Author: Hambardsumian Paul

San Jose Mercury News , CA
Jan 10 2005
Iranian composer adds zest to performance
By Richard Scheinin
San Jose’s Jon Nakamatsu has a way of mixing the tried and true with
the truly unusual. For a couple years now, the pianist has performed
stirring and almost entirely forgotten music by Josef Wölfl, the
Austrian composer who was a friendly rival of Beethoven’s in their
day. Now Nakamatsu has found another worthy candidate for stardom:
Loris Tjeknavorian, the living, Iranian-born composer of Armenian
descent whose piano music is drenched with ethnic rhythms and
alluring melodies — and is pretty much never performed in this
country.
Saturday night at Le Petit Trianon in San Jose, Nakamatsu offered a
bracing recital — his first here in a year — in which wild card
Tjeknavorian sat comfortably amid the tried and true.
There was Chopin, whose 19th-century mazurkas and polonaises opened
the gates to Tjeknavorian-style ethnicity in modern music. There was
Liszt, who built on Chopin’s bejeweled harmonic world. And there was
Rachmaninoff, who flew off in all sorts of crazy new harmonic
directions. His “Variations on a Theme by Corelli,” the best part
of Nakamatsu’s program, runs a Spanish folk melody through 20
outrageous turnarounds.
The recital, part of the Steinway Society’s ongoing series, began
with yet another famous incorporator of folk music: Scarlatti. The
Italian loved Spanish song, rhythm and guitars, blending them into
his nearly 600 Baroque-period keyboard sonatas, many technically
bold. Nakamatsu chose four for the program, which repeated Sunday. He
performed them with an idiomatic clarity that captured the trilling
metallic brilliance of the harpsichord, Scarlatti’s instrument.
Next came the Rachmaninoff, which elaborates on the Corelli theme
known as “La Folia.” Rachmaninoff took this Baroque borrowing of a
Spanish folk melody and ran it through his visionary blender. And
Nakamatsu — voicing each chord just so, infusing the music with
crisp rhythms — stamped each variation with personality: marching or
galumphing, pouncing like a panther or lolling about like an
elephant. Poor “La Folia” seemed to have wandered into a strange
harmonic universe, pointing to jazz, Sondheim, even a Beatles ballad
or two.
Chopin followed: First, a liquid nocturne, then a steely scherzo with
daunting double-octave sequences and clashing rhythms.
After intermission, came Tjeknavorian. It turns out there’s a story
behind Nakamatsu’s interest in this music: His lifelong teacher,
Marina Derryberry, attended conservatory in Tehran with Tjeknavorian.
In 2001, Tjeknavorian conducted at the San Francisco Opera where, for
the first time in decades, he and Derryberry met. Nakamatsu attended
the reunion and soon came under the composer’s spell.
Saturday, he played five of seven dances from Tjeknavorian’s “Danses
Fantastiques,” all evoking, Nakamatsu said, a “sense of heritage —
the spirit of Armenian music.”
The first three dances were understated. There were swirling figures
over a virile, ostinato bass line. There was a haunting modal melody
set to chorded accompaniment. It sounded like a mother’s hummed song
to a child and had an unresolved ending; perhaps the child fell
asleep.
One dance kept three serpentine lines moving: the ostinato, the
melody, and a descending chromatic sequence. The music was at times
trance-like, then grew flashier, full of rippling pools of
ultra-Romantic melody, á la Liszt.
And it was with Liszt that Nakamatsu closed the program. Truth be
told, midway through the Mephisto Waltz No. 1, a brutally taxing
piece for any pianist, I began thinking that unceasing virtuosity
isn’t always exciting. I would have preferred to hear a couple more
dances by Tjeknavorian. Maybe next time.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT FORMS INTER-DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE TO MAKE
PREPARATIONS CONSTRUCTION OF ARMEnIAN-IRANIAN WATEr POWER PLANT
YEREVAN, JANUARY 10. ARMINFO. The Armenian Government is forming an
interdepartment task force to coordinate the efforts to design and
construct jointly with Iran a water power plant on the
Armenian-Iranian section of River Arax.
The governmental press service reports that the Government gives high
importance to the project and approves of the results of the Armenian
and Iranian energy ministries’ joint work to draft it. The task force
is to quarterly report on its work.
The project is estimated at $140 mln to be provided by Iran while
Armenia is to repay in electricity supplies. The plant’s estimated
capacity is 140 MW with yield of 841 mln KW/h a year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Jan 10 2005
ONE ARMENIAN AFFECTED BY TSUNAMI
YEREVAN, JANUARY 10, ARMENPRESS: The sole Armenian that was
affected by the late December Asian tsunami disaster was a US
Armenian Armine Gevorkian. The Armenian honorary consul in Thailand,
Norayr Ter-Gevorkian, told Armenpress she is among the missing
persons. He said no other Armenians were found among the tsunami
victims.
Armenia’s former ambassador to India, Indonesia, Nepal and Sri
Lanka, Armen Bayburdian, said no Armenians live in Chennai (Madras),
the capital of India’s Tamil Nadu state that was most affected by the
disaster. He said the families of two Armenian women who are married
to Indians in Madras did not suffer from the tsunami.
He said a few Armenians working in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta
were not either affected. According to him, no Armenians live in Sri
Lanka and the Maldives. No Armenians in Somali were affected either.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

January 2005 The New Mexico Jewish Link

Holocaust Museum Elects New Officers

The New Mexico Holocaust and Intolerance Museum and Study Center
at its Board of directors meeting on December 9, elected new officers
and recognized the unique contributions of founding members Werner and
Frances Gellert.
The elected directors of the museum reflect the ethnic diversity
of the museum and its mission and include representatives from the
Greek, Armenian, Hispanic, Black, Jewish, Italian, Japanese, Native
American and Catholic communities and Rabbi Joseph Black of
Albuquerque’s Congregation Albert.
President Andrew J. Lipman said his mission is to “expand the
visibility of the museum and work toward the identification and
purchase of a permanent location for the museum.”
He commented further that he intends to “expand the current scope
of the museum to include additional exhibits of intolerance and
inhumanity such as Black slavery.”
Lipman had been recognized by the City of Albuquerque Human
Rights Board with the 2001 Human Rights Award.
The New Mexico Holocaust and Intolerance Museum and Study Center,
a national institute for the prevention of hate and intolerance, is
dedicated to combating intolerance through education.
****
[The panels depicting the Armenian Genocide were designed by members
of the Armenian community of Albuquerque.]

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Jan 6 2005
Armenia’s Foreign Debt Highest in the Caucasus

During the discussions of the 2005 state budget in the Armenian
parliament last week, MPs expressed their concerns over the country’s
foreign debt.
Armenia’s foreign debt currently amounts to $1.129 billion ($362 per
capita). The figure will make up $1.429 billion ($458 per capita) in
the near future, as the government plans to borrow $93.6 million in
2005, $79.8 million in 2006 and $83.7 million in 2007.
Despite the hard situation, the country is expected to repay foreign
debt worth $48.6 million in 2006 and $39.8 million in 2007.
Some Armenian experts predict an increase in the country’s foreign
debt over the next five years, saying that the figure will exceed $2
billion ($622 per capita) in 2010.
Armenian sociologists, in turn, claim that the country’s per capita
foreign debt will increase and that the amount of per capita debt
will reach $1,053 in 2010.
According to the 2004 statistics, there are 3,213,000 people in
Armenia, 1,221,000 of whom, or 38% of the total population, have left
the country due to social hardship.
Armenia’s opposition explains the tough situation in the country by
its failure to participate in regional projects due to tensions in
relations with Azerba ijan and Turkey with regard to the Upper
Garabagh conflict and a high corruption level.
Georgia, with a population of 5,100,000, is second in South Caucasus
for the amount of foreign debt. The country’s liabilities make up
$1.7 billion or $333 per capita, according to the 2004 data.
The foreign debt of Azerbaijan, with a population of 8,100,000,
currently amounts to $1.5 billion, or $183 per capita. The country
repaid $102 million out of $143 million owed over the nine months of
this year.

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Jan 4 2005
Robert Kocharyan: ‘Independence of Karabakh Can Not be the Matter of
Trade’

APA 04/01/2005 10:22
Robert Kocharyan – president of Armenia in his congratulation on New
Year addressed the nation touching the problem of Karabakh.
R.Kocharyan stating previous 2004 to be stable, lucky, peaceful for
the nation, he declared that some successes had been achieved within
the last year in external policy.
He especially stressed the joint of Armenia to `New Neighbors’
initiative of European Union. The president of Armenia addressing his
congratulations to Armenians living in the territories of Azerbaijan,
he also called the final of the construction of Karabakh part of the
North-South roadway by the financial support of Armenians gathered in
`Armenia’ All-Armenian Fund, an important factor: ‘This is the step
strengthening factual independence of Karabakh. This independence in
external policy can not be the matter of trade’.

Associated Press Worldstream
January 4, 2005 Tuesday 10:02 AM Eastern Time
Azerbaijani president says negotiations over disputed
Nagorno-Karabakh enclave are improving
BAKU, Azerbaijan
President Ilham Aliyev said efforts to resolve the long-running
conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh are entering a new, positive, phase, the
presidential press service reported Tuesday.
Aliyev told a meeting of the country’s Security Council on Monday
that the internationally brokered talks over the enclave’s status had
entered a “new stage.”
“Of course, I don’t want to say that this process already has found a
resolution. Negotiations are ongoing, and we are using all means to
ensure these negotiations develop positively for us,” Aliyev said,
according to his press service. “We have succeeded in attracting the
wider international community, discussions of this question in
different organization even though the Armenians strongly object to
this.”
Ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia drove Azerbaijani troops out
of Nagorno-Karabakh in the 1990s in a six-year war that killed some
30,000 people and sent 1 million fleeing from their homes.
A cease-fire was reached in 1994, but the enclave’s final status has
not been determined. The unresolved dispute damages both nations’
economies and the threat of renewed war continues to hang over the
region.
The two countries have been involved in an international effort to
reach a settlement, sponsored by the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe and led by Russia, France and the United
States.
Azerbaijan refuses to negotiate with Nagorno-Karabakh officials.

PRESS RELEASE
December 29, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:
International Business Forum “Bridge 2005” to Be Held in Tsaghkadzor,
Armenia
An international business forum “Bridge 2005” will be held in the Armenian
resort town of Tsaghkadzor on February 25-28, 2005, under the auspices of
the Armenian Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Central Bank of Armenia, and the Union of Manufacturers and
Businessmen of Armenia.
The organizers of the business forum, Center of International Integration
Support “MASTER,” hopes to bring together representatives of both government
agencies and private sector from Europe, Asia, and the Americas for
unofficial intergovernmental, intersectoral contacts in the excellent
conditions of the beautiful nature of the high mountain resort Tsaghkadzor.
Special attention will be devoted to the following themes: exports and
imports; ecological products and production technologies; promotion of small
and medium business development. The participants are expected to take part
in both plenary sessions and bilateral business meetings.
For inquiries about the business forum and registration, please contact the
Center of International Integration Support “MASTER,” located at Abovyan
Street, 7, Yerevan, 375010, Armenia; tel./fax +374-1-569197; tel.
+374-9-488111 (24 hours), or visit the website of the business forum:
Application forms are also available from the Embassy of the Republic of
Armenia, upon request.

Ethnic Azeris picket Armenian embassy in Moscow over Karabakh
ANS TV, Baku
27 Dec 04
[Presenter] The Movement for Azerbaijan continues its protests on the
13th anniversary of Xankandi’s [Stepanakert] occupation and on the
occasion of 31 December – Day of Azerbaijani Solidarity Worldwide.
[Correspondent over video of protesters holding posters and the
Azerbaijani flags] The Movement for Azerbaijan held a protest outside
the Armenian embassy in Moscow today. The Russians born in Baku have
for the first time joined the action.
[E. Rustamov, captioned as representative of the Movement for
Azerbaijan, on the phone] As was planned, the picket started at 1500
[1200 gmt] and ended at 1600 [1300 gmt] Moscow time. Although 30
people were registered [words indistinct], about 50 people joined the
action. The action was mostly aimed at informing the public about the
Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands. The ethnic Azerbaijanis in
Russia also expressed solidarity with their compatriots living in
Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] The protesters adopted a resolution at the end of the
action and submitted it to the Armenian embassy.
[Rustamov] The picket mostly demanded that the four UN Security
Council resolutions [on immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed
forces from the occupied Azerbaijani lands] adopted in 1993 be
accepted unconditionally and an end be put to Armenia’s aggression
policy. The resolution was submitted to a representative of the
Armenian embassy on behalf of the picket and the protest ended.
[Correspondent] Other protests which the Movement for Azerbaijan is to
stage will continue in London tomorrow and in Canada on 29
December. To recap, the protests started from Turkey’s Istanbul.
Baxtiyar Salimov, ANS.

Self determination right to be enclosed
By Gayane Movsesian
Yerkir/arm
24 Dec 04
The last week was significant for several remarks made by OSCE Mink
Group Russian co-chairman Yuri Merzliakov and Armenian foreign
minister Vardan Oskanian.
Both of them positively commented on the year 2004 in the context of
the Karabagh issue, mentioning the obstacles created by Azerbaijan by
having the issue of Karabagh be included in the UN agenda, as well as
the agreement to continue the so called Paris process on the level of
foreign ministers.
Both Merzliakov, and Oskanian expressed careful optimist about the
chance for progress in the Paris consultations (which are expected to
resume in January). Merzliakov said: `I almost do not doubt that
certain positive results may be achieved.’
Meanwhile, Oskanian said that the document (which should be signed by
the results of the talks) has considerable potential for fixing the
right of the people of Karabagh for self-determination. Such an
option, as of Oskanian, is discussed at the Paris talks.
`However, it is hard to say whether it will be succeeded,’ carefully
put Oskanian, adding that even in case of success, the realization of
the rightof the Karabagh people will not be immediate. He also said:
`There canbe a flexible approach to the time schedule. This issue can
be solved during talks. But we are going to fight for the right of
self-determination till the end and without that point, we will not
sign any document.’
The Azerbaijani foreign minister has so far not presented his view on
the talks, but we can expect just the opposite of what Oskanian
said. Not too long ago Elmar Mamediarov already said that Azerbaijan
will make no step back onthe issue of the territorial integrity.
It looks like the talks will really be difficult. Especially on the
backstage of the shaped political situation after the developments in
Georgia and Ukraine.
Merzliakov said: `If talks go normally, the Karabagh issue should not
cause political tensions in Armenia or Azerbaijan.’
We believe that no matter how the talks go, opposition both in
Armenia, and in Azerbaijan will find ways to criticize the authorities
for compromising on Karabagh. Unfortunately, it is already happening
in Armenia, despite the fact that the opposition has declared that
there can be no speculations on such an important national issue as
Karabagh.
It is also not excluded that foreign forces may try to manipulate the
Karabagh issue for influencing interior developments in Armenia and
Azerbaijan. The examples are obvious.
The Armenian opposition is accusing Kocharian of not being able to
solve the conflict and of remaining dependant on Moscow and Aliev is
accused by the Azerbaijani opposition of not being able to resolve the
issue and remaining dependant on Washington. In both countries, the
opposition is looking to the overthrow of power by the Georgian and
Ukrainian examples.
Some pro-western alliances are being formed in Armenia, pro-Russian
forces are being searched in Azerbaijan. The media in both countries
speak about strong opposition leaders who would be serious alternative
to the actual authorities. The newspapers of Baku openly speak about
search for new pro-Western alternatives. The same is written in the
Armenian media outlet, in concern with the US Ambassador’s meetings
with local political forces.
Thus, the year of 2005 promises to be active and exciting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress