Author: Emil Lazarian

KurdishMedia, UK
Nov. 5, 2004
Minorities comment on ‘Report on Minorities’

05/11/2004 Bianet.org
Members of Turkey’s minority groups denounce violent reactions against
the Prime Ministry’s working group on “Rights of Minorities”. Lawyer
Bakar calls for full implementation of Laussane Treaty, while Alevite
researcher Sener welcomes the debate.
BIA (Istanbul) – Individuals from minority groups denounce attacks
against the controversial Report on “Minority Rights and Cultural
Rights’ drafted by the Minority Rights and Cultural Rights Study Group
of the Prime Ministry’s Advisory Board for Human Rights.
The group’s groundbreaking proposals challenging the present
established concept of Turkish citizenry what excludes recognition of
ethnic minorities other than non-Muslim religious minorities, arouses
angry reactions by nationalist circles.
The group’s spokesperson Prof. Ibrahim Kabaoglu, and Prof. Baskin Oran,
author of the draft report are publicly charged as `separatists’ by
their critics for having proposed recognition of various ethnic
identities under the super-identity of `Citizen of Turkey’ rather more
than `Turkish Citizen’
Members of Turkey’s various ethnic communities expressed their opinions
to bianet on the ongoing controversy.
Lawyer Diran Bakar, an ethnic Armenian from Istanbul, said their views
on the Minority Report was generally positive but added they were
disturbed by the fact that the report did not refer to the minority
articles in the Lausanne Peace Treaty.
1924 Lausanne Peace Treaty signed between Turkey and the Allies of the
1st World War recognizes the rights of non-Turkish speaking `Trukish
nationals’ as well as non-Muslim religious communities.
Alavite researcher-writer Cemal Sener said the report should not be
attacked so harshly no matter what. “I do not agree with everything in
the report either,” said Sener. “But there is no reason for attacking
it like that.”
Hrant Dink, editor in chief of the bi-lingual (Armenian-Turkish) Agos
weekly said the report was not actually a “minority” report, but
instead, a “Turkey” report. According to Dink, the report depicts an
accurate picture of Turkey.
Cumhur Bal, the secretary-general of the Circassian Federation, said
they voted for the Minority Report as members of the Prime Ministry
Human Rights Advisory Board.
“Articles of Lausanne should be implemented”
Lawyer Diran Bakar said the Report on Minorities should have referred
to the articles of the Lausanne Agreement. Bakar added that although
they did not individually have any complaints about their life in
Turkey, the memories of past incidents, the incidents of September 6-7,
1957 were still fresh. Bakar complained that the institutions belonging
to his community were still under pressure. They were still barred from
ecclesiastic training, or from opening up schools or hospitals.
Sener: The report was not strongly defended
Alavite researcher-writer Cemal Sener is of the opinion that even Prof.
Dr. Ibrahim Kabaloglu, the head of the commission, could not defend his
own report properly against attacks. Sener said:
* Due to political implications of the concept `minority’ the Alavites
are uncomfortable of being categorized as a `minority’. In Turkey
claiming minority status is almost regarded as opposing the secular
republic. Yet, Alavites have always supported the secular republic as
opposed to Sharia, caliphate, Ottoman monarchy and the like.
* The concept “minorities” is usually used to define non-Muslims.
Alavites were not regarded as minorities during the Ottoman rule
because they were Muslims. They could neither benefit from the majority
rights, nor those of the minorities. The situation continued after the
establishment of the Turkish Republic. There is no mention of a
legitimate Alavite religion in any formal document. Alavites were first
mentioned in the EU Progress Report and the Prime Ministry Human Rights
Advisory Board’s report. It is positive that it is being discussed,
instead of being ignored.”
“The essence of the report is the essence of Turkey”
Hrant Dink is of the opinion that those who drafted the Minority Report
should be congratulated. Denouncing the ultra-nationalist member of the
group who tore the report to protest its content during a press
conference Dink said: `Maybe a copy of the report had been torn down.
But the essence of the report is the essence of Turkey and the reality
remains there.’
Dink continued as follows:
* The understanding of “minorities” in Turkey is different from the
understanding of “minorities” in Western democracies.
* The concept “minority” in Turkey is moulded with security concerns.
“This is an inferior notion, an inferior status, and so we cannot be
minorities.” However, there are minorities in this country even if they
are regarded as inferior or second-class. And I am one of them.
* In the same way the state looks at non-Muslims as a security problem,
but I feel insecure of my own future.
Cumhur Bal said they did not approve the behavior of the public workers
union Kamu-Sen representative, who tore the report during the press
conference. “This report was voted on and accepted. He may not agree
with the report, but he doesn’t have the right to act violently.”
(NS/BB/YE)
BIA News Center
05/11/2004

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Nov. 5, 2004
NATO not to create bases in Azerbaijan

BAKU, November 5 (Itar-Tass) – NATO will not participate directly in
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, NATO Secretary-General
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said at a press conference here, ending his visit
to Azerbaijan. He stressed that it is the OSCE Minsk Group for
Nagorno-Karabakh, which is handling the problem and trying to find an
effective way of settling it.
According to Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, at present NATO cannot make a
contribution to the settlement of the conflict, but it is going to
support any efforts aimed at establishing peace.
He stressed that the NATO countries respected the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan, and added that he would welcome the early settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has brought a lot of suffering to
people.
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer described his visit to Azerbaijan as extremely
useful. According to his information, he had a long tete-a-tete meeting
with Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev.
He said he had met as well members of the commission working on the
plan of individual cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO, which, in
his opinion, is a major step forward on the way of the development of
NATO-Azerbaijan cooperation. The work on the plan will be continued
both in Azerbaijan and in the NATO headquarters, with a view to giving
a final touch to the document.
Scheffer said he had discussed with Azerbaijani officials ways of
developing cooperation in various spheres, ranging from the Silk Way
project to cooperation in the sphere of science and ecology. He is
positive the foundation for closer cooperation between Azerbaijan and
NATO has been created already.
Responding to questions of journalists, Scheffer said that NATO was not
planning to create military bases on the territory of Azerbaijan.
Commenting on a possibility of the financing by NATO of military
reforms in Azerbaijan, Scheffer said NATO could not do that. `NATO
renders assistance to military reforms within the framework of the
Partnership For Peace programme,’ he said.
After the press conference was over, the NATO Secretary-General left
for Yerevan.

Agence France Presse
Nov. 4, 2004
NATO chief meets with Georgian leader during Caucasus tour

TBILISI (AFP) Nov 04, 2004
NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Thursday met with Georgian President
Mikhail Saakashvili, the youthful leader of the strategic former Soviet
republic in the Caucasus who has vowed to join the alliance within four
years.
De Hoop Scheffer’s visit is part of a Caucasus tour and comes days
after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization decided to extend an
Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) to the country.
“NATO values highly the efforts by Georgia’s people and leadership to
intergrate the the country into the alliance,” de Hoop Scheffer said at
a briefing following the meeting.
“I am a realist and an optimist,” he said. “As a realist, I dont’ want
to talk about (specific) dates. I know that Georgia has a long way to
go to join
“As an optimist, I am certain that all efforts by Georgia’s leadership
will be aimed at doing everything to join the alliance,” he said.
Saakashvili, for his part, said he was certain that “Georgia can join
NATO much sooner than many think.”
“It’s possible this will happen while I am still in office,” said the
36-year-old who was elected Georgia’s president for five years in
January 2004.
Saakashvili, a US-educated lawyer, has repeatedly vowed to turn
westward his small country that lies in what has traditionally been
considered Russia’s sphere of influence, the Caucasus.
The adoption of the IPAP shows that “Georgia has entered the final
stretch of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” Irakly
Aladashvili, a military analyst in Tbilisi, told AFP.
“We have actively conducted reforms according to NATO standards,”
Defense Minister Georgy Baramidze said Wednesday.
Georgia, a nation of less than five million people nestled in the
Caucausus mountains, treads a delicate line with its NATO ambitions —
Moscow has been the traditional power broker in the region and is wary
of pro-Western Saakashvili.
Washington has been vying with Russia for influence over Georgia that
hosts a vital oil pipeline due to take Caspian Sea oil to Western
markets.
NATO spread up to the borders of Russia earlier this year when it
admitted the former Soviet republics in the Baltics and the Kremlin
frowns upon the alliance reaching its southern border as well.
Saakashvili has repeatedly sought to reassure Kremlin concerns,
insisting that Georgia will not play host to foreign bases even in the
event it does join NATO.
“NATO integration does not mean that we will have to host foreign
military bases on Georgian territory,” he said last week.
“We are surprised the sensitive reaction in Russia to Georgia’s aim to
be closer to the European Union and NATO,” Nino Burjanadze, speaker of
parliament, said while on a visit to Moscow last week.
“Our aim is membership in the EU and NATO, but not to the detriment of
Russia,” she said.
The question of military bases has a special resonance with Tbilisi, as
Russia still has two bases on Georgian territory from Soviet times.
Although it has agreed to vacate the installations, Moscow has dragged
its feet, saying the logistics of withdrawal could take up to 10 years.
“The question of Georgian integration into NATO is all the more
important in light of relations between Russia and Georgia,” said
Irakly Aladashvili, an analyst.
“First of all, Georgian adhesion to… NATO means the inevitability
that Russia will have to withdraw its bases,” he explained.
De Hoop Scheffer was due to fly out to Azerbaijan late Thursday, where
he was to hold talks with President Ilham Aliyev, before traveling on
to Armenia on Friday afternoon.

Atlantic Online
Nov. 4, 2004
At the Gates of Brussels
If Recep Tayyip Erdogan gets his way, Turkey will be more Islamic and
Europe will be more Turkish. Both would be good news
by Robert D. Kaplan
…..
ho says empires are bad? The multi-ethnic Ottoman Turkish Empire, like
the coeval multi-ethnic Hapsburg Austrian one, was more hospitable to
minorities than the uni-ethnic democratic states that immediately
succeeded it. The Ottoman caliphate welcomed Turkish, Kurdish, and
other Muslims with open arms, and tolerated Christian Armenians and
Jews. The secular-minded, modernizing “Young Turk” politicians who
brought down the empire did not. They used Kurds as subcontractors in a
full-scale assault on Armenians, which scholars now argue about calling
genocide. Ottoman toleration was built on territorial indifference.
Because the same loosely administered imperial rule extended from the
Balkans to Mesopotamia, and as far south as Yemen, minorities could
live anywhere within this space without provoking issues of
sovereignty. Violent discussions over what group got to control which
territory emerged only when the empire came to an end, after World War
I.
The collapse of the Ottoman sultanate continues to haunt geopolitics:
it gave birth to questions about the territorial status of Christians
in Lebanon and of Jews in Palestine, and about whether Kurds north of
Baghdad should live in the same polity as Mesopotamian Arabs to the
south. Moreover, it changed the direction of Muslim thought. For 850
years – from 1071, when the Seljuks defeated the Byzantines at Manzikert,
in eastern Anatolia, to the end of World War I – the House of Islam had
drawn its spiritual direction from Turkey, not from Arabia or Iran. But
with the official abolition of the Constantinople-based caliphate, in
1924, there was no longer any universally accepted authority for the
interpretation of Muslim law. In the competition for doctrinal
legitimacy that has followed, the most radical interpretations have won
out.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Playbill.com, NY
Nov. 3, 2004
Award-Winning Drama Beast on the Moon Aiming for Broadway with Zorich
and Metwally
By Kenneth Jones
Producers of the developing New York production of Richard Kalinoski’s
Beast on the Moon are now aiming the work – a sensation in resident
theatres around the world – at Broadway in 2005 rather than the
previously-announced Off-Broadway.
The American play, about Armenian immigrants still dealing with the
shadows of the 1915 Armenian genocide – even as they face hope and
opportunity in their new home in Milwaukee – “is an absolutely
universal tale of love as a healing tool in the aftermath of wartime
loss,” according to producer David Grillo of Stillwater Productions.
The producer and partners are working toward a Broadway production in
2005, with Tony Award nominee Louis Zorich (Hadrian VII, Agamemnon, 45
Seconds From Broadway, Follies, She Loves Me) and Tony Award nominee
Omar Metwally (Sixteen Wounded) attached. Larry Moss (The Syringa Tree)
directs.
Three workshop presentations will be heard Nov. 11-12 in Manhattan. The
play – honored by the American Theatre Critics Association in 1996 –
has been performed in 16 nations, translated into 11 languages, and won
more than 40 awards around the world.
The work is billed as “a love story, and an American immigrant story,
whose two central characters are survivors of the Armenian Genocide of
1915.”
Members of the theatre industry can get more information about Beast on
the Moon by calling Stillwater Productions at (212) 541-4502.
*
Kalinoski’s play debuted in 1995 at the Humana Festival of New American
Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville. The intimate four-actor show
later blossomed in American regional theatres, from Los Angeles to
Boston, and then around the world.
The play received the 1996 Osborn Award from the American Theatre
Critics Association, recognizing an emerging playwright.
Playwright Kalinoski is a college professor at the University of
Wisconsin, Osh Kosh, where he teaches in the Theatre Arts department.
David Grillo, an actor who appeared in a 1999 Boston production of the
play, is to be lead producer for the commercial Off-Broadway stand.
The title, Beast on the Moon, refers to an ominous lunar eclipse.
“So much appeals to me about Beast that it is hard to find a place to
begin,” producer Grillo previously told Playbill On-Line. “It is an
extraordinarily challenging drama with a surprising number of
well-earned laughs. The play takes its audiences through an emotional
cataclysm and delivers them, at its finish, to joyful redemption. I
don’t like plays that ask me to jump through emotional hoops and then
leave me beaten up by the side of the road. Beast is redemptive. The
journey is hard, but one for which the audience is enormously grateful.
Also very important for me right now is that Beast on the Moon is a
play about Muslim/Christian relations that stresses healing.”
Beast on the Moon is a four-actor romance about two survivors – Aram
and Seta, a young man and his mail order bride – who settle in
Milwaukee between the World Wars (spanning 12 years) and seek to start
a family in the wake of the genocide of their past. They end up taking
an orphan under their wing. A aged narrator provides context.
Producer Grillo has two degrees from the University of California at
Berkeley, in Economics and Dramatic Arts, plus a masters in fine arts
in acting from the Yale School of Drama.
In 2003, Grillo acquired the rights to produce the play in New York,
after 10 months of negotiations. This is the first time the playwright
has granted the New York rights.

The Delaware County Times, PA
Nov. 3, 2004
Spencer: Some here are bushed after voting for Kerry

Gil Spencer, Times Columnist 11/03/2004

Mano’s Gulf in Chester is pretty much an all-purpose service station.
You can get your brakes done, your emissions tested, your car
inspected, gas, air, food and drink.
And yesterday, for one day only, you could vote for president of the
United States.
All you had to do was slip past the counter, down a short hallway and
into the back room where you’ll be greeted by a poster of Al Pacino as
Scarface.
Say `allo to ma `lil fren — the voting booth.
Working the polls were Judge of Elections Pearl Burton, Republican
Vanessa Doward and Democrat Nancy Alexander.
As of 1 p.m. some 191 people out of approximately 1,800 registered
voters had cast their ballots.
“That’s busy for this area,” said Pearl, “and we have a long way to
go.”
Out front, Bruce Mano was waiting on customers. I asked him if having
the polls there was good for business.
“It’s a little disruptive,” he said, “but what the heck. We’ve been
here 30 years so we do our part.”
Shaheer Madeehah was handing out sample ballots at the door.
“A lot of people come up here and you don’t know whether they’re voting
or getting their car fixed,” he said. But they figure it out.
I was there to do a little exit polling.
Sid Singletary, 72, said he was the second person in line at 7 a.m. He
was still there at 1 p.m. I asked him who he voted for.
“Democrat, 100 percent.” I asked him why.
“To clean up the mess this president has made (in Iraq),” he said. “We
know he can’t bring the soldiers home right now. The war has to be
finished one way or another.”
Win or lose?
“I don’t think I’m worried about losing it,” he smiled. He said
electing Kerry could help encourage France and Germany to send troops
to help out.
Paul Buggs, 71, said he voted for Kerry, too.
“I would like to see him do something about medical for old folks and
something about Iraq. We’re understaffed. We don’t have enough soldiers
to do the job.”
As for France and Germany, he said, “They had better sense than we did.
We got another Vietnam on our hands.”
According to my exit poll numbers, John Kerry was safely ahead in
Chester when I left to go up the road to Wallingford.
At the St. John Chrysostom Elementary School, lines to vote were longer
than anyone could ever remember.
“Never in 21 years has there been a line like this,” said Nirvana
Kacala. “My husband and I have been coming here for 21 years. You come,
you vote, you go.” Not this year.
I asked 72-year-old Charlie Houck how he voted.
“Bush,” he replied.
And what did he expect out of him for the next four years? “About the
same as we got now, God help us.”
His number one voting issue was Iraq.
“Colin Powell was right. You go in there, you own it. So you gotta’
wipe `em out. Kill `em all but six. Use them as pallbearers.”
He didn’t sound too enthusiastic about the situation. I asked him, why
Bush?
“You think the other guy is going to do any better? ..he idea is to get
out of that mess with the least damage. (Bush) has a better handle on
it right now. Kerry don’t know what’s going on.”
Victor Galla had a different take. He voted for Kerry hoping for “a lot
of change.”
He would like the next administration to “bring democracy to other
countries without the use of troops. We should defend ourselves when
necessary but not be so aggressive about it.”
Victor turned 33 yesterday. I turned 50 — old enough to know better.
The most delightful person I talked to was Nirvana. She thinks George
Bush is “very outrageous and extreme.” And “extreme situations,” she
said, “need people like Nirvana to come out.”
An Armenian Christian, she grew up in Lebanon (the country, not the
town). She came to America 28 years ago. Went to Penn. Got married and
raised two children. Her daughter went to Strath Haven High and then to
Swarthmore College. Nirvana rolled her eyes. She said something very
funny but made me promise not to print it. Then she got serious again.
Everyone in the world is mad at us, she said. None of her friends from
Europe or the Middle East will visit her.
“Nobody wants to come,” Nirvana said. “They say get rid of Bush and
we’ll come.”
What if we don’t?
“I will go into a serious depression,” she said. “And get on Prozac.
For the next four years.”
But there’s good news for Nirvana. According to my exit polling data,
Kerry won Delaware County with 85.7 percent of the vote (margin of
error: plus or minus 45 percent).
Republicans should demand a recount.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Nov. 1, 2004
VARDASHEN PRISON BROUGHT IN COMPLIANCE WITH EUROPEAN STANDARDS, JUSTICE
MINISTER SAYS
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: The Vardashen prison in a Yerevan
outskirts, called in official documents “criminal-executive
institution” has undergone an extensive overhaul and now complies with
European standards. The Vardashen prison is for former law enforcement
bodies, sentenced to various terms for different crimes.
Armenian justice minister Davit Harutunian visited the prison last
Friday and expressed his satisfaction with the completed work. He said
it was the first time ever such a massive work was conducted to meet
international standards as required by the Council of Europe.
The minister said different regimes will be established in the
prison-so-called open, semi-open, close and semi-closed. The semi-open
regime, for example, allows the convicts to have the opportunity to
freely move within the prison during the whole day.
Restrictions are harsher in close and semi-close regimes. The
convicts have the right to move only at certain hours. At present, the
criminal-executive institution of Artik is also undergoing a
reconstruction. Harutunian said conditions must be established in order
to keep the “mind and the hands of convicts busy” as the work therapy
is part of the rehabilitation.

Harvard Crimson
29 Oct. 2004
Boston Early Music Festival Draws Crowds
Year-long series features groups from around world
By YAN ZHAO
Contributing Writer
Outside of a group of devoted fans of early music—a genre that
encompasses all European musical production between the 15th and 18th
centuries—most Bostonians probably fail to realize that they inhabit
not only the early music capital of America, but also one of the early
music centers of the world. They may have heard of the venerable Boston
Early Music Festival (BEMF), but probably don’t realize it is the only
early music festival in America, as well as the largest and most
elaborate celebration of its kind in the world.
In fact, BEMF’s popular concert series, an annual string of eight to
twelve concerts, draws over 6,000 audience members, and the biennial
festival and exhibition has more than 12,500 participants and thousands
of fans. This year, the first concert of the season sold out more than
a week in advance.
Kathleen Fay, the executive director of BEMF, attributes much of the
success to the city’s unusually active musical community.
“At Boston, you can’t help but become immersed in early music if you’re
a serious classical music lover,” says Fay. “We’re the world’s center
for early music both because of this organization and the number of
excellent performing groups and organizations that have concentrated
around here.”
Early music draws classical, folk, opera, and choral music lovers, all
of which Boston has in abundance.
BEMF was founded in 1980, according to Fay, by “leading practitioners
of early music performance with a mission to promote and conserve the
genre.” For years, it worked in collaboration with its sister festival
in Berkeley and a smaller festival in San Antonio to bring early music
to different areas of America.
But when both of the other two festivals disbanded, Boston became the
primary center of early music in America. Now, BEMF grows more and more
comprehensive and famous each year.
“Our festival audience members now come from all over the world,” says
Fay. “Once we did a survey and learned that 7 percent of our audience
during festival week was from outside the country.”
Fay also notes the festival’s strong international radio presence, much
of which has arisen from its relationship with Boston radio station
WGBH. The station records BEMF performances and broadcasts them
nationwide on National Public Radio, in addition to Britain’s BBC and
Canada’s CBC.
The featured artists also give the festival a distinct international
flavor. The first concert in this year’s concert series was given on
Oct. 16 by a viol consort from England. Over Thanksgiving weekend,
Venice Baroque Orchestra will perform. Later, other artists from such
varied countries as Canada, Germany and Russia will participate in the
series.
Fay usually decides the year’s concert programs herself. “I’ve always
wanted to do so much more than we have the time or money for,” she
said. “It’s hard because in any given season, there are more than 50
top quality groups touring so I have to fit in what I can, like a
jig-saw puzzle.”
Although such activities do pose a significant challenge, Fay says that
the most difficult part of her job is fundraising.
“The budget for a biennial festival is about $2.5 million. The opera is
just about $1 million, about $950,000,” she says. “About half of your
budget is made up of ticket sales…so just imagine the amount of money
that needs to be raised, and 90% of that will be from individual
giving.” Still, Fay says the results are often pleasantly surprising.
“It’s staggering how generous people are and can be when they love
something,” she says. “This is hard work but it’s a labor of love; you
really have to believe in it.”
Fay moved to Boston in 1984 to study music and started working for BEMF
in 1985 as an usher. She moved to the role of assistant to the
director, then general manager and finally executive director in 1991.
As a result, she has watched the organization grow and the early music
scene change drastically.
On top of the concert series, another challenge is putting on the
biennial festival itself. Its central component is the production and
performance of a rare baroque opera masterpiece.
In most years, the opera is an old one that has not been performed for
hundreds of years. But in June 2005, BEMF will present the world
premiere of a recently rediscovered opera, Boris Goudenow by Johann
Mattheson.
The opera was written in 1710 but never produced in the composer’s
lifetime. It was kept in the Hamburg Library until World War II, when
the score, along with many others, disappeared (apparently hidden from
anticipated bombing raids).
“After the war, Boris landed in Soviet hands and was eventually
transferred to Armenia by a scholar interested in the works of
Mattheson,” says artistic director Paul O’Dette. “The score was
‘discovered’ in an Armenian archive and then returned to Hamburg in
1998.”
The BEMF was contacted and offered the world premiere rights of the
opera, says Fay. “We then traveled to Germany where we got to see and
touch the original score. We also went to Russia where we auditioned
Russian opera singers, since the story is Russian, though the composer
was German.”
After the gigantic task of picking an opera comes the even bigger task
of producing it. “There are generally 150 costumes per opera, plus very
demanding sets,” Fay says. “But that’s what I love the most about my
job: the production, development, and realization of the opera. It’s
incredibly rewarding.”
Besides the June extravaganza, there are a number of concerts and
events throughout the year, including performances by the famous choral
groups Tallis Scholars on Dec. 11, and the Hilliard Ensemble on March
6.
“I’m personally very excited about our Feb. 4 concert, which will be
held in Sanders Theatre,” says Fay. “Hopefully we will be using
Harvard’s fortepiano and one of Harvard’s professors will give a
pre-concert lecture.”
Fay also praises the contributions the University has made to the
festival. “We definitely love working with Harvard,” she says. “It’s a
great resource for us.”
–Boundary_(ID_VTOB91sbfRwHXDgeA0W25w)–

Armenia’s speaker defends party colleagues, stresses fight against corruption
Golos Armenii, Yerevan
28 Oct 04
Armenian National Assembly Chairman Artur Bagdasaryan has said
that parliament is leading the fight against corruption in
the executive authorities. Answering questions from readers of
Armenian newspaper Golos Armenii, Bagdasaryan defended his party’s
personnel policy, backing the science and culture ministers who are
members of the coalition government from his Law-Governed Country
Party. Bagdasaryan said that he had no plans at present to stand in
the next presidential elections. He also said that parliament would
have a thorough discussion on sending troops to Iraq. The following
is an excerpt from Lana Mshetsyan and Tigran Mirzoyan’s “hot line”
interview in Golos Armenii on 28 October headlined “An Armenian studies
magazine will be published,’ Armenian National Assembly Chairman Artur
Bagdasaryan said, answering questions from the Golos Armenii hot line”;
subheadings inserted editorially:
Areg Pogosyan, engineer Predictions have appeared recently in the
media that name you alongside the justice minister David Arutyunyan ,
prosecutor-general Aram Tamazyan and defence minister Serzh Sarkisyan
as the most likely contenders in the next presidential elections. What
do you think of these predictions?
No plans to run for president
Artur Bagdasaryan At present I do not have such plans. I am
philosophical about these predictions.
Passage omitted: cooperation needed in parliament to legislate on
compensation for lost investments in the USSR-era Savings Bank;
Bagdasaryan keen to see more young people in politics
Armenian parties lack sufficient professionals
Bagrat Israelyan, teacher Do you think that the personnel policy based
on the coalition principle has justified itself, or should preference
in appointments be given after all to professional qualities?
Bagdasaryan I don’t think it’s correct to oppose the political and
professional principles in the appointment of personnel when it
is a question of political posts, while other structures of power
are apolitical according to the law on state service. Throughout
the civilized world personnel policy is conducted on the coalition
principle. Not local big shots but professional politicians should be
engaged in politics. Unfortunately, not all parties in Armenia have
sufficient personnel potential. This also concerns the Law-Governed
Country Party Orinats Yerkir . Our party is young and, I think,
in time we will have sufficient professional personnel.
Parliament is fighting corruption
Liana Manukyan, musician Why is parliament passive in the fight
against corruption? If you do not agree with this viewpoint, give
specific examples as the basis for your position.
Artur Bagdasaryan I think that it is precisely parliament that is
fighting corruption, because it is no secret that corruption lies
within the executive authorities. Our Audit Chamber is our main
instrument. For instance, last year for the first time in 15 years
parliament did not approve the government’s privatization programme,
because it is not clear to us how a territory of 4,000 sq.m. in the
city centre can be sold for 21,000 US dollars.
Parliament to have thorough discussion on sending troops to Iraq
Karlen Gabriyelyan, construction engineer What do you think of the
prospect of our military being sent to Iraq? Are you not afraid that
this may turn into a threat to the security of our country?
Bagdasaryan The Armenian parliament should thoroughly discuss this
issue when the National Assembly gets the official document. In giving
legal and political assessments we should strictly base ourselves on
this document.
Passage omitted: Bagdasaryan prefers political and psychological
literature
New rules to punish MPs for failing to attend parliament sittings
Mikhail Avetisov, pensioner Parliament sittings take place in an
almost empty hall. Why do the deputies not attend? And what are you
going to do to bring the opposition back to parliament? Why, when they
are not working in parliament and not fulfilling their obligations,
do the opposition (and not only opposition) deputies get their salary
from the taxpayers’ pocket?
Bagdasaryan The question is correct. There are a certain number of
deputies who do not want to take part in the work of parliament at
all. This is very bad. But these deputies were elected and we cannot do
anything about it. As for deputies who are absent without good reason,
we have already discussed this. Soon corrections will be made to the
sitting regulations, according to which a deputy who does not attend
sittings without good reason will be punished financially.
Passage omitted: Bagdasaryan advises refugees to approach his adviser
to solve their problems; Yerevan residents complain about illegal
construction of Thailand’s consulate; Bagdasaryan says he often
meets veterans
Justice minister cannot personally resolve all problems in legal system
Grigoriy Kazaryan, pensioner The judicial system of Armenia is one
the most corrupt in the republic. The latest famous statements of
the Prosecutor-General’s Office are evidence of this. This is one of
the reasons for the population’s emigration. Do you not think that
Justice Minister David Arutyunyan cannot (or may be does not want) to
correct the situation and should retire? Why is your party called the
Law-Governed Country Party when none of its members fights for justice?
Bagdasaryan We are fighting for justice and many examples are evidence
of this. As for the judicial system, I agree that corruption in this
sphere is very high. There is corruption in the law-enforcement
agencies as well. It is necessary to fight this very negative
phenomenon. As for Justice Minister David Arutyunyan, I do not
think that he personally should settle all the problems connected
with the judicial system, that is, to be responsible for all the
judicial sins. Judicial and legal reform has been conducted in our
country, certain specific reforms will be conducted in 2005. I hope
the situation will gradually change for the better, but for this
social legislation should be improved and the living standards of
population should be raised.
Passage omitted: Bagdasaryan stresses his support for science, will
support publication of an Armenian studies journal; says health
council is working within the law
Defends education and culture ministers
Yervand Manasaryan, professor The ministers who are Law-Governed
Country Party appointees figure constantly in scandals: the science
minister Sergo Yeritsyan does not deal with science, the culture
minister Ovik Oveyan moved from a stupid personnel policy in the circus
to a stupid personnel policy in the choreography school, then in the
Chamber Theatre… ellipses as published What’s next? Surely society
shouldn’t have only to suffer from your personnel idiosyncrasies? Do
you at least know how many people are suffering from the actions of
Law-Governed Country Party appointees in more humble posts?
Bagdasaryan We’ll begin by saying that first of all the Armenian
Academy of Sciences should deal with issues of science. I support this
approach. The ministry is called the Ministry of Education and Science,
but does not in reality have the authority to deal with issues related
to science and we should expand the functions of the Armenian Academy
of Sciences.
As for the minister of culture, he is a very famous cultural figure,
the author of many books and screenplays, a dramatist. All his family
are closely linked with the world of the arts, of creativity. As for
the examples listed, these are in many instances artificial scandals,
which play into someone’s hands… ellipses as published
I cannot agree with the questioner. In many other ministries the
situation is much more complex than in those mentioned. I acknowledge
that there are problems, but no more than in other ministries.
It should not be forgotten that science and culture are the spheres
of individuals, bright, outstanding individuals. So it is not at all
simple to get to grips with things here and one should not rush to
draw conclusions and make accusations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
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10/28/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) "Kef For Kerry" Concert Tour Rallies South Florida for Democratic Nominee 2) Four Unrecognized Republics to Hold Exercises in S. Ossetia 3) Livingston: Kerry Tied up with 'Armenian Genocide' Statements 4) UN Panel Recommends Debate on Occupied Azeri Lands 5) Greece Refuses to Cede Any Sovereignty to Turkey 6) International Forum on Armenian Farming, Agribusiness 7) MPs Forced to Learn Armenian Anthem 8) llham Aliyev Ends Checkered Year As President on Wednesday 9) AzerbaijanForBush.com 1) "Kef For Kerry" Concert Tour Rallies South Florida for Democratic Nominee --MA State Rep. Peter Koutoujian; Gwen Graham Among Special Guests --Sen. Graham Set to Cosponsor Genocide Resolution (S.Res.164) FORT LAUDERDALE--Over 200 Armenian Americans from South Florida's Tri-County area (Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties) donned "Armenians for Kerry" and "Armenstock 2004" t-shirts and danced the evening away at the Las Olas Riverfront Sunday, in support of John Kerry's presidential bid, reported the Armenian National Committee of Florida. The concert, organized as part of the nationwide "Kef for Kerry Tour of Battleground States," featured the Cascade Folk Trio and included special guests--Massachusetts State Representative Peter Koutoujian, Gwen Graham, daughter of US Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) representing the Kerry/Edwards Campaign, and ANCA Government Affairs Director Abraham Niziblian. Between musical sets, Gwen Graham reminded the attendees about the Democratic Presidential candidate's strong record on Armenian American concerns and read a special message from Sen. Kerry to the Florida Armenian community. In the letter, Sen. Kerry restated his commitment to proper recognition of the Armenian Genocide. "I want to assure you, as President, I will continue to fight against denial of the Armenian Genocide," explained Sen. Kerry. Following cheers from the crowd, Graham went a step further to announce that her father, Sen. Bob Graham, has also pledged to co-sponsor the Genocide resolution, S.Res.164, making him the first Florida Senator to support a similar initiative. Introduced by Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ), S.Res.164 marks the 15th anniversary of the US implementation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. With the addition of Sen. Graham, the legislation will have 41 cosponsors. State Representative Peter Koutoujian (D-MA) electrified the crowd, making a compelling case for Armenian-Americans and all Americans to cast their vote for the Kerry/Edwards ticket. "John Kerry has been a true friend to Armenian-Americans. Whether it has been fighting for recognition of the Armenian Genocide or providing for Karabagh's security, Senator Kerry deserves our vote based on his impeccable record," said Koutoujian. He charismatically emphasized the importance of voting and especially voting for Senator John Kerry, whose twenty years of support for Armenian issues earned him an unequivocal endorsement from the Armenian National Committee of America. "On behalf of the Florida Armenian community, we would like to thank Sen. Graham for his principled stand in support of the Genocide resolution," stated ANC of Florida Chairman Bedo Der-Bedrossian. "As we approach the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, we look forward to working with the Florida Senate and House delegation in the 109th Congress to ensure proper US reaffirmation of this crime against humanity. We also greatly appreciate Representative Koutoujian's participation in our Kef for Kerry event. During his two day stay dedicated to rallying Armenian-Americans behind John Kerry, he has attended numerous community events and significantly strengthened the ANC of South Florida's effort to get out the Armenian vote." Community support for the evening was tremendous, primarily due to a far-reaching internet and e-mail campaign and traditional canvassing by Florida ANC activists. Armenian Americans throughout South Florida, both active and new to community affairs, attended the gathering. "I am very happy you found my name," said Florida Atlantic University student Karina Azrumova. "We were thrilled by the turnout of this wonderful event and look forward to expanding our outreach to all facets of the Florida Armenian community as we work to advance the issues of concern dear to our hearts," concluded Bedo Der-Bedrossian. Billed as the Armenian version of Bruce Springsteen's "Vote for Change" tour, the "Kef for Kerry Tour of Battleground States" visited Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, and Pennsylvania during the final three weeks of October. Modeled after Armenstock 2004, each stop on the tour combines a single musical performance with a political program designed to generate enthusiasm among young activists and bring in hundreds of new fellow passengers onto the Armenians for Kerry bandwagon. The battleground states chosen for the Tour have sizable Armenian communities and are expected to play a pivotal role in the outcome of the presidential election this year. For more information about the Kef for Kerry Tour of Battleground States, visit: The Kef for Kerry tour is made possible by a generous contribution from Dr. Carolann and K. George Najarian. 2) Four Unrecognized Republics to Hold Exercises in S. Ossetia MOSCOW (Interfax)--The Defense Ministries of four unrecognized republics--Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Mountainous Karabagh and Transdniestria--will hold joint military exercises before the end of the year, a source in the Abkhaz Defense Ministry told Interfax on Thursday. "Task groups from the defense ministries will hold joint training for response to armed incursions before the end of this year," the source said. "All these republics do not rule out that the armed forces of countries to which our republics used to belong may try to restore control by force. The most apparent danger exists for South Ossetia and Abkhazia," he said. South Ossetia and Abkhazia are legally provinces of Georgia, but conflicts in the 1990s led to their de facto independence. Azerbaijan lost control of Mountainous Karabagh, and Moldova lost control of Transdniestria at approximately the same time. All of these unrecognized republics are seeking international recognition, while Tbilisi, Baku, and Chisinau are stepping up efforts to restore control over their breakaway provinces. 3) Livingston: Kerry Tied up with 'Armenian Genocide' Statements WASHINGTON, DC (Zaman)--According to the Turkish newspaper Zaman Daily, a founding partner of the firm that officially lobbies in Washington on behalf of the Turkish government remarked that Democratic presidential candidate Kerry has entrapped himself with his statements on the Armenian genocide "I am afraid that if Kerry is elected president, there may be big a change in American policy on the genocide issue," Bob Livingston, the chairman of The Livingston Group is quoted as saying. 4) UN Panel Recommends Debate on Occupied Azeri Lands YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--A key United Nations committee has backed Azerbaijan's calls for the UN General Assembly to discuss the resettlement of Armenian families on Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani territories around Mountainous Karabagh. Meeting in New York on Wednesday, the UN's General Committee voted to recommend the inclusion of the issue on the agenda of the assembly's ongoing session. The move was demanded by Azerbaijan and strongly backed by representatives of Muslim nations, including Pakistan and Turkey, which sit on the panel. The recommendation was considered to have passed, even though only 9 of the 28 committee members voted for it, while 14 others, including a US diplomat, abstained. There were no votes against. The General Assembly now has to decide whether it wants to consider the issue. Azerbaijan's permanent representative to the UN, Yashar Aliyev, reportedly accused Armenians of building settlements on the occupied lands. "Azerbaijan will not tolerate colonization of its territory," he said. Aliyev called for international pressure on Armenia which he said is keen to change "the demographic situation" in the zone of the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. Aliyev's Armenian counterpart Armen Martirosian, opposed a debate on the issue and denied the existence of an Armenian policy of resettlement. A French member of the UN committee, speaking on behalf of the French, Russian, and US co-chairs of the Minsk Group, also spoke out against raising the issue with the General Assembly, warning of "negative consequences" for the peace process. "We state once again that there is no official policy of resettlement," the spokesman for the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Hamlet Gasparian, said in a statement earlier on Wednesday. He accused Baku of seeking to deflect international attention from Karabagh's future status. Continued Armenian control of Lachin seems to have been upheld by all peace proposals put forward by the mediators over the past decade. 5) Greece Refuses to Cede Any Sovereignty to Turkey ATHENS (AFP)--Greece said on Wednesday it would not even slightly cede its sovereignty to Turkey, after accusing Ankara of almost daily violations of its air and maritime space in the past few days. "Turkey has its own positions and we stand by our own. We are not going to give up a centimeter of our sovereign rights," deputy government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros told a news conference in Athens. The Greek military authorities on Wednesday reported new Turkish violations on Greek airspace in the Aegean Sea. "Thirteen violations of Greek airspace took place on Wednesday, while three clashes (between Greek and Turkish planes) took place near the Greek islands of Chios, Lesbos, and Limnos," military spokesman Constantin Loukopoulos said. Improved bilateral ties with Greece, a European Union member, is of particular importance to EU candidate Turkey as it awaits a crucial December decision from Brussels on whether it will be given a date to start full membership talks. Although strained ties between the two neighbors have improved significantly since 1999, spats in the Aegean have been frequent for years as Athens and Ankara remain at loggerheads over territorial and air control rights there. The Turkish foreign ministry denied Monday the Greek charges, saying that Turkish ships and planes had been carrying out routine training operations in the area. Greece said it supports Turkey's integration in Europe but has not clarified if it will come out in favor of Ankara`s EU bid in December. 6) International Forum on Armenian Farming, Agribusiness YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--Hundreds of Armenian farmers and agribusiness owners joined experts from 27 countries for an international conference on ways of boosting Armenia's struggling agriculture, which began its work in Yerevan on Thursday. The opening session of the three-day forum was attended by senior Armenian officials and representatives of Western donor agencies and other international institutions. The latter pledged continued assistance to the sector which generates at least 20 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product. Liz Grande, the head of the United Nations mission in Yerevan said that low-income Armenian farmers can hardly boost their productivity without obtaining machines and other equipment. According to Zareh Izmirlian of the US-Armenian Technology Group, Armenian agriculture can not be competitive without the necessary equipment. "Our overall impression is that Armenian agriculture is not competitive at the moment," he said. At the forum, The World Bank also pledged to continue its financing of the Armenian government's irrigation and rural infrastructure projects. The conference was timed to coincide with an exhibition of various agricultural products by some 60 Armenian firms. Their owners cited a wide range of problems hampering further growth of the sector, that has expanded considerably since the late 1990s. 7) MPs Forced to Learn Armenian Anthem YEREVAN (RFE/RL)Members of Armenia's parliament will be obliged to know the full text of the national anthem by heart under a proposed code of ethics to be debated by the National Assembly soon. The legislation has been drafted by the parliament's committee on legal affairs and formally endorsed by the leaders of parliament's majority. "I think that the deputies must really know it by heart," said Mher Shahgeldian, a senior lawmaker representing the Orinats Yerkir party. Other majority leaders appeared to speak for many of their colleagues when they admitted that their knowledge of the anthem's lyrics leaves much to be desired. "I don't know the full text of the state anthem. It's very difficult for me learn this anthem," said Galust Sahakian, the leader of the Republican Party. "Nobody has the right to teach anyone something by law," Sahakian complained before assuring reporters that he will try to comply with the measure. "That's OK," said deputy speaker Vahan Hovannisian. "He'll learn. It's not that tough." "I knew it even before it was adopted as national anthem," Hovannisian added, referring to the Mer Hayrenik (Our Fatherland) song the lyrics of which are based on a 19th century verse by Mikael Nalbandian, a prominent Armenian poet. The song was also the national anthem of the first independent Armenian republic that existed from 1918-20, which founded and governed by Hovannisian's Armenian Revolutionary Federation party. The proposed code of ethics, which is meant to prevent deputies from bringing the assembly into disrepute, has already sparked debate due to some of its controversial provisions. Under one of those provisions, lawmakers would not be allowed to publicly comment on criminal cases before court verdicts. Sahakian appeared to be unaware of that despite signing the draft code along with fellow faction leaders recently. "If there is such stupidity [in the code], I will fight hard against it," he said. "Deputies must have a right to make political assessments." The parliament's second vice-speaker, Tigran Torosian, has also expressed serious misgivings about the bill. 8) llham Aliyev Ends Checkered Year As President on Wednesday By Jean-Christophe Peuch On October 31, 2003, 41-year-old Ilham Aliyev formally succeeded his ailing father as president of the oil-rich Caspian republic of Azerbaijan. While taking the oath on the Koran and Azerbaijan's Constitution, Aliyev pledged to bring his country "peace, order, progress, stability, and economic prosperity," and to pursue a path toward democratic reforms. While Aliyev's first year in power has brought some positive changes, he seems unableor unwilling to make a clean break with his father's controversial legacy. PRAGUETo be sure, Ilham Aliyev's mandate started under unfavorable circumstances. The day following his election on October 15, 2003, tens of thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets of Baku to protest the outcome. The protesters called the vote fraudulent and claimed that their candidateMusavat Party leader Isa Qambarhad garnered more votes than any other contender. At least one person was killed in clashes with police. In the following weeks, authorities arrested hundreds of opposition activists, closed Musavat headquarters, and imposed a ban on antigovernment newspapers. Restrictions were subsequently eased. The vast majority of detainees were released after spending a few weeks in jail, where they reportedly endured ill treatment. Seven opposition leaders, however, went on trial for allegedly inciting Baku residents to revolt. On October 22, Azerbaijan's Court for Serious Crimes sentenced them to jail terms of up to five years. International organizations and human rights groups have condemned the ruling and criticized Azeri authorities for failing to grant the defendants a fair trial. For Baku-based political expert Rasim Musabeyov, last week's ruling is characteristic of the new regime. "In this respect, [one sees] little difference between Azerbaijan, Russia, or Armenia. Yet what is even worse is that [Azerbaijan] starts looking like [some] Central [Asian countries]. This is certainly not an innovation brought by the younger Aliyev," Musabeyov said. "The existing system largely owes to the elder Aliyev. Yet, the big difference [between the two men] is that the elder Aliyev felt strong and confident enough to put up with a regime of semi-freedom. But when the younger Aliyev assumed power, the ruling elite became, if not afraid, at least wary and less prone to tolerate that regime of semi-freedom." Critics generally blame Aliyev for not addressing corruption and for failing to bring new blood into Azerbaijan's political elite. As evidence, Musabeyov cites conclusions made by the Freedom House nongovernmental organization. In its 2004 report on civil liberties worldwide, the Washington-based group downgraded Azerbaijan to its list of "not free" nations, down from its previous status of "partly free." Not everyone in Azerbaijan believes Aliyev's human rights record is poorer than that of his father, however. Independent expert Sahin Rzayev of the Moscow-based Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations, said that, despite last week's court ruling, the past year has brought some improvements in Azerbaijan's human rights record. Rzayev in particular cites Aliyev's decision to pardon four prominent political prisoners. Iskander Hamidov, Suret Huseynov, Ilqar Safihanov, and Alikram Hummatov had been sentenced to between 14 years and life imprisonment under the elder Aliyev, and the Council of Europe had long pressed for their release. "One has to note that Azerbaijan has fulfilled nearly all its obligations before the Council of Europe with regard to political prisoners," Rzayev said. "Some 923 prisoners have been amnestied. Aliyev signed four pardon decrees and, with a few exceptions, nearly all the political prisoners listed as such by human rights groups have been released by now. Some have remained in Azerbaijan, others have left the country." Rzayev also disagrees with the widespread view that Aliyev is less shrewd and astute than his father. He argues that even after his father's death last December, Aliyev has shown enough political clout to survive infighting among the ruling elite. "[Aliyev] is surrounded by people with whom he can work and whom he trusts. Yet, one can feels frictions and disagreements among the ruling elite," Rzayev said. "Conventionally speaking, one could say the infighting pits 'young reformers' against 'old conservatives.' But it is very difficult to figure out what is really going on because these things are not debated publicly. These frictions started already during Heidar Aliyev's illness, when nobody really knew what would happen next, and they are more acute now." Critics generally blame Aliyev for not addressing corruption and for failing to bring new blood into Azerbaijan's political elite. With a few exceptions, most of Heidar Aliyev's cabinet ministers have retained their jobs, and corruption remains rampant among state officials. Political analyst Musabeyov argues that this is evidence that Aliyev's government differs little from that of his father. "I would say this is a stagnation in Azerbaijan's life," Musabeyov said. "The inertia that used to characterize the final years of the elder Aliyev's rule is continuing under the younger Aliyev." Confronted with such criticism, the government has responded by noting economic improvements over the past year. It claims gross domestic product has increased in recent months, while inflation has been curbed and thousands of new jobs created. But analysts question official figures and say increased national revenues stem largely from favorable circumstances on the world energy market, not from real economic growth. Rzayev says that although hydrocarbons account for some 85 percent of Azerbaijan's export revenues, the recent hike in world oil prices has not benefited the country's impoverished population. "Unfortunately, this [cash flow] does not reach the population. The authorities are placing it on a special stabilization fund," Rzayev said. "Starting from 1 January, retail prices such as that of gas and other energy products will increase. I would say that, for the population, things have deteriorated [compared to the times of Heidar Aliyev]. Life has become even harder, and people have the right to ask why." The government says its oil stabilization fund may be used in the future to finance social projects and improve the country's depleted infrastructure. But with an annual inflation rate estimated at around 20 percent, few in Azerbaijan pay attention to the government's promises. 9) AzerbaijanForBush.com An independent website created by Azeri-Americans--AzerbaijanForBush.com, provides a clear look at Azerbaijan's view on the presidential candidates. The website comes out in full support of President Bush's policies, which it says have supported the independence and security of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It says that President Bush's administration has sought to de-link American aid to Azerbaijan from aid to Armenia, reflecting a belief that each of America's allies should be dealt with on its own merits. It also reports that "President Bush has worked to abolish US sanctions against Azerbaijan instigated by the Armenian lobby in 1992. By contrast, Senator Kerry was a sponsor of that pro-Armenian legislation." In its report card comapring President Bush to Senator Kerry, the website notes that while Bush is not endorsed by any Armenian or pro-Armenian political parties, news organizations, or NGOs, Senator Kerry's campaign is supported by the Armenian political parties in America, including the ARF, which it calls "the notorious Armenian Revolutionary Federation historically supporting terrorism, the Hunchakyan (the Bell)," as well as the Armenian National Committee of America, calling it the "main Armenian lobby and propaganda organization." 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) 2004 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.