Author: Hovhannisian John

ARMENIA STRENGTHENS ITS CAPACITY

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[06:21 pm] 01 May, 2007

With substantial U.S. assistance, Armenia continued to strengthen
its capacity to counter the country’s few perceived terrorist
threats. Armenia’s geographic location, porous borders, and loose visa
regime presents opportunities for traffickers of illicit materials,
persons, and finances.

Armenia’s reliance on ties with neighboring Iran have dampened Armenian
criticism of Iranian extremism and led to closer trade relations
between the two countries. Diplomatic and trade relations with Iran
are seen as a geographic and strategic necessity for the landlocked
country, in light of closed borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan, and the
perceived risk of instability in Georgia. President Kocharian spoke
out in November against the possibility of international sanctions
against Iran.

The Financial Monitoring Center (FMC), a U.S. – supported financial
intelligence unit within the Central Bank, is still developing
as a regulatory body. Established in 2005, the FMC began to make
investigative strides this year. The FMC received 23 suspicious
transaction reports in 2006. After analyzing the reports, the FMC
developed five suspicious transaction cases; three of the cases
were subsequently referred to the Prosecutor General’s office for
further investigation. To date, the FMC has received no reports
of transactions involving watch-list designees. The heavy flow of
remittances, however, may hinder efforts to detect fund transfers in
support of terrorism. The FMC has applied for Egmont Group membership.

Armenia introduced additional security features into the production
of passports, continued to install passport readers at border posts,
and continued efforts to increase the security of its vital documents,
such as birth certificates. On November 1, the government implemented
mandatory fingerprinting for travelers departing Zvartnots Airport,
Armenia’s only international airport. The National Security Service
(NSS) and police shared information with the U.S. Embassy when they
discovered fraudulent U.S. visas or other such documents.

In May, the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team for
al-Qaida and the Taliban visited Armenia to monitor the implementation
of sanctions under UNSCR 1267 and successor resolutions. The team
met with the Central Bank, the Ministry of Defense, the National
Security Service and the Police, as well as the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. According to the MFA, the team said it was satisfied with
Armenia’s level of preparedness. Armenia supported U.S. efforts in
Iraq with troops on the ground and provided overflight authorization
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

In September, Armenia participated in a CIS-wide exercise called
"Atom-Antiterror 2006." The Armenian Special Forces together with the
Russian Federal Security Service, ran counterterrorism and hostage
release drills at the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant.

Knights of Vartan, Inc.
Press Release
Contact: Steve Adams, (559)431-3054

Date: April 30, 2007

Mr. Hrant Dink
Knights of Vartan: 2007 Man of the Year

The Annual Grand Lodge Convocation of the Knights and Daughters of
Vartan will convene in Detroit, Michigan from July 4th through July
7th, 2007. Each year, the Knights of Vartan selects a `Man of the
Year’ and this year, at the Grand Convocation Banquet on Saturday
Evening, the Knights of Vartan will recognize and honor posthumously,
Mr. Hrant Dink.

Throughout the history of the Armenian people, there have been
singular individuals who, by their unwavering commitment to the
truth, and their steadfast efforts in the name of justice on behalf
of the Armenian people have epitomized the `Spirit of Vartanantz.’

Just such a person was the late Hrant Dink, a man of character and of
courage, who, through the print medium advocated healing between
Armenians and Turks through recognition of historical fact instead of
blind denial and unacceptable historical revisionism. Hrant Dink’s
martyrdom serves as a symbol to all Armenians and Turks, that hate
and malice will lead to the abyss, while truth and justice are paths
to reconciliation and a brighter future.

ELMAR MAMMADYAROV: ARMENIAN FORCES WILL UNAMBIGUOUSLY WITHDRAW FROM LACHIN AND KALBAJAR

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 26 2007

The occupied territories of Azerbaijan’ will be liberated by the
schedule to be worked out by Armenian Armed Forces, Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said when commenting on the negotiations
for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The minister said that considerable principles, issues, momentums on
the basic principles of the settlement have already been specified, but
the parties still have different approach to some of the principles,
which create need for continuation of negotiations. The Minister
reminded that if they do not accept any principle, all the principles
will be considered as not agreed.

The minister said that the Prague Process is process with stages. He
stressed that Azerbaijan’s position is that Armenian forces should
withdraw from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. He said that
Azerbaijan approves that the process is carried out in stages,
because withdrawal from the occupied territories at the same time is
a difficult process.

Azerbaijani FM said that if the basis principles are agreed, the
occupied regions will be liberated by one after another in accordance
with a special schedule to be drawn up by specialists.

Mammadyarov replying to the questions on the removing of invaders from
Lachin and Kalbajar, said that these regions have been occupied like
other regions stressing that Armenian forces will also be removed from
there unambiguously. The minister said that the process of restoration
of infrastructure will start after the invaders are removed,
territories will be cleared from mines, peacekeeping troops will be
deployed, and internally displaced persons will be brought back.

Azerbaijani FM touching to the status issue said that Nagorno Karabakh
will be given autonomy in the composition of Azerbaijan and not only
Armenian community, but also Azerbaijani community should participate
in this work.

"The IDPS should be brought back to their original places, together
living of the communities should be provided, and only after the
status should be defined," the minister said.

POLITICIANS MUST BE TREATED WITH RESPECT, GURGEN ARSENIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 26 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN. A politician has a right to say what
he says, and mass media has a right to publish what it publishes. At
the April 26 press conference, Gurgen Arsenian, the Chairman of the
United Labour Party (ULP) responded in this way the publication of
the short-hand record of the conversation between Orinats Yerkir
(Country of Law) party head Artur Baghdasarian and British diplomate.

In G. Arsenian’s words, public political activity involves work with
different structures as well, and implementation of overhearings does
not assist working out of political atmosphere in Armenia.

In his words, nobody may insist that the OYP head or Golos Armenii
(Voice of Armenia) editorial staff do not feel sorrow for the
Fatherland. The issue is what response the politician’s actions and
the information published by mass media will get by the public. In
G. Arsenian’s opinion, the public must have possibility to get
information and come to the conclusions but those conclusions must
not be directed or obliged.

As for overhearings, in the ULP head’s opinion, there is no country
where secret services do not implement similar actions, but it must
be done in the case of existence of necessary bases and not limit
the human rights. He did not exclude that the story connected with
the OYP Chairman may be a display of black PR, especially that the
conversation was recorded much earlier than published. "Politicians
of Armenia must be treated with respect. They are our citizens, and
they may not be divided into black and white ones, or classified to
ones of the first and second category," G. Arsenian mentioned.

VAYOTS DZOR GOVERNOR – CANDIDATE FOR DEPUTACY, VIOLATED ELECTORAL CODE, HIS COMPETITOR SERGEI BAGRATIAN AFFIRMS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 25 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Candidate for deputacy registered at
electoral district N 39 by majoritarian system, Vayots Dzor Governor
Samvel Sargsian has violated the law, so his registration should
be invalidated. Another candidate registered at the same electoral
district, member of Bargavach Hayastan Party Sergei Bagratian stated
this at April 25 meeting with journalists.

As he affirmed, RA state flag is depicted on the agitation poster
of the Governor and Article 21 of RA Electoral Code stipulates that
it is prohibited to depict RA coat of arms and flag on agitation
posters. A. Bagratian has applied to the polling station electoral
commission demanding to invalidate S. Sargsian’s registration, but 7
out of 8 members of commission present at the sitting convened on that
issue, including representatives of Orinats Yerkir Party, National
Unity Party, Republican Party spoke against this considering that not
a flag but a "curtain" is depicted on the poster. Only representative
of ARFD in the commission voted for sustaining the application.

S. Bagratian said that he is going to apply to the court. He did not
exclude that in case of being rejected by the court he will withdraw
his candidature with the consent of his electorate. S. Bagratian
stated that if he is not supported by Bargavach Hayastan during the
judicial process, he will also think of leaving the party.

Touching upon the publications that appeared in press lately,
according to which his son beat Deputy Head of Vayk Tax Service,
S. Bagratian explained that the Governor using his levers made the
above mentioned official active participant of his own agitation
campaign, which became the reason of that incident.

MEMORANDUM SIGNED BETWEEN CEC AND IFES

Noyan Tapan
Apr 25 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Chedomir Flego, Director of Armenian
branch of International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES),
and Garegin Azarian, Chairman of RA Central Electoral Commission,
signed a memorandum on April 25. According to the memorandum, IFES
provided to CEC technical assistance, including 10 computers and
technical equipment for transferring the results of May 12 elections
from district electoral commissions to CEC. The Foundation will
also assist with organization of training of members of electoral
commissions. In C. Flego’s words, training of 366 members of polling
stations electoral commissions has been already organized.

In C. Flego’s words, though "Armenia has all means necessary for
holding elections meeting international standards, this is not
only the business of the authorities, this is also the business of
citizens." In particular, he called citizens for checking presence
of their data on electoral rolls.

"I think with this technical assistance and training of members of
electoral commissions a possibility will be created for RA citizens to
notice serious improvement in the sphere of electoral administration,"
Director IFES Armenian branch said.

RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian, Charge d’Affaires of U.S. to
Armenia Anthony Godfrey were present at the ceremony of signing the
memorandum. RA Prime Minister attached importance to the issue of
technical equipment for holding the electoral process at the high
level. He gave assurance that this will contribute to holding of fair,
transparent elections.

CEC Chairman showed high-ranking guests work of Elections computer
network connecting CEC with polling stations electoral commissions.

ARMENIAN CULTURE, HISTORY COME TO LIFE IN CLASSROOM

Hagerstown Morning Herald, MD
April 26 2007

MONT ALTO, Pa. – Armenian history and culture came alive in full
color with sights and sounds for the students of Instructor Lucineh
Mueller as part of their Women’s Studies course Penn State Mount Alto.

Guest speakers Sevan (Moumjian) Birky and Ann Hall shared their
grandmothers’ survival stories during the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

"I’ve always been a ‘hyphenated’ person," emphatically stated Birky.

"I have always known I am 100 percent Armenian, but I always had to
quailify that fact and say, Armenian-Lebanese or Armenian-American."

She then added, "As a matter of fact, I was born in Aleppo, Syria,
and my passport will always state that fact, even though I never had
Syrian citizenship!"

"My maternal grandmother Hermineh was a toddler in Dikranagert when
the Turks took away and killed both her father and older brother,"
she said. "Quickly, the news went from bad to worse as the nightmare
of the genocide spread like wildfire from one town to the next.

Hermineh, along with her mother, a younger brother and older sister
managed to escape to Italy, where her older sister was sent to Canada
as a servant girl. Hermineh later ended up marrying and living in
Syria, where my Mom was born."

"My paternal grandmother Armenouhi was also a baby, about six months
old in 1915," Birky said. "She survived because she was left behind
with her aunt who was a talented seamstress and the Turkish family
she worked for protected them. At the age of 14, Armenouhi escaped
secretly under the cover of night to avoid marriage to a Turkish young
man. In Syria, Armenouhi was actually reunited with her biological
mother, but sadly too late, as her mom was allocated to relocate to
Armenia. As a young lady, Armenouhi married and raised a family of
five children. That’s where my Dad was born."

"The seven-day war between Israel and Syria in 1967 caused our family
to relocate to Lebanon," Birky continued. "Thankfully, we already
had Lebanese citizenship since a decade earlier my grandfather,
a long distance truck driver between Syria and Lebanon had acquired
Lebanese citizenship upon Lebanon’s independence."

"I consider myself blessed having grown up in Lebanon. Lebanon was a
piece of heaven on Earth. A Christian country and a ‘little Armenia’
for me. I went to private Armenian schools with all its richness
of three languages – Armenian, Arabic and English, along with the
Armenian history, culture and faith," said Birky, who shared her
school report cards, pictures and embroidery items with the class.

"I love to dance and that’s why you see me in one of my traditional
Armenian dance costumes," she said. If we had more time, we’d all be
dancing a "shourchbar" right now. Armenians have always been small
in numbers and survived many persecutions, that’s why we love to
celebrate life! Life is precious and dancing is one way to embrace
our loved ones and celebrate life."

As a final note, Birky shared the classic Armenian story of "Anahid."

Holding up the large colorful picture book, she enthusiastically
proclaimed, "This is my most favorite Armenian story because it
shows the wisdom and courage of Armenian women. Anahid, the heroine,
insists that the prince who wants to marry her must first learn a
craft, stating, ‘Riches, power and title can be taken away from you.

But never your craft!’ Sure enough, one day the prince is kidnapped
and thanks to his weaving abilities he inscribes a message within
the carpet and is rescued by her own wife, Queen Anahid."

Hall of Chambersburg, Pa., talked about her recent trip to Izmir,
Turkey, the hometown of her maternal roots. "I really felt like I
was home. The connection was so strong. I knew I belonged here,"
she said with conviction.

Hall, who is Armenian on her mother’s side, explained how it is only
recently that she was able to reconstruct and learn of her heritage,
her family’s history and journey of survival thanks to the acquisition
of a family trunk.

Her grandmother brought the trunk from Armenia to England. "In
the trunk were the stories of my grandmother and grandfather, as
told through documents, passports, pictures, letters, newspaper
articles and other treasures, including a book of letters, written
in a Turkish/English dialect, that covers the period of over 20 years
that my great-grandmother spent in Turkey after she had gotten her son
(my grandfather) out of the country," she explained. "I’m afraid that
the content of those letters is lost to history, as it seems there
is no one alive that can read them."

In addition to the guest speakers, Instructor Lucineh Mueller shared
PowerPoint slide pictures of traditional Armenian costumes, along
with Armenian artifacts and music.

The full class of 24 students in Mueller’s class had already viewed
"The Armenian Genocide" film by Andrew Goldberg, watched the files
provided by GenocideEvents.com Web site and BBC Front Page. In
addition, they have read and discussed works by Armenian female poets
including, "Der Zor" by Alicia Ghiragossian and "By Now" by Diana Der
Hovanessian. They are reading "Vergeen: A Survivor of the Armenian
Genocide" by Mae Derdarian.

The Women’s Studies course at Penn State Mont Alto encompasses 24
weeks, six weeks each focusing on Eurasian, African, Oriental and
Hispanic women. The Armenian-Eurasian segment is the premier offering
at Penn State, due to the talents of Mueller.

aystory&story_id=164104&format=html

92ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ABC30.com, CA
April 25 2007

Get the story, pictures, and video on your phone @ myabc30.com
04/24/2007 – Armenian-Americans around the Valley Tuesday, marked
the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

The City of Fresno raised the Armenian flag at city hall to mark
the day, April 24th, 1915, When the Armenian people were driven from
their traditional lands by the Ottoman Empire.

More than 300 Armenian leaders were arrested and most of them were
later murdered. Eventually, more than one and a half million people
were killed.

The Armenian National Committee estimates 50,000 people of Armenian
descent are living here in Central California.

tion=local&id=5241903

QUICK RESTORATION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA PROCEEDS FROM TURKEY’S INTERESTS, S. GRIGORIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. An exclusively good situation has
been formed today in the issue of normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations, to which, unfortunately, Hrant Dink’s murder
contributed. Ashot Grigorian, Chairman of Representation of Armenian
Organizations of Europe, Head of Armenian community of Slovakia,
said in his interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent.

In his words, quick restoration of diplomatic relations with Armenia
proceeds from Turkey’s interests. Admission of the term "genocide"
and liquidation of consequences of the genocide also will serve for
Turkey’s interests.

"Otherwise some conditions will be forced, which will become a sourse
of great losses for Turkey," A. Grigorian stated.

The Chairman of Armenian community of Slovakia considered as necessary
consolidation of Armenian lobbying structures and activization of
activities in response to the goal outlined at the first Conference
of Azerbaijani and Turkish Diasporas held lately in Baku to
undertate steps against the Armenian Diaspora working very actively
and effectively in the whole world. The conference was held with
participation of Presidents of Azerbaijan, self-proclaimed republic of
North Cyprus and Turkish Prime Minister. The proposal to activize the
work of Turkish and Azerbaijani lobbying was made at the conference
by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. As A. Grigorian estimated,
for the purpose of coordinating the efforts of Armenian lobbying it
is planned to restore the activities of Forum of European Armenians,
as well as to enlarge the activity of World Armenian Congress.

Top 10 Armenian bakeries in Southern California
By Charles Perry
latimes.com
April 18, 2007

SWEET THINGS

AS home to one of the largest Armenian colonies in the world, Los Angeles
supports about 70 Armenian bakeries. They suggest that Armenians may just
have the biggest sweet tooth in the world.

And the most eclectic sweet tooth too. Beside their own ancient pastries
such as a bread-y coffee cake called gata, they’re into baklavas, Persian
fritters and Russian doughnuts. On top of that, Armenia has cultural ties
with France dating back to the Crusades, so a lot of the bakeries specialize
in French pastry. Still, they usually sell some baklavas, gatas, perok (a
coffee cake-like fruit tart) and the flaky cookie nazouk.

Though there are pastry shops in the older Armenian hotspots of north
Pasadena and east Hollywood, Glendale is the place to go. It has 14 pastry
shops – and there’s plenty of spillover in Burbank, North Hollywood and
elsewhere in the Valley.

We checked out nearly 50 Armenian bakeries. This is our selection of the top
10 for the non-French side of the Armenian pastry menu.

Baklava Factory, 1415 E. Colorado Ave., Suite K, Glendale, (818) 548-7070,
also 17145 Ventura Blvd., Encino, (818) 728-1600 and 12909 Sherman Way,
North Hollywood, (818) 764-1011, . Well-made
baklava, cookies and fritters, though not baked on the premises but in a
central bakery in Sylmar.

Lord & Villa Bakery, 1120 N. Pacific Ave., No. 3, Glendale, (818) 500-8040.
An upscale operation, mostly French, but it also has a large Armenian
section that includes several varieties of fruit-filled gata. The cherry
perok is positively overflowing with cherry filling.

Maggie’s Bakery, 6530 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 506-6265. A
big, gleaming pastry shop in an inconspicuous mall; three counters of French
pastries and one of baklavas, gatas and walnut-filled cookies. Particularly
notable for kul wushkur, a buttery, exceptionally flaky folded baklava (it
looks like a tiny book with its pages fluttering open) enclosing a
syrup-soaked walnut filling.

Maral’s Pastry, 17654 Vanowen St., Van Nuys, (818) 705-8921. Excellent
baklava-type pastries (of the tender, rather than the crisp, school), cheese
pastry (halawat jibn), sesame-pistachio cookies (barazek) and those fabulous
tahini cookies.

Movses Pastry, 1755 W. Glenoaks Blvd., No. 4, Glendale, (818) 5450099;
. Half French, half Armenian. Good fresh
baklava, several flavors of perok and gata, a number of nazouks.

Oasis Pastry (also known as Mary’s Oasis or M. Shatila), 801 S. Glendale
Blvd., Glendale, (818) 244-2255. It may be Lebanese-owned, but it’s in the
middle of Armenian Glendale and most of the employees speak Armenian. Very
good pastries, including a remarkably flaky one that resembles kul wushkur
but which they insist on calling almond baklava.

Panos Pastry Bakery, 5150 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 661-0335; also
418 S. Central Ave., Glendale, (818) 502-0549; .

A grand pastry palace with marble floors and mirrors, a large selection of
Armenian pastries and an even larger one of French pastries. Long the
standard of Hollywood Armenian bakeries; the baklava is light and crisp but
not terribly buttery.

Sarkis Pastry, 1111 S. Glendale Ave., Glendale, (818) 956-6636;
. The pride of Glendale has one of the widest
ranges of Middle Eastern pastries around, including osmanlia (layers of
kadayif and nuts) and tahini cookies.

Van Bakery, 5409 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 466-2450; also 620 S.

Glendale Ave., Suite H, Glendale, (818) 548-5253. In addition to the usual
pastries, Van makes what looks like a baklava that’s dribbled with a little
chocolate. Inside, there’s a layer of crisp kadayif pastry, making it
lighter and crunchier than ordinary baklava.

Vrej Pastry, 1074 N. Allen Ave., Pasadena, (626) 797-2331; also 11148 Balboa
Blvd., Granada Hills, (818) 366-2526; and 1791 East Route 66, Glendora,
(626) 914-1940. Good for cheese pastry, barazek and dainty burma (kadayif
nut rolls).

– Charles Perry