Author: Jagharian Tania

PRESS RELEASE
FEDERATION OF ARMENIAN ORGANISATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS (FAON)
24 April Committee
Weesperstraat 91
NL – 2574 VS The Hague
Contact: M. Hakhverdian
Tel. 070 4490209
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Armenian Genocide prominently present at EU Summit
Minister Bot: Turkey not in EU without recognition of Armenian Genocide
The Hague, 15 December 2004 – Dutch Foreign Minister Bot speaking about
Armenian Genocide, has declared today, that accession of Turkey to the
EU is out of the question without Turkey recognising her own past. This
issue has the full attention, according to Mr. Bot. Minister reacted
today to the questions of the spokesmen of nearly all fractions of
Dutch Parliament during the “Europe” debate.
Also the European Parliament voted today the report on Turkey¹s
accession, established by Mr. Eurlings, the Dutch CDA Member of
European Parliament, wherein at the last moment the recommendation
to Turkey was added to recognise the Armenian Genocide. As usual
the EU Summit will start coming Friday with a conversation with the
President of the European Parliament. The EP recognised the Armenian
Genocide in 1987.
The question of the Armenian Genocide will be strongly present during
the EU Summit, because of the notice of France last Monday, stating
that during EU Summit the question of the Genocide, which is denied
until now by Turkey, will be put on the agenda.
The Armenians of Europe will underline this attention by holding a
large demonstration coming Friday in Brussels in front of the building,
where EU Summit will decide on Turkey¹s accession matter.
The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands has up
to present day insisted that the Dutch Prime Minister, Dutch Foreign
Minister and the political parties at the Dutch Parliament consider the
Armenian question seriously. The Armenians are worried about the fact
that, as signs of reforms are being shown by Turkey, absolutely no step
has been put forward on the Armenian genocide and for normalisation
of the relation with Armenia as a neighbouring country. It does
not appear that Turkey shows readiness to carry out reforms in
this respect. Only pressure from outside can bring a change in this
matter. For this reason the Armenian Federation has urged the Dutch
presidency of EU to make every effort to put down in the conclusions
of 17 December on Turkey, that it is expected from that country to
improve the relations with Armenia. This means recognition of the
past including the Armenian Genocide, lifting the border blockade
of Armenia and starting diplomatic relations with Armenia. Then it
would be possible to monitor the progress in this area, in the same
way as with respect to human rights and freedom of expression.
One and half million Armenians and large numbers of other Christians
lost their lives during the Genocide of 1915. Turkey denies this
genocide up to present. Other candidate Member States such as Romania
and Croatia have recently distanced themselves from the black pages
of their history. It is not realistic to think that Turkey will be
an exception.
The Armenian Federation believes that Europe is obliged to follow
consistently her principles. And if Turkey wants to belong to Europe
these principles apply also to Turkey.
–Boundary_(ID_40lWwynRsrIK2SoLBEdhUA)–

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
14 décembre 2004
Turquie et Europe : l’état des forces
Si le sommet européen donne son feu vert à une ouverture des
négociations avec Ankara, les principaux partis politiques français
souhaitent que l’option d’un partenariat privilégié entre la Turquie
et l’Union européenne soit offerte.
Selon un sondage publié hier, 67 % des Français sont opposés à
l’adhésion de la Turquie à l’Union européenne. Cette opposition est
la plus forte (85 %) chez les sympathisants du FN/MNR
(extrême-droite) et de l’UDF. Elle est également très majoritaire
chez les sympathisants de l’UMP (71 %) et du PS (61 %).
« L’Europe ne peut s’élargir indéfiniment. Notre vision n’est pas
celle anglo-saxonne d’une vaste zone de libre-échange », avait
déclaré le nouveau président de l’UMP, Nicolas Sarkozy.
Cette position tranche avec celle de Jacques Chirac, qui souhaite
voir entrer à terme la Turquie dans l’UE (« Nous sommes tous des
enfants de Byzance »), même s’il a promis aux Français qu’ils
seraient consultés le moment venu par référendum. Le chef de l’État a
assuré que l’ouverture de négociations n’entraînera pas
automatiquement une adhésion. Sans employer la formule de «
partenariat privilégié », il évoque désormais la possibilité que ces
négociations se concluent par l’établissement d’un « lien fort qui ne
serait pas l’adhésion ».
Voici les positions des principaux partis politiques sur cette
question.
UMP : le secrétaire général, Brice Hortefeux, a confirmé hier que la
délégation UMP votera « très certainement » contre le rapport du
Parlement européen, qui recommande l’ouverture de négociations, sans
envisager d’alternative à l’adhésion
UDF : opposée à l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’UE, l’UDF souhaite que
la France « impose » qu’une ouverture de négociations avec Ankara
prévoit plusieurs issues possibles : adhésion ou partenariat
privilégié.
« Nous ne pouvons nous retrouver engagés par une décision d’adhésion
automatique que les peuples refusent », a déclaré François Bayrou.
PS : le parti est pour l’ouverture de négociations avec la Turquie,
mais « veut que ces négociations ne présagent en aucune manière de la
forme de participation de la Turquie à l’Europe », a déclaré le
porte-parole du PS, Julien Dray. Pour François Hollande, il ne faut «
pas que l’adhésion soit la formule automatique, toutes les options
doivent être ouvertes ». Officiellement favorable sous conditions
(respect des droits de l’homme, reconnaissance du génocide arménien)
à l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’UE, le parti est, en réalité, divisé.
Son numéro deux, Laurent Fabius, et le sénateur des Hauts-de-Seine,
Robert Badinter, ont notamment exprimé leur opposition à une adhésion
de la Turquie à l’UE.
VERTS : « On ne peut dénier à la Turquie, après 40 ans de coopération
renforcée avec l’Union, le droit d’être candidate officielle à
l’adhésion, » expliquent les Verts
PCF : favorable à l’adhésion dès que la Turquie « satisfera
l’ensemble des critères démocratiques ».
MPF : Philippe de Villiers a demandé à Jacques Chirac de « brandir le
veto » lors du sommet européen.
Front National : contre l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’UE.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee of Glendale
721 S. Glendale Ave
Glendalve, CA 91205
Contact: George Garikian
Tel: 818.243.3444
Fax: 818.243.3009
Email: [email protected]
Web:
Glendale, CA – Over 90 community leaders and elected officials gathered at
The Cove Thursday evening for a mixer hosted by the Armenian National
Committee, Glendale Chapter. The event provided guests an opportunity to
meet the new Executive Director, Alina Azizian, as well as the 2004-2005
board members. Guests included State Senator Jack Scott, representatives
from Congressman Adam Schiff’s office and Assemblyman Dario Frommer’s
office, Mayor Bob Yousefian and Councilmembers Rafi Manoukian, Frank
Quintero, and Dave Weaver. Other guests included: Glendale Unified School
District Superintendent Dr. Michael Escalante, GUSD Assistant Superintendent
Alice Petrossian, Glendale Fire Chief Christopher Gray, Assistant Fire Chief
Donald Biggs, Assistant Police Chief Ronald DePompa, City Attorney Scott
Howard, City Manager James Starbird, Glendale Teachers Association President
Sandra Fink, Armenian National Committee of America Western Region
Executive Director Ardashes Kassakhian, Glendale Unified School District
Board chairman Greg Krikorian and board members Chakib Sambar and Pam Ellis,
Glendale Community College Board of Trustees members Ara Najarian and Anita
Quinonez Gabrielian, and numerous commissioners from the various city
commissions.
`During the holiday season it’s difficult to get so many busy people in the
same room,’ commented Azizian, `but we had a fantastic turnout. It was
great to meet the people that help make this city so wonderful. We have a
great coalition of community leaders working together to make this city even
better, and I look forward to working with them.’
Board members also spent the evening informing the community about the five
sub-committees within the ANC Glendale Chapter. Board Chairman Pierre
Chraghchian noted, `This year we have established five separate committees
to handle fundraising, media relations, community relations, elections, and
Genocide commemoration.’ With the busy election season around the corner
and a new director to run the operations, the five subcommittees will play a
key role in the organization.

Alina Azizian was appointed in November as the organization’s first
Executive Director. The Armenian National Committee, Glendale Chapter, is
located at 721 South Glendale Ave. in Glendale. You can reach ANC Glendale
at 818.243.3444. To find out more about the subcommittees (or to join),
please email [email protected].
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Los Angeles Times , CA
Dec 13 2004
Worshipers End Wandering
After 30 years of fundraising, a small Armenian congregation in the
Coachella Valley is about to complete its own church.
By Barbara E. Hernandez, Special to The Times
PALM DESERT – The smell of incense permeated the church as Father
Stepanos Dingilian, wearing a silver-and-blue robe, presided over the
service. After the choir sang haunting hymns in Armenian, Dingilian,
speaking English, gave a sermon about faith.
The message seemed appropriate. After nearly 30 years of saving and
start-and-stop efforts, the small congregation of the Armenian
Apostolic Church of the Desert is finally going to have a home of its
own, Riverside County’s only Armenian church.

“This was a test for us,” said parish council member Alice Safoyan,
78. “We learned the hard way how to do it.”
For years the congregation met at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church –
where Dingilian presided as visiting priest – but the church’s 50
registered families will soon leave St. Margaret’s behind.
After almost three decades of dinners, galas and open pleas for
money, the congregation’s meeting hall is finished and the church is
being built.
Final permits must be obtained before the meeting hall in Rancho
Mirage can be used for the congregation’s first service Dec. 19, said
George Kirkjan, chairman of the parish council. A dedication and
fundraiser weekend for the church building is scheduled Jan. 29 and
30.
Kirkjan, 69, a date grower originally from Los Angeles, spent the
last 27 years in the desert and has long looked forward to the
opening of an Armenian church.
“At the beginning, we had big ideas but not a lot of money raised,”
he said.
Over the years, the congregation raised $1.3 million, but there’s
still some work to do – to the tune of $1 million more to finish the
church, which is modeled on the larger St. Hripsime Church at
Echmiadzin in Armenia, built in the 7th century.
The Armenian Apostolic Church of the Desert is part of the Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, an Eastern Orthodox
church.
The congregation began using the Episcopal church in 1977 for a
monthly afternoon service during the Coachella Valley’s cooler
months. The practice continued for decades while the parish council
debated building a church. When not meeting at St. Margaret’s,
worshipers drove to Orange County or Los Angeles for services.
Although Southern California’s Armenian population is estimated to be
300,000 to 400,000, only about 120 Armenian families live in the
Coachella Valley, Dingilian said.
It was important to build the meeting hall before the church, members
said, because religious services can be held in a meeting hall, but
some events, such as dinners and receptions, can only rarely be held
in a church.
Hovak Najarian, 73, a member of the church choir and resident
historian, said that after a few years serving on the parish council,
he noticed that some of the initial enthusiasm for building a church
began to dwindle.
“Some of the old-timers had died and nothing was happening,” said
Najarian, who was appointed to the council in 1979. “There were a lot
of people not so sure we should be building a church because of its
upkeep.”
Some said they should continue to have their services at St.
Margaret’s. One member wearily suggested taking everyone on a cruise
with the money that had been raised, he said.
The congregation’s relationship with St. Margaret’s was partly forged
by Najarian, who is also a member of the Episcopal congregation. He
grew up in Florida and, because there were no Armenian churches
around, became an Episcopalian.
“I didn’t grow up with Armenians. The only ones I knew were my
parents,” explained Najarian, a slim man with silver hair and
twinkling blue-gray eyes. “[My parents] came here to have a place to
worship and not be persecuted, and I feel like I almost owe it to
them to keep this going.”
Building the new church, he said, allows him to honor and share his
Armenian heritage.
In 1982, council member Ara Herbekian found and negotiated the
purchase of about five acres in Palm Desert for an Armenian Apostolic
Church, but the recession of the 1980s limited donations and
virtually halted construction.
By 1999, the original land couldn’t be used because the city, citing
traffic concerns, would not allow the project to proceed. The land
was sold for close to $300,000, which helped the parish council
purchase 4.6 acres in Rancho Mirage. Today, that land would sell for
three times the amount, said Shirley Adams, realtor with Tarbell,
Realtors in Indio.
“The timing was perfect,” said council member Rita Walden, 70, of
Indian Wells.
Walden, who heads church fundraising, said raising money helped the
council avoid borrowing.
Mailings to Armenian families across the nation raised $20,000, and
Armenian Americans from the Los Angeles area also contributed to the
church fund.
“Our feeling was that by building the church, it would become the
heart of our Armenian community here,” Walden explained.
At the new meeting hall, landscaping pays homage to many Armenians’
agricultural roots in the Coachella Valley, with date palms and
citrus trees framing the drive.
Although city permits, a new security system and dust control caused
some financial hiccups for the congregation, many believe that the
church building – now little more than a foundation and underground
wiring – could be completed as early as 2006.
“I have no doubt in my mind it will be finished and it will be
beautiful,” Safoyan said.

ArmenPress
Dec 10 2004
ELITA LTD LAUNCHES DRY YEAST PRODUCTION FACILITY
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: Elita Ltd., the sole producer of
yeast in Armenia, has launched today its new dry yeast production
facility in Yeghvard, Kotayk Marz. The company was initially designed
to produce wet yeast to compete with Iranian wet yeast imports in the
local market. The management of the company decided to expand its
operations by launching a dry yeast production line to cater for the
needs of smaller commercial and household bakers. The opening
ceremony was attended by the governor of Kotayk Marz, Mr. John Evans,
the U.S. Ambassador, other honorable guests.
The construction of dry yeast production facility started in 2003
with the help of DAI-ASME, USAID financed project. DAI-ASME provided
day-to-day consulting assistance in strategic planning as well as
financial assistance in the form of a grant to cover part of the
construction cost of the new facility.
In 1992, when Armenia faced a huge deficit of bakery yeast as a
result of the blockade by Azerbaijan, the founders of Elita Ltd. –
four graduates from Food Industrial Technological Institute in Kiev,
Ukraine – decided to establish a factory to produce bakery yeast in
Armenia.
Today Elita is the only producer and supplier of wet yeast in the
local market and has captured 10% of the yeast (wet and dry) market.
Currently, over 50 large Armenian bakeries use Elita’s wet yeast.
The company now employs 25 people. This number will grow to 50 when
new operations are fully developed. Dry yeast produced by Elita will
compete and gradually replace imported Iranian and Turkish brands.
The new facility will enable the company to produce 6-8 tons of dry
yeast during the first year of operations and supply up to 50% of the
country’s need for yeast products in 2006. Export opportunities to
Georgia will be considered as total production increases and local
market needs are satisfied.
The company is managed by three shareholders.

13097.9 MLN TONS OF HUMANITARIAN AID OF 29.8 MLN DOLLARS IMPORTED TO ARMENIA
IN JANUARY-OCTOBER 2004
YEREVAN, December 7 (Noyan Tapan). 13097.9 mln tons of humanitarian
aid of a total of 29.8 mln dollars were imported to Armenia in
January-October 2004. It should be mentioned that 5502.9 tons
of humanitarian aid of 43393.6 thousand dollars were imported to
Armenia during the same period of 2003. According to the RA National
Statistical Service, the products of chemical branch, or industrial
branches connected with it made 32.2% of received aid, tools and
apparatus made 17%, textile items made 21.8%. 5383.9 tons of products
of plant origin worth 2165.1 thousand dollars, 115.6 tons of products
of ready made food worth 396.7 mln drams, 141.7 tons of means of land,
air and water transport worth 5086.5 thousand dollars were imported
to the republic during the period under review.

IMF approves final 13.7m-dollar loan to Armenia
Mediamax news agency
2 Dec 04
YEREVAN
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the allocation of
the final tranche to the tune of 13.7m dollars as part of the Poverty
Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) programme.
Armenian Finance and Economy Minister Vardan Khachatryan said today
that this marks the end of the IMF’s three-year programme.
The minister added that the Armenian government had made a political
decision to continue cooperation with the IMF. He said the next
programme could target reforms in the banking sector, in the field of
insurance, transformation in the area of the water economy, public
transport, etc.
The implementation of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
programme started in Armenia in 2001. Its total value has reached
105.3m dollars.

SOME ARMENIAN PARTIES SPECULATE ON KARABAKH PROBLEM: ARMENIA’S FM
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2. ARMINFO. Some political parties of Armenia keep
speculating on the problem of the Karabakh conflict peaceful
settlement, says Armenia’s FM Vardan Oskanyan.
This speculations are damaging the settlement process and are working
against Armenia and the Armenian people. Today the opposition is
saying “yours, ours – ours was better.” They should understand that
the problem should be considered so as to make it as acceptable for
Armenia as possible.
All the opposition’s statements on the problem are coming to one
conclusion – that government should be changed. This proves that the
Karabakh problem is only a tool for them to attain their goal. This is
a serious blow on Armenia’s strong diplomatic positions in the world.
The opposition’s arguments have three serious flaws. First, in Astana
OSCE Minsk Group discussed just what is now on agenda. Before that the
Armenian and Azeri FM had met 4 times in Prague exchanging g opinions
and presenting their results of their discussions to their
presidents. OSCE MG new that Armenia is ready to continue the Prague
talks on the basis of the agreements reached by the FMs before.
The second flaw is that OSCE MG are alleged to support Azerbaijan’s
initiative at UN but in fact they are against it. UN postponed the
initiative discussion mostly because OSCE MG began to pressure
Azerbaijan into recalling it at all. The FMs and OSCE MG will shortly
meet in Sofia.
The third flaw is that Armenia and its government are reported not to
be interested in the quick resolution of the problem and to be
artificially delaying the settlement process. What they mean by
settlement – if what they are proposing then yes we better delay the
process – the present Armenian government will never give back its
controlled territories until the problem of Karabakh’s
self-determination is solved.
Armenia will not concede just for the conflict to be settled soon. The
same is for Karabakh’s de jure inclusion into Azerbaijan. The process
will go on until Armenia attains a solution meeting its interests and
the interests of its people. Azerbaijan’s current aggression is the
result of Armenia’s successful diplomacy. Azerbaijan is panicking and
is rushing from one international organization to another.

Buffalo News, NY
Nov 30 2004
Doctoral candidate is 16
UB student has two degrees and is a teaching assistant
By PETER SIMON
News Staff Reporter
11/30/2004

Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News
While other 16-year-olds are in high school, Rafael Davtian is
working on his doctorate in political science at the University at
Buffalo.

Rafael Davtian is a young man in a hurry.
A big hurry.
At age 16 – when students are normally still in high school – Rafael
is studying for his doctorate at the University at Buffalo. He has,
in effect, skipped eight grades of school.
Rafael doesn’t have his driver’s license yet, but he already has
earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Even though he won’t be old enough to vote for another two years, he
is a teaching assistant in UB’s political science department, helping
instruct students years older than he is.
“I like to learn and was motivated to advance,” said Rafael, a native
of Armenia who came to this country with his parents at age 8. “The
two main components were constant hard work and determination to keep
going.”
Academic acceleration hasn’t hurt the quality of his work one bit.
Rafael has never – not once, at any grade level – earned a grade
lower than A. He was valedictorian of Utah State University’s College
of Humanities with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
And in less than a semester, Rafael has earned a sterling reputation
at UB.
“He’s extremely mature and extremely bright,” said Franco Mattei,
director of graduate studies in political science. “He’s just at the
top of the class.”
Rafael hopes to teach at the college level, work for the State
Department or an international agency or get involved in electoral
politics.
His academic accomplishments are even more remarkable because he
arrived in the United States at age 8, knowing just a few words of
English.
In search of better opportunities and a Western lifestyle, his family
moved from Armenia to West Germany when Rafael was 3 and then to Salt
Lake City five years later.
Rafael’s progress was meteoric. For example:
– He skipped grades 4 and 5 and went directly from sixth grade to
ninth grade.
– He tackled the last three years of high school in two years and
still managed to accumulate 40 college credits.
– He earned an associate’s degree from Salt Lake Community College at
age 13, finished his undergraduate requirements in three semesters
instead of four and earned his master’s degree in one year rather
than two.
– Even though he studies from six to eight hours a day, Rafael finds
time to play tennis, soccer and chess and to read books for pleasure.
Most accelerated students skip just a year or two of school, and
Rafael’s academic career is highly unusual but not unique, said
Nicholas Colangelo, director of the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted
Education at the University of Iowa.
Colangelo, an advocate of acceleration for gifted students, said even
dramatic advancement can work with the support and planning of
parents and schools.
“The bottom line is, kids develop at different rates, and some very
much so,” he said. “The question you have to ask is: What would it
have been like for this young man if he stayed with his age group?”
Well-spoken, personable and impeccably polite, Rafael said he doesn’t
think about age and feels perfectly comfortable with his classmates.
“For me, it has become more or less normal,” he said. “I simply
accept the fact that here I am. It could be no other way.”
Armin Davtian, a manufacturing engineer while in Armenia, said he
advocated for Rafael’s acceleration based on his progress in the
early grades and his love of learning.
“I saw how quickly he grasped almost everything,” Davtian said. “He
was really fast, capable and brilliant.”
Neighbors, teachers and guidance counselors questioned that strategy
and raised concerns about the social and emotional pressures Rafael
would face. Some argued that we was being robbed of his childhood.
But the determination and confidence of both son and father never
wavered.
“I faced lots of blame and condemnation, but I knew I was doing the
right thing,” said Armin Davtian. “He proved he could overcome. He
produced excellent results. Whenever I was asked the question:
“Why?,’ the answer would be: “Why not?’ ”
Rafael agrees. “I was able to adapt well,” he said. “I get along with
everyone. I think it was stranger for the people around me than it
was for me, actually.”
Rafael’s academic success has been a family effort.
Armin and his wife, Gayene, moved with Rafael from Salt Lake City to
Logan, Utah, so their only child could attend Utah State, and then to
Amherst for Rafael’s doctoral program.
At Utah State, Armin Davtian enrolled in and graduated from the same
master’s program as his son.
“He was 14, I was 41, and we were sitting together and taking classes
together,” Davtian said.
UB provided Rafael not only a paid assistantship, but also a
Presidential Fellowship, the highest academic recognition accorded by
the College of Arts and Sciences.
“He’s one of the most outstanding students we’ve had in recent
years,” said Frank C. Zagare, chairman of UB’s political science
department and one of Rafael’s professors. “He more than competes
with older students in the class.”
Rafael loves UB, and college officials said his adjustment backs up
the confidence they showed in him.
“We made the right decision,” UB’s Mattei said. “I’m glad we did,
because otherwise it would have been our loss.”

CIS official sees Kazakh, Kyrgyz stance on Karabakh as “coordination fault”
Arminfo
30 Nov 04
YEREVAN
The position of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan on the voting “on the
situation on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories” at a UN session is
seen as a certain fault in the coordination system of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Nikolay Bordyuzha,
secretary-general of the CSTO, told a press conference in Yerevan
after a session of the CSTO committee of secretaries.
Asked about the position of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan which voted
“for” discussing “the situation on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories”
which was raised with the UN General Assembly session at the
initiative of Azerbaijan, as well as about his assessment of the level
of coordination within the framework of the CSTO, Bordyuzha pointed
out that the CSTO has drawn up a mechanism of coordination and “it is
functioning quite successfully”.
He said that a consensus is reached on many issues that pertain to
political problems in the world. “As for this case, it was discussed
at the session of the council of foreign ministers where the states
mainly expressed their points of view. I can say without going into
detail that a common understanding of the situation has been found,
and as far as I understand, this incident is seen as a certain fault
in the coordination system and there is an agreement to coordinate
actions more actively, especially on burning issues such as security,”
Bordyuzha said.