a division of the Syrian army as well as scores of intelligence agents. A Syrian-Lebanese military committee is due to meet next week to set a timeline for withdrawing the 8,000 remaining forces. Facing immense international pressure and popular Lebanese protest, Syria has promised to withdraw all military personnel, intelligence agents and equipment it poured into Lebanon early in the country's 1975-1990 civil war. Damascus has completed the first stage of a two-phase withdrawal plan, pulling back to the Bekaa Valley and withdrawing more than a third of the 14,000 troops it kept in its tiny neighbor. It pulled troops out of about a dozen positions in the Bekaa last week. On Sunday, it left its two largest and last anti-aircraft positions, the sources said. Witnesses said soldiers in Mashghara and nearby areas on the southwestern edge of the Bekaa were packing up equipment on Monday. Trucks were being brought in to load the hardware. 3) Arab Tribal Leaders Arrive in Yerevan YEREVAN (ARF Press Service)--A delegation of 12 Arab tribal leaders from northeastern Syria, arrived in Yerevan on Monday, accompanied by representatives of the Armenian Church's Beria Prelacy. Armenian National Assembly's ARF faction secretary Hrair Karapetian and ARF Bureau's Political Affairs Office director Giro Manoyan greeted the guests at Yerevan's Zvartnotz airport. The influential tribal leaders, some of whom reside in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, and Qatar, are in Armenia to take part in the events commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, to pay tribute to the Genocide victims, and remind the world of the unpunished vicious crime. Their hospitable ancestors gave refuge to the fragments of Armenians who miraculously survived in the Genocide; today, many of those Armenians and their heirs still live side-to-side with the friendly Arab people and enjoy equal rights. The delegation will meet with Catholicos Karekin II, National Assembly's leadership, Armenia's prime minister, government ministers, politicians, and Yerevan State University professors. Their trip is organized by the Armenian community of Aleppo. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian received the guests on March 28, after which they met with the mayor of Yerevan Yervant Zakharian. Their itinerary includes a visit to the Dzidzernagapert Memorial to Armenian genocide victims and the Madenataran that houses Armenian manuscripts. The delegation is composed of tribal leaders Udey al Ghasi of Al Shumar tribe; Fayez el Ghubein of Al Anaze tribe; Abdel Uahab Isa Suleiman of Bakard el Jabal tribe; Muhammad al Tai bin Abdel Razak of Al Tay tribe's second branch; Hlu el Hlu of Aduan tribe; Hasan Obeid el Khalil of Harp tribe; Abdel Karim Obeid of Harp tribe's second branch; Khalil Abud Zhdghan of Ogeidad tribe and a member of the Syrian parliament; Muhammad Mslad of Chbur tribe and a member of the Syrian parliament. 4) Novorossiisk Armenians Fear Continued Persecution NOVOROSSIISK (Armenpress)--A representative of the Armenian cultural society "Luys" in the Russian Black Sea city of Novorossiisk, said that following the March 22 rampage against Armenians there, parents now fear sending their children to school. Describing those events as "a pogrom," Alla Partsikian of "Luys" confirmed previous reports that the clash was caused by a squabble at a local cafe when Cossacks, led by their community leader Vladimir Petrushin, attacked a group of Armenians and Greeks during a birthday party. In a subsequent fight, Petrushin was injured and was rushed to a hospital where doctors operated on him, and local law-enforcement bodies launched a criminal investigation. Later, Armenian-owned cars, cafes, and shops were destroyed in the town's quarter. Although the local mayor appealed to Armenians, Greeks, as well as Cossacks to observe the law, around 200 Cossacks continued the attack against Armenians and Greeks that evening. According to the local Armenian daily Yerkramas, Armenian and Cossacks representatives were due to meet with city authorities on Monday. 5) Poll Shows Distrust Between Armenians, Turks (AFP)--The majority of Turks and Armenians distrust and dislike each other, with both describing the World War I massacre of Armenians as a major obstacle to normalizing ties, according to a poll published Monday. The survey was carried out by an Istanbul-based think tank and an Armenian research center, among 1,219 Turks and 1,000 Armenians. More than 51 percent of Armenian respondents and 33 percent of Turks interviewed said the two peoples "generally did not like each other." Just under one percent of Armenians and 14 percent of Turks expressed a wish to get on well with one another. Almost 69 percent of Armenians associated negative words with Turks--among them "bloodthirsty," "barbarian," and "enemy"--while 34 percent of Turks had a negative view of Armenians, some describing them as "enemy" and "prejudiced." Only nine percent of Armenians and 11 percent of Turks had a positive view of each other. Seventy-nine percent of Armenians described bilateral ties as "very bad" or "bad" while 45 percent of Turks described them as "neither bad nor good." Only 37 percent of Turks described bilateral relations as "very bad" or "bad" An overwhelming 95.5 percent of Armenians saw huge obstacles to normalizing ties and 82 percent listed genocide [Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide] as the biggest hurdle. Some 37 percent of Turks agreed that there were major hurdles, but only 19 percent saw the genocide claims as the core of the problem. Almost 88 percent of Armenians and 65 percent of Turks said they were in favor of establishing diplomatic ties, while 63 percent of Armenians and 51 percent of Turks supported the re-opening of border crossings. 6) Armenia Garners First-ever World Cup Win YEREVAN (Reuters)--Armenia recorded their first victory in their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, beating fellow outsiders Andorra 2-1 in a Group One match on Saturday. Midfielder Romik Khachatryan, who plays for Greek first division side OFI Crete, scored the winner from close range seven minutes from time to send the home crowd wild. Ara Hakobyan put the Armenians 1-0 up with a cracking shot after 32 minutes but Fernando Silva equalized for the visitors shortly after the break. The win allowed bottom-of-the-table Armenia to draw level with Andorra on four points from six matches and one point behind fifth-placed Macedonia, who were not playing on Saturday. None of those teams have a chance of reaching the finals, but all want to avoid finishing bottom of the group when it ends in October. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

PanArmenian News
March 28 2005
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S ADVISER: NO CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN KARABAKH
SETTLEMENT CAN BE EXPECTED IN NEAR FUTURE
28.03.2005 01:41
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There is no reconciliation of positions of Armenia
and Azerbaijan on Nagorno Karabakh and no considerable progress can
be expected in the near future, Garnik Isagulian, the adviser on
national security to the Armenian President stated, Iterfax agency
reports. In his words, Azerbaijan is considering the settlement of
the conflict within the context of its territorial integrity while
Armenia is insisting on Karabakh’s independence. `Let us not forget
that the armistice agreement was signed by three parties –
Azerbaijan, Karabakh and Armenia, the latter being the guarantor of
Karabakh’s security’, G. Isagulian said. The recurrent meeting of the
Armenian and Azeri FMs is scheduled for April.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanArmenian News
March 28 2005
PRIESTS OF ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH ASSAULTED IN JERUSALEM
28.03.2005 04:47
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church have
been assaulted in Jerusalem again. According to a report of the
Jerusalem Post, a police patrol detained an orthodox Jew, who
attacked two Armenian priests in the Old Town of Jerusalem. When
arrested he was drunk. To note, it is the third incident connected
with Armenian priests during the recent 6 months.

March with torches becomes a pan-Armenian tradition
By Naira Poghossian
Yerkir/arm
25 March 05
There are some issues that should unite the young people irrespective
of their political affiliation and sphere of activities. This are the
issues of Artsakh, the international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide and the struggle against various disastrous phenomena inside
the country such as poverty and corruption.
This is the firm belief of Zinavor Meghrian, representative of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) Youth Union. `There are
several issues of country-wide importance that should unite young
people irrespective of their being pro-governmental or pro-opposition.
One of such issues is the series of events organized to commemorate
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Our Union started the series with an open letter to the European
Union’s office in Armenia. In this letter we appeal to the EU
countries to recognize the Armenian Genocide,’ Meghrian said noting
that the most impressive act of unification will take place in the
evening of April 23 when a march with torches will move to
Tsitsernakaberd.
Meghrian says the march with torches has been organized for four years
and has been the initiative of ARF’s Youth Union. This year the
initiative will be of pan-Armenian nature since young people from
other youth organizations and unions as well as young people from the
Diaspora will participate in the march.
`The fact that this time the march will be pan-Armenian testifies that
our efforts of the past four years have had results. By limiting
ourselves to ARF’s Youth Union only, we will not be able to accomplish
many things.
We have to unite our efforts with others. The 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide is a good incentive for the young people of Armenia
to start a unified march,’ Meghrian says.
He believes there are many young people in Armenia and in the Diaspora
who are united around one common idea and they can show to the entire
world that they are there to pursue their rights and that they are
united in the pursuit of international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress