Author: Garnik Zakarian

Russian mediator says latest round of Armenian-Azeri talks “reassuring”
Trend news agency
22 Jun 05
Baku, 22 June: “New reassuring prospects” emerged during the Paris
negotiations of 16-18 June between the Azerbaijani and Armenian
foreign ministers to resolve the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the
Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov, has told
Trend.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs agree that the meeting between Elmar
Mammadyarov and Vardan Oskanyan was “very positive”.
“The positive impetus given by the meeting of the two countries’
presidents in Warsaw is still there. The negotiations will be
continued during our visit to the region, which will apparently start
on 10 July,” the diplomat said.
Merzlyakov added that there were issues in the negotiations whose
discussion “did not go smoothly”.
“The sides could not agree on a number of issues, otherwise the
discussions could have been stopped,” he added.
Asked whether anything was being done to draft a certain document on
the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement, the diplomat said: “Work is
currently under way on the foundation of the settlement, i.e. what the
document will be based on and what its key components will be. The
document itself will be prepared by expert delegations. When the sides
agree on general principles of it, they will start meeting and working
together.”
Merzlyakov added that it was up to the parties to the conflict to
determine who will head the expert delegations – special presidential
representatives or deputy foreign ministers.
Merzlyakov also commented on the statements that the next meeting of
the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents would take place on the
sidelines of the CIS summit in Kazan scheduled for 27 August.
“I cannot say this for certain because we need to have this confirmed
by the presidents during our visit to the region,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
June 16, 2005
American University of Armenia
40 Marshal Baghramian
Yerevan 375019 ARMENIA
Telephone: (37410) 512-522
Fax: (37410) 270-859; 512-512
Contact: Diana Manukyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Os Guinness, Public Policy and International Affairs Expert, Speaks at
AUA
Yerevan – On Monday June 13, 2005, within the framework of AUA’s
Professional Lecture Series, the Alumni and Career Development Office hosted
an open lecture by one of the most distinguished and demanded speakers on
public policy and international affairs, Dr. Os Guinness. The theme of the
lecture was “Leadership and Statecraft: The Rise and Fall of Nations at
Times of Moral Crisis.”
Dr. Os Guinness spoke about Armenian freedom and justice, and provided his
insights on the importance of building the rule of law, the institutions and
the ideas `that will really guarantee that freedom, not just for a few, not
just for one generation, but the generations to come.’ He is the co-founder
and a Senior Fellow of The Trinity Forum and a distinguished writer and
speaker living in Virginia, USA. His most recent book, Unspeakable: Facing
up to Evil in an Age of Genocide and Terror, was published in February 2005
and is set to become a classic work in this difficult subject area. It
grapples with the evils unleashed through the genocides of the past century.
Dr. Guinness’ deep concern is to bridge the chasm between academic knowledge
and popular knowledge, taking things that are academically important and
making them intelligible and practicable to a wider audience, especially as
they concern matters of public policy. He has spoken at the White house,
Capitol Hill, Camp David, and several universities nationwide and
internationally.
*******************
The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit educational
organization in both Armenia and the United States and is affiliated with
the Regents of the University of California. Receiving major support from
the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters Degree in eight
graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian News
BAKU TO OK SOUTH CAUCASUS PA ONLY AFTER KARABAKH CONFLICT IS SETTLED
20.06.2005 04:45
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The formation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the South
Caucasus is possible after the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflictonly, assistant to executive secretary of Yeni Azerbaijan ruling
party, Milli Majlis member Siyavush Novruzov stated. To remind, a memorandum
on South Caucasus PA was signed June 16 in Tbilisi. It should be also noted
that the document was signed by Siyavush Novruzov himself, Georgian
Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze and Armenian NA Vice Speaker Tigran
Torosian. Novruzov confirmed that he had put his signature to the document
but with a reservation that the cooperation is possible only after the
Karabakh conflict is settled. The Azeri parliamentarian noted that he has
nothing against such an initiative, however `no cooperation with Armenia is
possible until Karabakh conflict is settled.’
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Messenger, Georgia
June 2 2005
Mirtskhulava case enters appeal
Defense argues guilty verdict would put Georgia USD 6 million in debt
By Mary Makharashvili
David Mirtskhulava
During the first day of his appeal trial, former Minister of Fuel and
Energy Davit Mirtskhulava blasted prosecutors for carrying out an
investigation based on orders from higher-up.
He also questioned his imprisonment while other former officials walk
free. “I am the only government member still in prison. Have you ever
asked yourselves if I am the face of the government that you were
criticizing?,” he said.
On Wednesday Mirtskhulava’s appeal trial began at the District Court
of Tbilisi. His lawyers are demanding that the district court
overturn the ten year sentence handed down by the
Mtatsminda-Krtsanisi Regional Court on March 30.
During a speech to the court, Mirtskhulava accused the government of
pressuring him. He also accused the employees of the General
Prosecutor’s Office who, according to Mirtskhulava, admitted that he
is not guilty and that the investigation was based on a government
order.
According to the defense, there is no victim in the corruption case,
since Georgia has already paid its debt to the Armenia. They also
allege that if the verdict accusing Mirtskhulava is upheld, the
Armenian energy system will have a chance to demand anew the USD 6
million payment that is at the center of the government’s case.
Mirtskhulava’s defense also claims that the document authorizing this
payment was not signed by the former minister, but stamped “the
minister agreed” in his absence. According to the defense, he was not
in Georgia at the time.
Furthermore, Beselia told journalists on Tuesday that Mirtskhulava
was ordered to approve the repayment scheme, which was set up by
other agencies by a presidential decree.
She also pointed out that when Armenia first filed a case against the
Georgian state regarding the debt in 1999, Mirtskhulava was not a
minister and “Armenia lost the case both in Tbilisi District Court
and then in the Supreme Court of Georgia.”
The state claimed that in this case, the seal of a Georgian minister
did not mean that the state should pay this debt, since it was an
agreement between legal entities, Beselia stated. She added that in
bringing the current charges against Mirtskhulava, the prosecution
was admitting that the state was in fact responsible for the debt.
In her closing statements to the court earlier this year, Beselia
stated that Armenia has not requested the sum which was paid to an
intermediary but not transferred to Armenia. She also asked the court
why only her client was being charged.
“If this is a crime, where are the five people who signed this
agreement with Armenergo, including the former head of the Railway
Department Akaki Chkhaidze, the head of the Georgian Whole Sale
Electricity Market, the director of state owned Sakenergo or the
Marsh Corporation, which served as the intermediary,” she asked. “If
signing this agreement was a crime, grounds to jail a person and
demand a 12 year imprisonment, then why hasn’t the responsibility of
the others been raised?”
In his defense speech, Mirtskhulava said that there should have been
a more reasonable process. “I do not know when I will be free, but
when I gain freedom I will raise the issue of Judge Kharebava’s
responsibility as well as that of the prosecutor and everyone else
since they are really damaging the state. They are causing so much
damage they themselves cannot even calculate it,” he said.
“This is revenge justice. I am directly saying that today the quality
of your [the judge’s] independence is equal to nil. You will not be
independent while making a decision and no one can ask you to be a
hero,” the defendant said in an hour-long speech at the end of the
trial.
Addressing the media at the time, the prosecutor did not respond to
the remarks made in the defense’s three-hour address, saying only
“the defense is doing what it should do in such cases.”
Mirtskhulava was the first former high ranking official detained by
the General Prosecutor’s office following the Rose Revolution. After
a seven month investigation, the General Prosecutor’s Office charged
him with abuse of power, participating in a scheme to defraud the
state, and misappropriation of state documents. The crimes are
punishable by a 3-8 year term, a 5-10 year term and a prison term of
up to one year respectively.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF CANADA
COMITÉ NATIONAL ARMÉNIEN DU CANADA
3401 Olivar-Asselin
Montréal, Québec
H4J 1L5
Tél. (514) 334-1299 Fax (514) 334-6853
Communiqué de Presse – Press Release
26 mai, 2005
Contacts: Shant Karabajak 514-334-1299
Roupen Kouyoumdjian 514-336-7095
**Le français suit l’anglais**
Turkish Government Forces the Cancellation of a Conference on the Armenian
Genocide
Under heavy threats and intimidation from the Turkish government, an
Istanbul conference on the Armenian Genocide was cancelled.
The conference, which was to start yesterday, May 25, was organized by three
Istanbul universities (Bogazci, Sabanci and Biligi). It was cancelled after
threatening telephone calls Tuesday afternoon from the governor of Istanbul
and by the chief public prosecutor. More than 700 people had already
registered for the three-day conference.
In a telephone call to the organizers, the governor of Istanbul demanded the
conference be cancelled due to a possible security risks. Meanwhile, the
chief public prosecutor demanded copies of the documents to be delivered at
the conference, implying that he would start criminal proceedings against
those he deemed guilty.
On May 24, Turkish justice minister Cemil Cicek, in a speech at the Turkish
parliament, accused conference organizers of treason. “This is a stab in the
back to the Turkish nation. This is irresponsibility. We must put an end to
this cycle of treason and insult, of spreading propaganda against the
[Turkish] nation by people who belong to it,” said Cicek. Opposition parties
joined the minister in condemning the conference. Sukru Elekdag, Republican
People’s Party deputy, described the conference “a treacherous project”
Explaining why they had cancelled the conference, organizers said in a news
release: “We are worried that the expression of the prejudices in relation
to the contents of a conference that has not yet been held harms the
academic freedom of a state university. We want to notify the Turkish public
that we decided, under these conditions and faced with the possible
consequences that may emerge from holding the conference, that it would be
more appropriate to postpone it.”
Conference participant Fatma Muge Gocek, associate professor at University
of Michigan, said: “The party which needs to be held responsible for this
turn of events is not the Bogazci University, but the Turkish state in
general and the current government in particular. The fact that the state
resorted to such pressure to stop this conference from taking place reveals,
I think, that they feel threatened and perhaps think they could bring
everything under control through exerting pressure themselves.”
In response to this event, Dr. Girair Basmadjian, President of the Armenian
National Committee of Canada stated: “By threatening, intimidating and
censoring dissident Turkish scholars and intellectuals, once again the
Turkish government demonstrates an unwillingness to change its policy
regarding the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, while forbidding its
citizens to free debate on Turkey’s dark chapter of history.” Dr. Basmadjian
later added: “The Turkish government’s action is incompatible with the
political, civil and democratic traditions of the European Union. Our
Minister of Foreign Affairs should condemn the Turkish government’s action
as an insult to historical facts, the freedom of expression and the freedom
of academic research.”
Le gouvernement turque oblige l’annulation d’une conférence académique sur
le Génocide Arménien
Le gouvernement turque, par sa politique d’intimidation au niveau académique
a obligé l’annulation hier, le 25 mai 2005, d’une conférence relative au
Génocide Arménien de 1915. La conférence comptait déjà plus de 700
académiciens désireux de participer.
La conférence était organisée par les trois plus grandes universités
d’Istanbul, soit Bogazci, Sabanci et Biligi. La décision d’annuler cet
effort d’introspection historique a été prise après la récéption d’appels
téléphoniques de la part du Gouverneur d’Istanbul ainsi que le chef
procureur. Celui-ci menaça même de mener devant la justice les organisateurs
et les participants de la conférence.
Le 24 mai, le Ministre de la Justice du pays pris parole au Parlement turc
et affirma: “Cela est un couteau dans le dos de la nation turque. C’est de
l’irresponsabilité. Nous avons le devoir de mettre fin au cycle de trahison,
d’insulte et de propagande contre la nation turque par des personnes qui y
appartiennent.”
Expliquant la raison pourquoi la conférence fut annulée, les organisateurs,
par biais de communiqué de presse ont affirmé que: “Nous sommes préoccupés
par les expressions de préjudices, tenues par notre gouvernement envers une
conférence dont le contenu n’est pas encore connu. Ces actions menacent la
liberté académique des unviersités d’etat. Nous voulons faire savoir au
public turc que face à ces conditions et les consequences possibles que
peuvent les suivrent, nous trouvons l’annulation de la conférence plus
appropriée.”
En réponse à l’évènement, Dr. Girair Basmadjian, Président du Comité
National Arménien du Canada a dit: “En menaçant, intimidant et terrorisant
les académiciens participants à cette conférance, le gouvernement turque a
prouvé de nouveau son incapacité d’affronter le fait du Génocide Arménien,
tout en défendant ses citoyens de mener des débats intellectuels libres sur
le sujet.” Celui-ci ajouta: “Cette action par le gouvernement turque est
incompatible avec les traditions civiles et démocratiques de l’Union
Européenne. Le Ministre Canadien des Affaires Externes devrait condamner les
actions du gouvernement turque en tant qu’insulte envers les faits
historiques, la liberté d’expression et la liberté de recherche académique.”
-30-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES IN FIRST READING BILL ON
EDUCATION OF PERSONS NEED FOR SPECIAL STUDY CONDITIONS
YEREVAN, MAY 25. ARMINFO. Armenia’s Parliament approved in the third
and the final reading the bill on education of persons that need
special study conditions.
Presenting the bill, MP Artak Arakelyan informed that the document
regulates the legal, organizational and financial base of education
for persons that need special study conditions. The bill notes that
they have a right to special pre-school and secondary education. For
this purpose, it is planned to organize special schools, to draw up
the corresponding educational programs and to form certifying
commissions. Special schools will be financed both by the state
budget and the other sources not forbidden by the legislation. The
bill will come into force in 10 days after its publication. -r-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Messenger, Georgia
May 24 2005
Putin: bases no longer strategic elements
While negotiators meet in Tbilisi on Monday, in Moscow Putin backs
base withdrawal, providing no third country base is deployed in
Georgia
By Mary Makharashvili
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday he hoped that no
third country bases would be deployed on Georgian territory once the
Russian military bases have been withdrawn.
At a press briefing, Putin noted that the two Russian bases in
Georgia are the heritage of the Soviet period but said that it was
nevertheless not pleasant for Russia to withdraw them from Georgia.
“These bases are where Soviet soldiers used to be located. They are
not bases but just places where Soviet soldiers were always located.
These bases are not of interest for us in terms of Russia’s security
issues – this is the opinion of Russian general headquarters,” he
stated.
“Our neighbors do not want our military presence there and I do not
see anything good in it. The worst thing is that we opposed their
sovereign rights,” the Russian president added.
In Tbilisi, meanwhile, yet another round of Georgian-Russian
negotiations on the issue was underway on Monday. An eleven person
Russian delegation headed by Russian Ambassador for Emergency Issues
Igor Salovski arrived in Tbilisi on Monday. The Georgian delegation
is headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze.
In an interview with reporters, Salovski stated only that the main
“issue of discussion was providing for the normal existence of the
bases in the period up until their withdrawal.”
The parties are to discuss the timeframe of withdrawal of the bases
in Batumi and Akhalkalaki as well as the technical details of
withdrawal of the equipment and personnel. According to the latest
proposals, the withdrawal process will be completed within the next
three and a half years.
Arriving at the Tbilisi International Airport, Salovski said Russia
was prepared to agree to withdraw the bases by sometime in 2008
though the exact date is still unknown.
Georgian officials also indicated that progress is being made. “We
have a draft agreement between the two presidents at hand. Most of
the issues have been agreed upon, and only insignificant details are
still under discussion,” chair of the parliamentary committee for
foreign relations Konstantine Gabashvili told journalists on Monday.
Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze has expressed the government’s
opinion that Russia is entirely free to deploy the bases wherever it
wants after they are withdrawn from Georgian territory, including to
Gumri base in Armenia.
“The place of deployment of the equipment after withdrawal of it from
Georgia is up to Russia. There is no danger for Georgia from the
Armenian side,” she said.
Burjanadze added that rumors that the bases would be relocated to
Abkhazia were “absurd.”
“Abkhazia has always been the territory of Georgia. Nobody can either
deploy, or re-deploy military equipment there without the agreement
of the leadership of Georgia. The Russian leadership would never make
such a provocative action that could be evaluated as open opposition,
nothing else,” she stressed.
Parliament set to grill minister
Immediately following the negotiations on Monday, Minister of Foreign
Affairs Salome Zurabishvili was slated to report to the parliamentary
bureau on the negotiations.
Vice Speaker of the Parliament Mikheil Machavariani argued on Monday
that Parliament has the right to invite ministers to speak about all
issues. The hearing was originally scheduled for early on Monday but
postponed after Zourabichvili requested a delay so she could first
hold negotiations.
“My questions to her will be on how the work regarding the agreement
is being conducted, and how the negotiations are going. I would also
ask what the Russian side has offered us and whether the government
has accepted this,” he said.
Leader of the Right Wing Opposition Davit Gamkrelidze says that he
will question the minister at what level negotiations with Russia
currently are and why fulfillment of the parliamentary resolution
declaring the bases illegal was postponed.
“No matter that the authority says that this resolution is in force,
I should say that it is not in force,” he said.
Burjanadze, however, declared that the resolution has come into
force, but that it was never intended to harm anyone.
“We are a civilized and democratic state. We defend our fair national
interests by democratic means,” she declared on Monday, adding that
the Georgian side was hopeful that a final agreement would be reached
shortly.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DUDUK OF JIVAN GASPARYAN, GUITAR OF BRYAN MAY AND STING IN NEW CD “ALL SOUNDS OF WORLD”
YEREVAN, MAY 17. ARMINFO. Legend of world music, master of duduk Jivan
Gasparyan will issue a joint CD with legendary British rock-group
Queen. Jivan Gasparyan informed ARMINFO.
He also said that on June 11 in Spain a joint charitable concert
of Jivan Gasparyan, guitarist of the group Queen Bryan May and the
British singer Sting will be given. The concert will be recorded for
a CD “All Sounds of the World.” The proceeds will be transferred for
treatment of the AIDS patients and to orphanages. J.Gasparyan will
also given a concert in Geneva. The dudukist’s dream is opening of a
duduk school in Yerevan. He said that the school will open within the
nearest future, with construction works being underway. The school
will provide free lessons for 100 students, mainly orphans.
Due to Jivan Gasparyan, the Armenian duduk, known since the 3rd century
(translated as apricot trumpet) has become famous in the world. Jivan
Gasparyan have been on tours throughout the world, he has over 100
students, professional musicians from various countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Gazette (Montreal)
May 13, 2005 Friday
Final Edition
Dial-up drug ring busted: Dealers delivered. Operated out of
Cartierville, Park Ex
by MICHELLE LALONDE, The Gazette
A major Montreal police operation dubbed Operation Noxious has busted
a dial-up drug delivery service operating out of Cartierville and
Park Extension.
Carefully selected patrons in those neighbourhoods could dial one of
two phone numbers to have drugs delivered by car to any street
corner, metro station or park in the two neighbourhoods. The service
was making about 80 deliveries a day.
One phone number was for clients wanting marijuana or hashish, the
other was for ordering virtually any other narcotic or prescription
drug available on the street, including cocaine, crack, ecstasy, GHB
(known as the “date-rape drug”) and Viagra.
More than 150 police officers were involved in the three-month
investigation, which culminated yesterday in simultaneous drug
seizures in four municipalities. Fourteen people were arrested.
Nine men alleged to be the key dealers in the scheme were arrested.
Two other men and three women were also arrested.
Police said the ring was controlled by one of Montreal’s “Italian
Mafia” families, but the nine dealers arrested yesterday were mostly
of Greek or Armenian ancestry, reflecting the ethnic makeup of the
neighbourhoods in which they operated.
“The facts indicate this Greek criminal organization is linked to the
Montreal Italian Mafia,” said Commander Jean-Pierre Synnett, of the
Montreal police narcotics squad. He said the same crime family, which
he would not name, is running drug-trafficking operations in Laval,
St. Lazare and La Plaine, about 40 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
The nine main targets of the operation are to be arraigned on charges
including drug trafficking, conspiracy and possession of illegal
weapons.
At 12 locations in Montreal, Laval, St. Lazare and La Plaine, police
seized a total of $74,230 in cash, five cars, two .22-calibre
firearms, a 9-millimetre pistol, 180 mature marijuana plants, a large
quantity of marijuana ready for sale, about 110 grams (four ounces)
of cocaine, 350 crack rocks, 250 millilitres of GHB, 77 ecstasy
pills, 17 Viagra pills and other unidentified pills.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
May 12 2005
On genocide, healing
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Dr. Pamela Steiner of Cambridge will speak at the National
Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) in Belmont on
Thursday, May 19 at 8 p.m., on “When a Traumatized People Tries to
Resolve Past Hurts.”

Healing and resolution following the trauma of genocide may
require special kinds of dialogue and action, and in the case of the
Armenian Genocide this calls for engagement both within the Armenian
and Turkish communities and between them. Steiner will talk about
steps that the Armenian community could consider to augment efforts
to gain recognition about the genocide and to achieve healing and
resolution.

As a member of the Program on International Conflict Analysis
and Resolution at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard
University, Steiner has been a member of interdisciplinary teams
working with traumatized communities. She has conducted workshops and
dialogues between Israeli Jews and Palestinians, Germans and Jews,
and Greeks and Turks, as well as written articles and given
presentations on a wide range of issues in conflict resolution, mass
trauma, and intergroup dynamics. As a psychotherapist, she has worked
with individuals who have been traumatized by a range of horrors.

Steiner is the great-granddaughter of Henry Morgenthau, the
American ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the time when the
Armenian Genocide began.

The NAASR Center and Headquarters is located at 395 Concord
Ave., Belmont Center. Admission to the event is free (donations
appreciated). For more information call 617-489-1610, or e-mail [email protected].
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress