Author: Emil Lazarian

Pyunik pick up another trophy
UEFA.com
May 10 2004
Reigning champions FC Pyunik have lifted their first silverware of
the 2004 season by defeating FC Banants in the Armenian Cup final.
Bete the hero
After a goalless 120 minutes, including extra time, today’s match went
to penalties where Pyunik goalkeeper Edel Bete proved the hero, saving
two Banants spot-kicks. During the game, both teams missed plenty of
opportunities with Karen Aleksanyan and Mamadou Diawara profligate
for Pyunik and Albert Iskoyants and Artak Oseyan squandering chances
for Banants.
Birthday present
“I’m very happy,” said Pyunik coach Mihai Stoichita, who celebrates
his 50th birthday tomorrow. “My players have given me a great birthday
present. We have completed our first task this season, but there is
no time to rest with important matches looming.”
European consolation
Stoichita’s counterpart Hovannes Zanazyan was much more terse. “I’m
satisfied with our display, however some experienced players let me
down.” Banants will, however, still qualify for the 2004/05 UEFA Cup
as will FC Shirak, while Pyunik will play in the UEFA Champions League.

AZERBAIJAN’S MILITARY MANOEUVRE ADVERSELY AFFECTS CASPIAN ISSUE, IRANIAN DAILY SAYS
Shargh web site, Tehran,
2 May 04
The Republic of Azerbaijan is planning to perform a military manoeuvre
in the Caspian Sea in the coming days. Contrary to the remarks by
the commander of Azerbaijan’s Border Guards regarding the aims of
the manoeuvre in terms of evaluating the readiness of the border
forces of the Azerbaijan Republic in order to confront a possible
violation of its maritime borders, it seems that this military
action is commensurate with the deployment of NATO equipment in the
areas close to the northern borders of Iran and that the aims of the
manoeuvres are something else.
Holding military manoeuvres so soon after the recent Moscow conference,
during which the littoral states of the Caspian Sea declared their
verbal commitment to keep the Caspian Sea far from militarization
and help the establishment of a durable peace, is a matter that can
be studied from several points of view.
A long time ago, Aran and Shirvan were annexed forcefully by Tsarist
Russia and the name was changed to the Republic of Azerbaijan. The
policies of that republic in the later course of history were always
accompanied with the negation of the historical identities and always
affected the security of the northern borders of Iran. The leaders of
the Republic of Azerbaijan, which has fewer than 8 million population,
under the guidance of the late president of the Azerbaijan, Haydar
Aliyev, used the old doctrines of the former USSR to insist on the
common language of Azeris with Iranian Azerbaijan, as an element for
trying to separate this part of Iran from the rest of the country.
The Republic of Azerbaijan, since its independence from the 15
republics of the former USSR, has tried to regain old aims and has
tilted towards extraterritorial powers for financial and other
assistance. They have attracted 12.5m dollars from the White
House and Washington’s special budget to consolidate and equip
the Azeri Navy and bring it up to NATO standards, in line with the
militarization of the Caspian Sea. The military influence of the USA
on the regional countries around the Caspian Sea has been increasing
under many pretexts, like the training of military forces or holding
manoeuvres. For instance, every year we see the common manoeuvres by
the USA with regard to Kazakhstan. In order to increase the support
from the Republic of Azerbaijan, the USA has used its experience
of military and economic assistance programmes. The Americans
have presented warships and patrol boats to Azerbaijan. They are
consolidating their own presence in the region through a partner like
Azerbaijan to protect their oil interests. On the other side, the
Russian Federation, which had the reputation of a powerful military
presence in the Caspian Sea, has tried to enhance its military muscle
through holding naval manoeuvres. The great manoeuvre of the Russians
in the Port of Astrakhan, immediately after the summit of the littoral
states in Asgabat, was in the same line. The Russian Federation has
recently declared that it has to equip its forces in the Caspian Sea
with the latest military equipment.
Undoubtedly, Iran’s northern neighbours are taking advantage its
passive position. Relying on the great powers, they are trying to
enhance their military power in the Caspian Sea in order to gain more
advantages in there. They will be able to protect the security of
the pipelines under constructions, especially Baku-Ceyhan, which are
uneconomical routes designed to bypass Iran, as well as to pressure
Iran to go deeper into the passive mood and ignore its rights to
oil and gas in the Caspian Sea. This point gains importance when we
notice that four of the 14 main oil and gas fields in Azerbaijan are
within the 20 per cent limits that some Iranian politicians have set as
the acceptable share for Iran. Of course, Azerbaijan’s other allies,
like Turkey, which has 15 km of common border with Azerbaijan, and
Israel, are planning to expand the political, economic, and cultural
influence in the region, and they are supporting Azerbaijan from a
military point of view.
The reality is that, despite the failure of the repeated sessions and
conferences of the littoral states for devising a proper exploitation
plan in the Caspian Sea and the codification of joint military plans
in order to preserve the balance of naval power in the Caspian Sea,
can be followed by our authorities in order to protect the national
interests and facilitate the implementation of other plans. On the
other side, Iran’s power to affect the Karabakh and Talesh issues
are among Iran’s capacities that have not been used, and they can
be important in the preservation of stability along the maritime and
land borders and help Iran to play its natural and historical role.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Libération , France
mardi 27 avril 2004
Franco-Arméniens, retour sur un leurre
Livre. L’auteur reconstitue, témoignages à l’appui, la saga de ces
exilés qui ont cru à la propagande soviétique.
Par Jacques AMALRIC
Arménie 1947 : les naufragés de la terre promise,
par Robert Arnoux, Edisud, 214 pp., 20 €.
Marseille de l’après-guerre n’a pas connu que l’Exodus. Il y a eu
aussi, à la fin de 1947, le Rossia et le Pobeda, deux paquebots
soviétiques chargés par Staline de rapatrier 7 000 Arméniens de la
diaspora vers leur «terre promise», l’Arménie soviétique.
Rescapés pour la plupart du génocide de 1915, ces Franco-Arméniens
avaient été victimes de la propagande soviétique et de leur nostalgie
; ils venaient tout autant de Marseille, de la banlieue parisienne,
que de Lyon, Valence ou Romans. Pour la plupart ouvriers, artisans ou
chefs de petite entreprise, ils avaient tout bradé, tout abandonné du
jour au lendemain sur la foi des promesses soviétiques relayées par
le Parti communiste et sa presse sans oublier le catholicos de
l’Eglise autocéphale arménienne qui n’était pas en situation de
refuser quoi que ce soit à Staline. C’est leur sombre saga que
reconstitue Robert Arnoux dans un récit précieux, illustré par les
témoignages des survivants de cette formidable escroquerie. Souvent
actifs dans la Résistance, proches du Parti communiste, bon nombre de
ces Arméniens retournent de bonne foi au pays mythique de leurs
ancêtres pour reconstruire leur «patrie historique». Encore mal
intégrés, victimes d’un racisme ordinaire, n’étant pas, bien souvent,
parvenus à obtenir la nationalité française, se souvenant du régime
humiliant que leur avait imposé Vichy, ils ne veulent pas entendre ou
comprendre les messages dissuasifs mais trop elliptiques, que leur
font parvenir les Arméniens tombés en 1936 dans un piège semblable
tendu par Staline.
Les enfants de cette génération de l’exil, qui n’ont connu que la
France, sont souvent moins enthousiastes à la perspective du départ.
Mais ils finissent par s’incliner devant la volonté du père ; et
lorsqu’ils se révoltent, les autorités françaises, qui ne veulent pas
irriter Moscou, ferment les yeux sur les pressions dont ils sont
victimes. Si la croisière jusqu’au port géorgien de Batoumi se fait
dans la ferveur, le désenchantement est vite au rendez-vous. Il
saisit les plus lucides dans le train qui les charrie de Batoumi à
Erevan. A la gare d’Erevan, ce sont les confidences chuchotées par
les naufragés de 1936 qui font tomber les écailles.
La suite n’est qu’une litanie de désillusions : les candidats au
retour sont vite dépouillés de leurs maigres biens, parqués dans des
logements de fortune, condamnés aux travaux les plus ingrats,
surveillés de près car ils font preuve de mauvais esprit, déportés à
l’occasion. C’est en 1956 que la France entendra de nouveau parler
d’eux, à l’occasion d’une visite de Christian Pineau, alors ministre
des Affaires étrangères, à Erevan. Ils sont plusieurs centaines à
attendre le ministre, à entonner la Marseillaise et à oser bousculer
le service d’ordre pour exposer leur drame et implorer leur
rapatriement. En vain, bien sûr, car les autorités soviétiques
peuvent encore compter sur la «compréhension» de Paris. Il en ira
pratiquement de même, deux ans plus tard, avec l’appel lancé au
général de Gaulle par plusieurs Français d’Erevan retenus contre leur
gré. Ce n’est qu’à partir de 1975 que s’amorceront les retours et le
mouvement s’accélérera dans les années 80.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pyunik win Armenian Cup after penalty shoot-out
Reuters
Sunday May 9, 2004 8:26 PM
YEREVAN, May 9 (Reuters) – Pyunik Yerevan 0 – Banants Yerevan 0 –
result after extra time
Armenian Cup final
Pyunik won 6-5 on penalties
Attendance: 6,500
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Guardian
May 9 2004
Armenian Cup winners since 1992
Reuters
Sunday May 9, 2004 8:26 PM
YEREVAN, May 9 (Reuters) – Results of Armenian Cup finals since the
competition began in 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union:
Season Winners Runners-up Score 1992 Banants Abovyan Sports Union of
Armenia Yerevan 2-0 1992-93 Ararat Yerevan Shirak Gyumri 3-1 1993-94
Ararat Yerevan Shirak Gyumri 1-0 1994-95 Ararat Yerevan Kotaik Abovyan
4-2 1995-96 Pyunik Yerevan Kotaik Abovyan 3-2 1996-97 Ararat Yerevan
Pyunik Yerevan 1-0 1997-98 Tsement Ararat Yerevan Yerevan 3-1 1998-99
Tsement Ararat Shirak Gyumri 3-2 1999-2000 Mika Ashtarak Zvartnots
Yerevan 2-1 2000-01 Mika Ashtarak Ararat Yerevan 1-1
(Mika Ashtarak won 4-3 on penalties) 2001-02 Pyunik Yerevan Zvartnots
Yerevan 2-0 2002-03 Mika Ashtarak Banants Yerevan 1-0 2003-04 Pyunik
Yerevan Banants Yerevan 0-0
(Pyunik Yerevan won 6-5 on penalties)
– – – –
All-time winners of Armenian Cup finals since the competition began
in 1992:
4 – Ararat Yerevan
3 – Mika Ashtarak, Pyunik Yerevan
2 – Tsement Yerevan
1 – Banants Abovyan (Banants Abovyan became Banants Yerevan in 1998)
Note: Ararat Yerevan were the only Armenian team to win the Soviet
Cup in 1973 and 1975.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Daily Star, Lebanon
May 10 2004
Uneven turnout as Lebanese vote
christians allegedly unhappy with election law
By Nayla Assaf
Daily Star staff
BEIRUT: The municipal council elections in the capital were marked
by an extremely low turnout Sunday, a sharp contrasted with voter
participation in Baalbek.
In the Bekaa, turnout levels varied greatly from one region to
another, but overall it was much higher than Beirut, with 70 percent
in Baalbek and 40 percent in Zahle.
Beirut, on the other hand, had a 23 percent turnout – half what the
Interior Ministry projected.
Apart from the arrest of seven Free Patriotic Movement (FPM)
supporters for 30 minutes in Achrafieh, no wide-scale clashes were
reported. But observers said participation was extremely low among
Christian voters due to “an unjust electoral law” seen by many as
unlikely to bring about a representative council.
Interior Minister Elias Murr dismissed such claims Sunday evening,
saying turnout was low among Christians and Muslims.
According to Ziad Baroud, the secretary-general of the Lebanese
Association for Democratic Elections, three major irregularities
took place throughout the day: including a marked delay in issuing
voting cards and a delay opening doors for voters in some polling
stations – caused by a lack of representatives.
The electoral law stipulates there should be at least two campaign
delegates for two different lists present in each station.
“We did not see any tangible evidence of bribery, but there were
repeated reports of bribery coming from throughout Beirut,” Baroud
said, adding that the low voter turnout was proof that there is a
problem in the municipal law.
“While the Bekaa had an acceptable turnout, the level in Beirut was
extremely low, which is proof that people feel the elections will not
be representative of their choice,” he said. “It is unfair that
Beirut was divided into three districts for the parliamentary
elections of 2000 and that it remains one district for the municipal
elections.”
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, one of the heavyweights in the Beirut
elections, was among the first to vote, reportedly casting his ballot
at his Bliss Street registry at 7.30am.
Hariri called on voters to “vote, vote and vote,” reiterating his
campaign slogan.
“Elections are a guarantee of democracy. If we want a true democratic
system, we have to vote,” he said, adding that he was convinced that
Beirut voters would vote for “coexistence.”
On the other hand, former MP Najah Wakim, backing the opposition
list, said: “Hariri was trying to avoid an electoral battle in
Beirut, but the opposition list changed these calculations by forming
a second list.”
According to Wakim, the opposition produced a democratic environment
by offering Beirut voters a choice.
He then lashed out at Hariri, insinuating that the premier was buying
votes.
“Our list will now force Hariri to add some $3 million and buy more
votes,” Wakim said.
Although Wakim doubted that his list would achieve a considerable
victory, he said it has already achieved a political victory, because
it was able to form an opposition list.
Asked about the accusation that the Hariri-backed list bribed voters,
Beirut MP Ghattas Khoury, who is a member of Hariri’s bloc said,
“those are mere rumors.”
Khoury, who along with most of Hariri’s MPs was taking an active role
on the ground, said the Hariri-backed list did not need to resort to
bribery “since it is the only complete, multi-color list in Beirut.”
This confidence was displayed by the entire Hariri camp throughout
the day.
Campaigners for the list were the most numerous in all stations
visited by The Daily Star, with the delegates of the
opposition-backed Dignity and Change list also showing a high
presence.
As for the third list, the Beirut’s People list, its presence was
mostly noticeable in the areas of Raouche, Aisha Bakkar and Mazraa.
Many Christian voters were reportedly discouraged by the elections
and either failed to show up or only voted for the mukhtars and not
for municipal council members.
This, according to a source at the FPM was due to the lukewarm
backing of other Christian opposition parties. Another source
attributed this lack of participation as “remnants of the traditional
mindset which allocates areas as turfs to one leader or another.”
The source said that most opposition parties cannot shake off this
mindset and allow themselves to make deals with Hariri by “staying
away from his turf, so he would stay away from theirs.”
The FPM considers that it led the battle almost solo with Wakim and
the Communist Party since the Phalange opposition, the Lebanese
Forces and the Qornet Shehwan Christian opposition group did not
truly encourage their supporters to vote, despite the fact that they
were officially backing the opposition list.
“With Hariri’s circles spreading news that their victory is
guaranteed and after the defeats in Mount Lebanon, our opponents were
able to hold a systematic discouragement campaign,” he said. “As to
our allies, I think that they were telling their followers under the
table to only vote for mukhtars,” he added.
In the Bekaa, Syria had put its political weight in an attempt to
block all opposition parties from getting hold of winning municipal
seats. The alliance between Hizbullah and the Lebanon branch of the
pro-Syria Baath Party prevailed on the ground over all other
alliances, such as those between the Communists, Nationalist and Amal
Movement.
Christian opposition parties such as the LF, the FPM and the Phalange
Rank and File failed to form complete lists or be included in the
major lists in such key Christian towns as Zahle and other villages
of the Western Bekaa.
The hotspots of the Bekaa were the towns of Zahle and Baalbek, where
the race remained mostly between different loyalist parties. What was
noticeable in both was the near-absence of Christian opposition.
In many villages, Hizbullah and Amal headed opposing lists. Sheikh
Naim Qassem, Hizbullah’s deputy secretary-general, even lashed out at
the Amal list on Saturday, calling them “enemies of god,” which they
felt was insulting.
According to Justice Minister Bahij Tabbara, 70 judges were
dispatched to oversee the tabulation committees. He also said that
last week’s delay in the issuing of the results for Mount Lebanon has
compelled the ministry to dispatch seven additional tabulation
committees.
The municipal council for Beirut, the largest in the country, holds
24 seats, while there are 108 seats for mukhtars, which are
distributed in the capital’s three districts.
Among the 420,000 eligible voters for Beirut, only 210,000 voters had
electoral cards and a meager 75,000 voted.
The major lists for Beirut were the Beirut Dignity list headed by
current Mayor Abdel-Monem Aris and backed by Hariri and the
opposition list called Dignity and Change and backed mainly by the
FPM, Wakim’s People’s Movement, the Communist Party and other
Christian poles of influence such as the Phalange opposition and the
LF.
The third list, the Beirut’s People List had five Muslim names and
was headed by Itani.
In the previous elections of 1998, Hariri’s list had won 23 out of 24
seats.
Foul play?
BEIRUT: Hizbullah campaign delegates in Achrafieh, Port and Mazraa
were seen distributing to voters the list supported by Premier Rafik
Hariri, with the name of Amal Movement Fadi Shahrour crossed out.
Standing in front of Gemmayzeh’s Sacre Coeur School, black-clad
Hizbullah women distributed a list to The Daily Star with Shahrour’s
name crossed out. A few seconds later, a delegate snatched the paper
from the reporter and handed out a second list, on which Shahrour’s
name was included. “The other delegate made a mistake and gave you
the wrong paper,” she said.
But, the “mistake” was not unique, as all other delegates were
distributing the list without Shahrour’s name.
Hizbullah politburo member Ghaleb Abu Zeinab insisted that the party
was “committed to the agreement we made with Hariri, and we will not
cross out any names on the list.
“I don’t know how to explain the accident,” he said.
However, Imad Mahed, an Amal Movement representative in Beirut, said
Shahrour’s name was indeed crossed out from the list, and that ballot
boxes will reveal this.
In several polling stations, campaign delegates for the Tashnak Party
were handing voters a paper where they should write their name in
Armenian, as well as where they voted, and the ID number of their
electoral card.
Some considered such action an “anti-democratic attempt from the
party to control the election.”
The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections checked the paper
and found “no illegal” substance in its content. LADE
secretary-general Ziad Baroud said, “We called the Tashnak Party to
ask them why they were using this paper. They said it was for
organizational purposes.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Russia has highest salary rate in CIS
Pravda, Russia
May 10 2004
Russia is the only one among the countries of the CIS with the highest
monthly salaries.
According to the CIS Committee of Statistics, average monthly salary
in Russia constitutes 6218 rubles (that is a bit more than $200 USD),
reports Gazeta.ru.
Kazakhstan is second with 5473-ruble average salary. Then goes
Belarus (3953 rubles), Ukraine with 2804-ruble salaries, Azerbaijan
(2588 rubles), Moldavia (2454 rubles) and Armenia (1927 rubles).
Tajikistan has the lowest average salary-516 rubles ($17 USD).
Growth of the actual monthly wages for the first quarter of the year
appeared to be as follows: Moldova-9%, Azerbaijan and Belarus-11%,
Kazakhstan-15%, Russia-18%, Armenia-19%, and Ukraine-23%. Tajikistan
has the highest growth rate-31%, informs the source.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian defectors ask Azeri human rights activist for help
ANS TV, Baku
7 May 04
Roman Teryan and Artur Apresyan, who fled Armenia and arrived in
Azerbaijan as a sign of protest against [Armenian President] Robert
Kocharyan’s regime and are currently being held at the remand centre
of the Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security, have officially
appealed to Arzu Abdullayeva, chairwoman of the Azerbaijani National
Committee of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, to help them move to a
third country.
Abdullayeva told ANS that she had received the appeal. She asked the
National Security Ministry to answer numerous questions and receive
those Armenians. On Monday [10 May], she will ask the UN office in
Baku and other international organizations for help.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
San Francisco – Bay Area
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: (415) 387-3433
Fax: (415) 751-0617
[email protected]
Contact: Roxanne Makasdjian (415) 641-0525
Bay Area Armenians Commemorate Genocide
– Kossakian calls on community to prepare for the next phase of Hai Tad
– City of Oakland Recognizes Armenian Genocide for First Time
San Francisco – The Armenian-American community commemorated the
Armenian Genocide with various activities over several weeks, including
public resolutions, screenings, a youth program and student events,
religious ceremonies and a program of speakers and cultural presentations.
Bay Area Cities Recognize the Armenian Genocide
The San Francisco and Santa Clara counties and the cities of Berkeley
and Oakland honored the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide
by declaring April 24th a day of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide.
This was the first year Oakland recognized the Armenian Genocide.
Over the previous two months, ANC members in Oakland brought the issue
of the Armenian Genocide to the attention of Oakland City Council
members, who unanimously voted for the resolution, which was passed and
discussed during a public City Council meeting. At the urging of the
Bay Area ANC, the San Francisco and Santa Clara county Boards of
Supervisors sent letters to President Bush calling for the appropriate
recognition of the Genocide by the administration.
Community Evening of Commemoration
On the evening of April 24th, Armenian-Americans gathered to hear
speakers Jean Kossakian, principal of Ferrahian Armenian High School,
and Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Armenian Studies lecturer, Fresno State
University, in addition to Armenian songs and recitation.
Speaking in Armenian, Kossakian spoke of the importance of continuing to
remember the Armenian Genocide, saying that if the Armenian people can
continue to celebrate Vartanants after 1500 years, we can surely
continue the struggle for recognition of the Genocide until justice
prevails.
Kossakian described the evolution of the Hai Tad struggle, beginning
with the early decades of lamentation, to the cries of `Our lands, our
lands!’ to the acts of political assassination, to nations beginning to
officially recognize the Genocide, to the struggle for an independent
Armenia and Karabagh.
`The entire Diaspora stood together for the independence of Armenia and
Karabagh,’ Kossakian said, adding that Armenia, Karabagh and Javakhk
constitute the basis of a free and independent Armenia. `Genocide
recognition has become a part of the Armenian foreign policy, and we are
now moving into a new era, moving from recognition towards reparations.’
Emphasizing the fact that the Armenian Genocide is unique because it not
only took lives, but lands and property, Kossakian said the Genocide
continues with Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s genocide denial, their claims
that Armenians are the newcomers to the region, their continued
blockades of Armenia, their construction of a pipeline which bypasses
Armenia, and their ever-growing populations compared to Armenia’s
diminishing population.
Kossakian said our people must prepare for the day when Armenia will
bring the Armenian Case to the International Court of Justice, by
continuing to persuade cities, states and nations to recognize the
Genocide, persuade governments and schools to include the history in
their educational systems, and by developing new approaches to the
Armenian Cause. `Within the next few years we have to prove that the
Diaspora is represented by Armenia, ask for reparations, and put Turkey
on the defensive.’
Barlow Der Mugrdechian, speaking in English, also called on Armenians to
participate in Armenian life. `While some call for unity,’ he said, `I
would call for unity of spirit.’
Der Mugrdechian urged Armenians to see Armenia and Mt. Ararat, not as a
tourist experience, but as an educational experience, learning from the
people there and contributing in some way. He reminded community
members that the Armenian Case is still unresolved and people should
participate in the Cause.
`Germany and the Secret Genocide’
The Bay Area Armenian National Committee invited the public to a
screening of `Germany and the Secret Genocide,’ and a discussion with
filmmaker Michael J. Hagopian. The film, which reveals Germany’s
involvement in the Armenian Genocide screened on April 14th at the San
Francisco Public Library with a diverse crowd in attendance.
Armenian Students’ Associations of UCB, UCD and Stanford
Armenian-American students at three Bay Area universities organized a
variety of events: at UCB, students organized lectures, a film
screening, and `Hands Across Campus’ bringing together many student
groups linking hands across campus to take a stand against Armenian
Genocide denial and human rights abuses everywhere. At UC Davis,
students held a public evening vigil where students and other campus
speakers addressed the crowd. At Stanford, the Stanford Daily newspaper
published an opinion piece about the need for recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.
Youth Program and `Hokehankeest’ at Mt. Davidson Cross
Representatives of the ACYO (Armenian Christian Youth Organization), KZV
Armenian School and the HMEM Armenian Scouts conducted a solemn
proceeding at the 103-ft Mt. Davidson Cross. Mt. Davidson Cross is the
largest cross in the country and stands atop the highest peak in San
Francisco overlooking the city. The Armenian-American community of the
Bay Area owns the Cross, after having won it at a city auction approved
by city voters in 1997. They have been able to maintain ownership and a
memorial plaque at the foot of the cross despite several lawsuits by
atheists which reached the Supreme Court and a recent lawsuit by the
Turkish consul.
##
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

London Free Press, Canada
May 8 2004
Couple building a new life here
NORMAN DE BONO, Free Press Business Reporter

They moved across the globe, gave up high-paying jobs in Washington
and miss their home and families in Armenia. For Hamayak Arazyan and
Yelena Stepanyan, it is worth it to build a life in London.
“We made a choice, we knew it would be a tradeoff but you live just
once and it’s not all about money,” says Yelena. “In the world,
Canada is seen as a country of immigrants. We really like it here and
we want to stay.”
It looks now, for the first time in years, as if the young couple
might finally get their wish. Hamayak (just call me Mike) this week
began his new job as account manager at the Business Development Bank
of Canada.
As for Yelena, his wife of seven years, she is in the MBA program at
the Richard Ivey School of Business and has just landed a summer job
at the financial services business, Highstreet Asset Management in
London.
They hope the positions mark the end of what has been a long road to
their new home.
“I decided to come to Ivey because of the reputation of the school,
but we were expecting London to be a much smaller city. It’s bigger
than we thought,” she said.
When they got here and saw that London is a mid-sized community, with
resources for families and children, they realized it was the kind of
city in which they wanted to raise their two children, Alexander, 20
months, and Victoria, 6.
“When we moved from Armenia to the U.S., we had in our minds we
wanted to stay in North America,” but they weren’t certain where.
“We talked to a lot of people (in Washington) and did some research
and realized that for family, for our kids, we wanted to live in
Canada.”
Hamayak and Yelena left Armenia for him to study for his MBA at the
University of Pennsylvania. After graduation in 2001, they moved to
Washington where he worked for the World Bank as a business and
financial consultant. She found work at the International Monetary
Fund, doing research in the Swiss Executive Office.
When Yelena decided she also wanted to study for her MBA, they
decided to combine that with a move to Canada.
As Yelena began her studies, Hamayak worked out of their London home
for the World Bank but craved an office environment and began looking
for work.
“I thought it would be easy to find a job,” said Hamayak, adding he
could have worked in Toronto. “But it’s not the same here as Toronto.
There may be three jobs here for every 200 in Toronto.”
The job search proved frustrating, and they were considering a move
to Toronto when managers at the Ivey school, who work closely with
MBA students, came to their aid, putting feelers out into the
business community to gauge job interest for Hamayak. Meetings with
John Kime, chief executive officer with the London Economic
Development Corp., were followed by a series of interviews at the BDC
beginning in January.
“If I did not find a job here, we would have had to move to Toronto,
there is such a small job market here,” he said.
Some local businesses also declined to hire him, saying that since
his wife was an MBA student, they are certain to leave the city.
“There was a lot of reluctance. One person came right out and said
‘you will not stay here.’ But we want to stay here,” he added. “Even
our daughter has said she thinks kids here are friendlier (than in
Washington).”
Hamayak was also offered a job with Highstreet, but declined it due
to the BDC offer — and asked if they could speak to his wife about
the position.
As for his new BDC job, “it went very well,” he said of his first
week. “They were very supportive. Everyone came in to say hello, ask
if they could help or if I had any questions. That’s the thing we’ve
noticed about London, the people here are very warm.”
In Armenia, Hamayak and Yelena also had good jobs. He was at the
U.S.-funded Armenia Foundation and she was at a European Union-funded
project, but the country is still struggling to rebuild after years
of Soviet rule and they wanted a new start.
“We had a very good life there, we were at the top of our fields and
we went to the U.S. not knowing what we would do after that — it was
a risky step,” said Hamayak. “But in Armenia, there was no place to
grow. We were limited.”
The only drawback to London, they say, is that there are no Armenian
schools for their children. In fact, there are only about 15 Armenian
families in London. Curious to connect to someone from their home
when they arrived, they went to an Alexanian Carpets store — it is
an Armenian name — to meet the owner. They also found three stores
in Masonville owned by Armenians.
“I care very much about the people there, but our family comes
first,” said Yelena. “If everything goes well, I hope we can return
to Armenia this summer for a visit, but I definitely want to come
back and stay in London, it’s my first choice.”
“Here, we can plan what we will do tens of years from now,” adds
Hamayak. “In Armenia, you could not do that.”
In addition to his work, Hamayak is also completing a certified
management accountant course at Carleton University in Ottawa.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress