Author: Emil Lazarian

Armenia set to expand cooperation with NATO – deputy minister
Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
25 Jun 04

Text of Vaan Vardanyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkharh
on 25 June headlined “What took place in Baku should be regarded as an
incident”
An interview with [Armenian] Deputy Defence Minister Artur
Agabekyan. He comments on the events that have taken place in Baku.
[Hayots Ashkharh correspondent] How do you assess the events in Baku
when an attempt was made to lynch two Armenian officers who attended a
NATO conference within the framework of the Partnership for Peace
programme?
[Artur Agabekyan] I think it may be regarded as an incident. Our main
purpose has always been to use any invitation to cooperate with
NATO. Only by means of cooperation, can numerous regional problems be
settled.
[Correspondent] Even if Azerbaijan seems unable to ensure the security
of Armenian officers on its territory?
[Agabekyan] I would not like to give such assessments, as if there is
any bias here. I think that on the first day of the conference, they
simply could not predict such an incident. In the next few days,
security was already seriously ensured and our officers took an active
part in the subsequent work of the conference. We managed to reach
such a level that we shall participate in upcoming summits as a
fully-fledged party with five Armenian officers in attendance. We
shall have posts in a multi-national unit which is being formed.
[Correspondent] Does it mean that the participation of the rank and
file is ruled out?
[Agabekyan] We wanted the Armenian rank and file to participate in the
exercises together with officers. But the incident let it be known
that only the participation of officers is expedient. Because ensuring
the security of officers is much easier for Azerbaijan than of the
rank and file. The point is that the rank and file will live in
barracks together with representatives of other countries’ rank and
file. As for the officers, they live separately as is the case in our
country. So in September, we shall take part in those exercises and
expect support from the NATO member countries and the USA. We hope
that the Azerbaijani party will learn a lesson from the incident and
will seriously ensure the security not only of Armenian officers, but
also of the whole event. After the last incident, not only Gen Murad
Isakhanyan, but also all the other participants in the conference
think that what took place was an attempt not only on the life of
Armenian officers, but also of all the participants in the
conference. The Azerbaijani party seems to have drawn conclusions from
this.
[Correspondent] How will you explain the latest worsening of the
situation on the defence positions in the village of Berkaber? An
Armenian contract serviceman was killed. Against the background of the
conference, is the Azerbaijani party deliberately worsening the
situation?
[Agabekyan] I would not like to connect these two questions. Such
worsening sometimes takes place along the entire Armenian border
during the period of time between shifts and engineering work. What
took place near the village of Berkaber was due to engineering
works. The Azerbaijani party tried to take a more favourable position
and the heights that were controlled by our observation posts. Our
units took relevant steps. I think that this activity will be
temporary. In any case, we should understand that we do not guard an
ordinary border, we guard the border with Azerbaijan. Unfortunately,
in such a situation, we may have losses and wounded, this is the
difficulty of service. But we have to find the strength and resist
it. Our general staff is cooperating with international structures. We
always visit sectors of the border and try to reduce the intensity of
firefights there.

Los Angeles Times
June 25, 2004 Friday
Home Edition
MOVIE REVIEW;
Dreams, detours get ‘Bought & Sold’;
In the affecting drama, an aspiring DJ begins working for a loan
shark and meets people who cause him to reconsider the direction of
his life.
by Kevin Crust, Times Staff Writer
Writer-director Michael Tolajian mines the diversity of a multiethnic
enclave of storefront shops in Jersey City, N.J., to craft the
well-acted drama “Bought & Sold.” Leavened with humor, the film
traces a young man’s hard-won entry into adulthood as he discovers
his priorities.
A year out of high school, Ray Ray Morales is anxious to make it as a
DJ and is growing frustrated by the low pay, not to mention the
smelly feet, associated with his job as a shoe salesman. Played by
Rafael Sardina, who resembles a young Oscar De La Hoya, Ray Ray feels
pressure from his pushy fiancee, Hilda (Cristina Ablaza), and his own
creative ambitions.
To help Ray Ray save for a turntable he’s been eyeing in the window
of a pawnshop, his friend Papo (Frank Harts) hooks him up with a
second job working for a loan shark who also deals in “gaming
interests,” “pharmaceutical sales” and “vehicle export.”
“It’s important to diversify,” says Alphonso “Chunks” Colon (Joe
Grifasi), who fancies himself as the neighborhood padrone. After
determining Ray Ray is too smart to waste on petty crime, Chunks
gives him an assignment working at the pawnshop monitoring its cash
flow. The proprietor, an elderly Armenian named Kutty Nazarian (David
Margulies), owes Chunks a great deal of money and it becomes Ray
Ray’s responsibility to ensure the weekly payments are met.
Kutty runs the shop with help from his attractive niece, Ruby (Marjan
Neshat), who catches Ray Ray’s eye and encourages him to pursue his
dreams. Hilda, on the other hand, doesn’t care what Ray Ray does for
a living as long as he provides for her in the manner she envisions.
Chunks is at first paternal toward Ray Ray, but when business becomes
business, things get ugly fast and the younger man is forced to
choose which path his life will take. Tolajian creates a viable,
self-contained world and does a nice job of integrating veterans
Grifasi and Margulies with an ensemble of newcomers. The story wraps
a little too neatly and backs away from some of its darker impulses
but is finally a sweet-natured tale of male rituals and cultural
adaptation in urban America.
*
‘Bought & Sold’
MPAA rating: R for language and sexual references
Times guidelines: Threats of violence
Rafael Sardina…Ray Ray Morales
David Margulies…Kutty Nazarian
Joe Grifasi…”Chunks” Colon
Marjan Neshat…Ruby
Frank Harts…Papo Rivera
A Pawnshop Pictures production, released by Pathfinder Pictures.
Writer-director Michael Tolajian. Producers Bergen Swanson, Michael
Tolajian. Cinematographer Kip Bogdahn. Editors Seth Anderson, Michael
Tolajian. Costume designer Michelle Phillips. Music Joe Delia.
Running time: 1 hour, 31 minutes.
Exclusively at Laemmle’s Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood,
(323) 848-3500.
GRAPHIC: PHOTO: ROAD TO DISCOVERY: Rafael Sardina stars as Ray Ray
Morales in the New Jersey-based drama “Bought & Sold.” PHOTOGRAPHER:
Pathfinder Pictures
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian leader vows to fulfil European commitments
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
23 Jun 04
Presenter President Robert Kocharyan took questions from MPs after his
speech in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe PACE.
There were Turkish and Azerbaijani representatives among them as
well. Robert Kocharyan also held some important meetings in Strasbourg
this morning 23 June .
Correspondent Lilit Setrakyan from Strasbourg by telephone Good
evening Lilit, you are on the air.
Correspondent The Armenian president’s working visit to Strasbourg
started with official meetings. He first met the Norwegian prime
minister. PACE President Peter Schieder also met the Armenian
president. They talked about Armenia’s democratization and election of
Terry Davis as secretary-general of the Council of Europe which took
place yesterday. Peter Schieder welcomed Armenia’s steps towards
democratization under President Kocharyan and spoke highly of our
country’s commitments to the CE.
Today Robert Kocharyan also visited the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR) and met the president of this organization, Luzius
Wildhaber. They discussed the improvements in the Armenian court
system and judiciary, without which, according to Robert Kocharyan,
there can be no democracy in the country. After the Armenian
president’s speech in the PACE, the MPs asked him questions. The
questions were mainly about Armenia’s integration into the European
Union, a settlement of the Karabakh conflict and regional cooperation.
Asked by PACE’s co-rapporteur on Armenia Jerzy Jaskiernia as to when
Armenia plans to implement its commitments regarding the electoral
code and constitutional reforms, President Kocharyan answered that
they will be ready by the end of this year.
The Turkish and Azerbaijani representatives also asked questions. The
Turks were mainly interested in the opening of the Armenian-Turkish
borders and the president’s opinion about the possibility of
cooperation and relations. Robert Kocharyan reiterated that relations
should be built without any conditions attached and called for
regional cooperation. The Azerbaijanis, as always, made use of this
opportunity and, like a broken record, once again talked about the
occupied territories and refugees. The hall applauded Robert Kocharyan
when he said that he had led the Karabakh movement since 1988 and that
he was proud of this.
The Armenian president again announced our country’s position that
they should develop regional cooperation, which according to Robert
Kocharyan will create a favourable atmosphere for the settlement of
the conflict. Generally speaking, judging by the applause, the
Armenian president’s speech was accepted positively by the PACE.
After the PACE session the Armenian president held a news conference
which was a good opportunity for Turkish and Azerbaijani journalists
to meet the Armenian president. There were mainly questions about
Karabakh. President Robert Kocharyan said that the Turkish and
Azerbaijani journalists should study and get familiarized with the
laws according to which Nagornyy Karabakh by referendum was declared
an independent state.
Speaking about Azerbaijan’s claims for 20 per cent of the occupied
territory and the problem of refugees, Robert Kocharyan said that
Azerbaijan should bear responsibility for everything since it was the
one to start the hostilities in a territory which did not belong them,
hoping that they would win.
Robert Kocharyan is now holding a meeting with the newly-elected
secretary-general of the Council of Europe, Terry Davis which is about
to end.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
June 24 2004
Bankrupt Armenian Carrier Unable To Clear Huge Debt
By Gevorg Stamboltsian 24/06/2004 16:19
The executive director of Armenian Airlines said on Wednesday that
the state-owned carrier which was declared bankrupted recently is
highly unlikely to fully repay its debts estimated to total $28
million.
In an interview with RFE/RL, Arsen Avetisian said the company would
be able to do so only if it was allowed to resume and operate a
single daily flight from Yerevan to Moscow for at least two
consecutive years.
`But given the existing agreement between [the private airline]
Armavia and the Armenian government, the likelihood of the
implementation of a financial adjustment plan drawn up by Armenian
Airlines is very small,’ he admitted.
Armavia, which is owned by Russia’s second-biggest Sibir airline, was
granted most of Armenian Airlines’ flight rights in the former Soviet
Union and Western Europe when it signed the agreement with the
government more one year ago. It has since replaced Armenian
Airlines, notorious for mismanagement and poor service, as the
country’s flagship carrier.
The Yerevan-Moscow flights reportedly generate 42 percent of
Armavia’s operating revenues. Sibir, which has already invested
heavily in its Armenian subsidiary’s fleet of mainly European-made
aircraft, is therefore unlikely to share the lucrative service with
anyone.
Meanwhile, Armenian Airlines creditors, most of them based outside
Armenia, are expected to gather in Yerevan next month to discuss its
future. According to Avetisian, they will likely decided to liquidate
the company. He said it can partly clear the debts with proceeds from
the planned sale of its property and equipment, including Soviet-era
commercial jets.
Armenian Airlines, profitable as recently as in 1997, began steadily
sliding into bankruptcy in 1998 and carried out its last flight in
December. Avetisian blamed the downfall on the Russian economic
crisis of 1998 and a series of subsequent restructurings which
deprived the company of some of its profit-making divisions. But some
independent aviation experts believe that the company fell victim to
government corruption, inefficiency and mismanagement.

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate distribution
Congress of Canadian Armenians (CCA)
Taro Alepian
Montreal, CANADA
Tel: 514-336-4387
Fax: 514-336-1969
e-mail: [email protected]
UNITED FRONT ESTABLISHED BY ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN CANADA
Montréal, June 17, 2004 – The Congress of Canadian Armenians (CCA)
was launched yesterday at its inaugural meeting in Montreal. Its aim
is to create a united front in presenting Armenian issues and the
Armenian community to the Canadian public, to carry out significant
projects of general interest to the community, and to provide a forum
where member organizations can coordinate their ctivities.
The Diocese of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church of Canada, many of
the largest Armenian organizations in Montreal and several prominent
individuals are members of the Congress. In time, this will be extended
to other parts of Canada until Armenians in all regions of the country
are represented.
The Congress also intends to cooperate and work closely with other
organizations in carrying out its activities.
For more information contact:
Taro Alepian, chairman
Montreal CANADA
Tel: 514-336-4387
Fax: 514-336-1969
e-mail: [email protected]
or
Haroutiun Arzoumanian, secretary
Montreal CANADA
Tel: 514-337-7290
Fax: 514-334-1241
e-mail: [email protected]

Georgia should rather strivie for joining CSTO than NATO
Pravda.RU:World
19:20 2004-06-22
Chairman of the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) committee
for CIS affairs and ties with countrymen Andrei Kokoshin believes
that it would be more logical for Georgia to strive for joining the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) than NATO. The CSTO
incorporates Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan.
“It would be more logical for Georgia to strive for joining the CSTO
since the new Georgian leadership has said many times of late about
its friendly feelings towards Russia, and its recognition of Russia’s
leading role in ensuring security and stability in the region,”
Kokoshin said on Tuesday in an interview with RIA Novosti.
According to him, the CSTO is more modern and flexible organization
than NATO, which was created after the cold war period and therefore
is not burdened by the past events.”
Kokoshin believes that the attempts of Georgian and some other
CIS countries’ representatives to use Russia-NATO cooperation
as an argument in favor of its entering NATO are “groundless and
illogical.” “Russia cooperates with NATO in combating terrorism, in
non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and in some other
areas where this cooperation is mutually beneficial and equal. But
this is achieved not always,” Kokoshin explained.
He also pointed out that “Russian and foreign experts differently
assess the effectiveness of such cooperation inside NATO as well,
not to mention its interaction with external partners.”
“The overwhelming majority of State Duma deputies have a negative
attitude to statements made by some Georgian officials about the
plans of its joining NATO,” Kokoshin stressed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Australian
The Age, Australia
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Daily Telegraph, Australia
June 22 2004
NATO conference disrupted
>>From correspondents in Baku, Azerbaijan
A NATO conference in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan was
disrupted today when hardline nationalists tried to storm the hotel
where the meeting was taking place.
Police arrested 12 demonstrators, who were protesting against the
presence at the conference of two servicemen from the neighbouring
country of Armenia.
Azerbaijan and Armenia are officially in a state of war after
fighting in the early 1990s over the disputed enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
About 30 demonstrators broke through a police cordon outside the
venue for the meeting, a hotel in the Azeri capital, Baku, and
smashed the glass door of the conference hall, witnesses at the scene
told AFP.
They were prevented from getting into the hall by the hotel’s
security guards and were later detained by police. The meeting was
suspended for five minutes as a result of the disturbance.
Earlier, the protesters had marched through Baku carrying placards
with the slogans: “Armenians Out!” and “The Armenian criminals have
the blood of our people on their hands.”
“We will continue this protest action all day,” said Akif Nagi, who
led the demonstration. “Our aim is to force the Armenians to leave
the conference.”
The conference is being held to prepare for a training exercise of
the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, called “Cooperative Best
Effort,” which is due to take place in Azerbaijan later this year.
The conference is being attended by delegates from 24 NATO member
states and partner countries, including the two Armenian officers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia hopes for Iranian credit to build hydro plant
Interfax
June 22 2004
Yerevan. (Interfax) – Armenia is hoping to receive a credit from
Iran to build a hydroelectric plant on the Araks river, the cost of
which is estimated at $140 million, Armenian Energy Minister Armen
Movsisian told journalists.
He said that Armenia plans to repay the credit with supplies of
electricity to Iran.
The minister said that there are plans to build two identical
hydroelectric plants on the Araks river – the Megrin Hydroelectric
Plant on Armenian territory and the Karachilar Hydroelectric Plant
in Iran. Movsisian said that in the coming two months a feasibility
study would be prepared for the construction of Megrin Hydroelectric
Plant. Construction is set to begin in mid-2005 and an agreement with
Iran will be signed by the end of this year.
The minister said that the plant will have a capacity of 140
megawatts and will produce 841 million kWh of electricity per year.
For comparison he said that 30 small hydro plants are operating in
Armenia, producing a total of 600 million kWh of electricity per
year. He said that the new plant would be the best in Armenia as
regards its technical and economic parameters and in time it is planned
to build a whole chain of plants on the Araks river together with Iran.
The Armenian government and Energy Ministry are currently working on a
program to develop alternative energy production, to ensure Armenia’s
security in the event of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant closing. The
main emphasis in this program is being placed on developing hydro
production.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian minister dismisses press reports as “slander”
Noyan Tapan news agency
21 Jun 04
Yerevan, 21 June: Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Ovik Oveyan
broke his vow of silence of the past 100 days and made a “forced”
statement at a news conference on 21 June to which he was invited. He
refuted various publications, slander and statistical data about him
and the ministry he heads published by the Armenian press.
The minister said this was done to order by certain forces. “Since I
have held no meetings with any of the journalists and have given no
interviews, all the reports about me have been published to order to
put it mildly,” he said.
Ovik Oveyan also called on the journalists not to believe any of the
publications which will appear before a news conference scheduled
for September. He said that in September he would give his first
“major” news conference and would give interviews and hold meetings
with journalists after that.
Speaking about his membership of the Orinats Yerkir [Law-Governed
Country] Party, he explained that it was not a hasty decision. It took
him several months or may even be a year to take the decision. “Having
familiarized myself with its charter, programme, its prospects and
constructive tasks it plans to tackle and having seen its list of
members, I decided to join the party,” the minister said.

ANTI-ARMENIAN IN ALL DIMENSIONS
Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
June 21 2004
Experts state that 1-3 million Azerbaijanis live in and near Moscow,
and 63 percent moved from Azerbaijan in recent years. 40 percent are
young and middle aged men who migrated without their relatives. A
small part arrived with their families. Only 5 percent run their own
business, 43 percent found high-salary jobs. 86 percent consider
they have already got accustomed or will soon get adjusted to the
new life, 45 percent with the assistance of their relatives living
in Moscow. 20 percent want to bring their families. What about those
who did not achieve success? Will they leave the capital of Russia in
the near future? 50 percent do not know, 33 will never leave despite
difficulties. Difficulties for 55 percent is home, for 35 percent
jobs, for 72 percent registration or status of refugee. For most of
them the negative attitude of the people and authorities of Moscow was
an unpleasant surprise. If we add the language factor and feeling of
loneliness the picture will become complete. The Russian newspaper
“Azerbaijani Congress” published since May 2003 is for supporting
and bringing together their compatriots. Recently I got one of the
editions of this monthly newspaper. Of the mentioned edition with
16 coloured pages one may get more information, such as that in the
large region of Primorye the Azerbaijani community is rather large,
whereas in Stavropolie they have only 45 thousand compatriots where
“unfortunately the majority prefers to trade in the market” (perhaps
they would wish to become at least senators, or governor or famous
cultural figures). And the community with 45 thousand members has not
a single Sunday school. The regional department of the All-Russia
Azerbaijani Congress which was registered on February 28, 2000
(soon after which accidentally or not the profane actions of ruining
Armenian cemeteries were launched) has such an aim. Instead they have
managed in other places. For example, in Chuvashia. On February 24 of
this year the statue of Nizami Gyanjiev was opened in Cheboksary. Are
there relations between Nizami Gyanjiev and Cheboksary? No. And why
must there be any relations. They wished to do they did. For it was
not done on the means of the Chuvash people. The deputy chairman of
the AAC Natik Aghamirov paid all the expenses from his pocket. By
the way this is the third statue of the Persian writer in Russia, the
first and the second are in Moscow and Sanct Petersburg. What can they
do? Only in Moscow there are 114 names indicating the contribution and
talent of Armenians in all spheres: memorial, street, a whole living
quarters, theatre, church, cemetery. Perhaps I would not write this
article if I did not read the article by certain Emin Mamedly “The
Khans of Nakhjvan” under the headline “History”. After reading it one
comes to the conclusion that the aim is not so conveying information
about this or that Caucasian Tatar who served in the Russian army
and achieved high ranks as extending to the Russian reader that the
Armenian lands are not Armenian. Mentioning about the fact that the
khanate of Nakhijevan was annexed to Russia by the famous agreement
of Turkemenchay (February 10, 1828) and that Persia once and for
all (the latter expression is taken in inverted commas) yielded –
the Azerbaijani khanates of Yerevan and Nakhjvan to Russia, and by
the Supreme Manifest Tsar Nikolay I named the united area – Armenian
region, which was followed due to the support and aid of the Russian
commanders by the mass resettlement of the Armenian population from
Persia to the mentioned region and the khanate of Karabakh. How is it
possible to name the only subject of the Russian empire in the Caucasus
after a concrete nation, exclaims the author with hysteric pity and
then states with unhidden hatred how the committee of resettlement
was headed by ethnic Armenian Colonel Lazarev and Lieutenant-Colonel
Arghutinski-Dolgorukov and how the former khans were deprived of
their rights. Moreover, by the fourth article of the same agreement
the khans, beks and clergymen of the other Russian provinces were
also deprived of rights and – they were not allowed to settle down
in the Armenian region. The pseudo-historian of our times calls the
fair and regular historical phenomenon “colonization of the region”
by forced resettlement of the Muslims and immigration of Christians,
mainly ethnic Armenians, as well as Russians, Ukrainians and – Germans,
Czechs, Polish (?). “In this situation the only means of preserving
the lands of the historical motherland was devoted service to the
house of Romanov,” writes the author. Here we are – Mamedli did not
hesitate to pour the poison of his heart on the excellent writer
of historical novels Valentin Pikul. He was especially furious with
the interpretation of the character of the Ismail khan (who plays a
dual game) in the film “Bayazet” on the novel of Pikul shown on the
second Russian channel. He labels this excellent film as “immoral
and illiterate”. By the way, one of his mentioned khans Kelbili
khan later fought against Andranik, and his brother, officer of the
division “Savage” Jumshud was at the same time the commander of the
Karabakh cavalry. In such cases it is accepted to say no comment but,
nevertheless, we shall try to comment on this. At the end of the
article the author says, “Allah rahmat eliasin” (Allah give peace to
their souls) and this is not in vain as they have shed the blood of
thousands of Armenian women and children. By the way, the editor of
the newspaper “Azerbaijani congress” is Afrang Dashdamirov not unknown
to the intelligentsia of Artsakh who once occupied the position of
the head of the department of propaganda of the Central Committee of
the Azerbaijani Communist Party under Heidar Aliev and the position
of the secretary of the Central Committee on propaganda under Kyamran
Bagirov. To conclude I will add the following: the propaganda machine
of our enemy is enviably active not only at home but also abroad. In
the brains of the growing generation they must seed the absurd and
brazen idea that there is no Armenian land in the world. And if
at one time a generation captured a greater part of the historical
motherland of the Armenians, the duty of the following generations
is to preserve it at any cost and not to yield back. And for this
sake they will not hesitate even to declare their prophet Mohammed
Christian. What do we oppose to this machine, with what success? But
this is already another subject for study.
NVARD AVAGIAN