Author: Jalatian Sonya

California Courier Online, July 21, 2005
1 – Commentary
What Did Kocharian Actually Say About
Demanding Territories from Turkey?
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The Califorrnia Courier
2 – Documentary on Impact of Turkish Blockade
On Armenia Selected for Film Festivals
3- The Lincy Foundation Will Allocate
$60 Million for New Projects in Armenia
4 – Montreal Gazette Newspaper
Recognizes Armenian Genocide
5 – Glendale Mayor Hosts Fundraiser For
Paul Krekorian in State Assembly Race
6 – 500 Guests Attend Fresno Fundraiser for
Attorney General Candidate Poochigian
7 – Catholicos Aram I Will Visit California, October 5-19
8 –
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1 – Commentary
What Did Kocharian Actually Say About
Demanding Territories from Turkey?
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Three months ago, Pres. Kocharian made a rare appearance in front of
students at Yerevan State University. After his official remarks dealing
with the state of affairs in Armenia, the President responded at length to
more than 20 questions from the students.
The President’s answer to one particular question made headlines both in
Armenia and Turkey. It dealt with the possibility of Armenia demanding
territories from Turkey following its recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
This is a very sensitive issue that has serious repercussions not only on
Turkish-Armenian relations, but also on the efforts of third parties trying
to nudge Turkey into recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
The question of whether the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the
Turks may lead to Armenian territorial demands from Turkey is discussed
widely not only in Ankara, Washington and Paris, but also among Armenians
worldwide.
Some Armenians say that they would be satisfied if the Turks simply
admitted that genocide was committed against the Armenians. In other words,
if the Turks stopped denying the Genocide, Armenians and Turks could then
turn a new page in their relationship.
Most Armenians, however, maintain that Turkey’s admission of the occurrence
of the Genocide is not sufficient at all. That would not wipe away the
cataclysmic consequences of the murders committed against the Armenian
nation. They believe that today’s Turkish government has the responsibility
of making amends for the losses suffered by the Armenians. They contend
that Turkey must return the confiscated properties and assets to the
descendants of the victims of the Genocide, give back the historic Armenian
territories, and finally, pay financial compensation for the murder of 1.5
million Armenians.
Those who would be satisfied by the mere recognition of the genocide often
lecture other Armenians about the realities of the modern world and the
fact that it would be unrealistic to expect Turkey to return any
territories or pay compensation to Armenians. They also question if
Armenians demanding the lands would be willing to relocate to Western
Armenia (Eastern Turkey), should the Turks agree to return these mostly
desolate lands.
Those who make such minimalist demands do not understand that while it is
highly unlikely that the Turks would make amends for the Genocide anytime
soon, voluntarily giving up one’s historic rights would ensure that
Armenians would end up getting nothing.
Pres. Kocharian understands well the sensitivity of this issue ever since
he got himself into hot water several years ago when he responded to a
similar question from a prominent Turkish reporter. At that time, the
President was severely criticized by Armenians from around the world for
having supposedly said, according to the distorted transcript of the
Turkish reporter, that Armenia had no territorial demands from Turkey. The
problem was compounded by the fact that despite the uproar about the
President’s alleged statement, his aides never bothered to release to the
public his actual words. They let the Turks misrepresent to the world and
to Armenians worldwide what Pres. Kocharian had actually said.
A similar misrepresentation of the President’s words occurred earlier this
year. Once again, Pres. Kocharian’s statement was distorted by the Turkish
media. Here is what the President actually said as it was broadcast on
Armenian State TV, on April 11, 2005. I have translated his words from
Armenian into English:
“We have never raised in the name of any governmental body the issue of any
territorial demands. We have today on our foreign policy agenda the issue
of the recognition of the Genocide. What legal consequences that would
have, is an issue for future presidents and future political officials. But
we must also be realistic, and from that perspective, our expectations and
reality should not be too different. When they become too different, one
can get subsequently disillusioned. The more realistic we are, the less the
probability of subsequent disillusionment. We should now consistently
struggle for the recognition of the Genocide. Regarding the second segment
of that issue, the less we talk about it now, the better for us.”
The Turkish press distorted the President’s statement by reporting him
saying that Armenia had no demands from Turkey. Regrettably, Armenian
newspapers both in Armenia and the Diaspora reported these Turkish
distortions as facts.
Readers should note that Pres. Kocharian was careful to avoid acknowledging
that Armenia had territorial demands from Turkey, while just as carefully
refusing to state that Armenia did not have such claims. Given Armenia’s
many current political and economic problems, clearly this is not the right
time to make territorial claims from a powerful and hostile neighboring
state. Pres. Kocharian is correct in neither asserting such demands nor in
giving them up.
Armenians have to wait until such time when Armenia is strong enough to act
on those demands. As everyone knows, territories are not freely given. They
can only be taken by force or diplomacy backed by strength. The time for
that is definitely not now!
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2 – Documentary on Impact of Turkish Blockade
On Armenia Selected for Film Festivals
WASHINGTON, DC ­ “Armenia, a Country under Blockade,” a powerful
documentary film on the impact of Turkey’s blockade of Armenia was featured
at the recently concluded Myrtle Beach International Film Festival, and has
been chosen as an official selection for the “Golden Apricots,” Yerevan’s
International film festival, which was held July 12-17, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Narrated by System of a Down lead vocalist Serj Tankian and directed by
Diran Noubar, the 52-minute documentary film describes, in compelling
images and through first-hand accounts, the human impact of Turkey’s
decade-long, illegal blockade of Armenia. It has been met with critical
acclaim, including a standing ovation at the Cannes Festival’s film market
held earlier this year. Academy Award nominee Atom Egoyan (1997-The Sweet
Hereafter) has called “Armenia, a Country under Blockade” a “very worthy
and important document.”
The timing of the film’s release, on the eve of the European Union’s
membership negotiations with Turkey, sparked a sharp
reaction from Ankara, and interest on the part of Europeans troubled by the
prospect of accepting a member state that so
flagrantly violates international law. The film was shot entirely in
Armenia.
“Diran Noubar’s powerful work is bringing the story of Armenia – and the
brutal impact of Turkey’s illegal blockade – to the
attention of vast new international audiences,” said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. “We encourage Armenian Americans to watch
this documentary – and just as importantly – to share it with their local
elected officials, to arrange screenings for civic groups, and to encourage
its broadcast by local television stations.”
The film was shown twice at the Golden Apricots at the Cinema House at
Moskva Movie Theater in Yerevan.
To purchase copies of the documentary, arrange a local community or
university screening, or to encourage your local television station to
broadcast this powerful message, contact: Diran Noubar, Kayane Productions,
Inc., 1901 Dorset Drive, Tarrytown, NY 10591, (646)642-0544, (917)459-4109.
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3 – The Lincy Foundation Will Allocate
$60 Million for New Projects in Armenia
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Lincy Foundation announced last week that it would
allocate $60 million for three new infrastructure projects selected by the
Government of Armenia.
The work will commence once the necessary approvals have been obtained and
agreements between the Armenian government and The Lincy Foundation have
been signed. The Government of Armenia will implement these projects with
the assistance of The Lincy Foundation.
The $60 million to be provided by The Lincy Foundation would be used for
the much-needed renovation of schools, the upgrading of Yerevan streets,
and the improvement of various roads throughout Armenia.
The school renovation project would significantly improve the educational
environment for thousands of students who have been studying in dilapidated
school buildings for many years. The upgrading and improvement of various
city streets and roads would facilitate the movement of people and goods
throughout Armenia.
These new projects follow Lincy’s successful completion of $150 million of
infrastructure renovation that included the construction and repair of 270
miles of highways, 5 bridges, 2 tunnels, 17 major city streets as well as
the Republican Square in Yerevan, 3,674 apartments in the earthquake zone,
and 34 cultural institutions throughout Armenia.
In addition, The Lincy Foundation provided $20 million of loans to small
and medium-size businesses in Armenia.
**************************************************************
4 – Montreal Gazette Newspaper
Recognizes Armenian Genocide
MONTREAL – The Congress of Canadian Armenians last week announced that The
Gazette, Montreal’s leading English-language daily newspaper, has issued a
policy statement to their editorial staff recognizing the Armenian
genocide, and providing editorial guidelines. This recognition is in line
with recent policy statements issued by leading North American daily
newspapers such as the Boston Globe and New York Times.
The text of the statement, signed by The Gazette’s Editor-in-Chief,
includes the following:
“It seems clear from the historical record that what took place in Turkey
around 1915 amounted to a genocide, as defined in the 1948 UN convention on
genocide: killing or harming people “with intent to destroy, in whole or in
part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”. As a result,
reporters and editors are free to use the word genocide, without quotation
marks, in relation to the Armenian tragedy and should avoid using
qualifiers such as “alleged,” “disputed” or “what Armenians call”. We may
report Turkish denials of such a claim when they are relevant, but we
should not feel obliged to include such denials with every reference to the
Armenian genocide.”
“We were encouraged by the sincerity of The Gazette’s senior management
when we met with them in June”, said Taro Alepian, President of the
Congress of Canadian Armenians. “They now join the growing number of
respected newspapers across North America who accept that the events which
took place in Turkey around 1915, which resulted in the deaths of 1.5
million Armenians, was in fact genocide as defined by the United Nations.
Armenians across Canada extend their thanks to the editorial staff of The
Gazette for ensuring that editorial content will henceforth reflect
historical fact. We hope that other Canadian newspapers will adopt similar
policies on the Armenian genocide.”
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5 – Glendale Mayor Hosts Fundraiser For
Paul Krekorian in State Assembly Race
GLENDALE – Paul Krekorian, Burbank School Board President and the leading
candidate for California State Assembly in the 43rd district, got another
big boost when Glendale Mayor Rafi Manoukian, hosted a successful
fundraiser for Krekorian in his home. The event raised more than $35,000
toward Krekorian’s campaign.
Four of the five members of the Glendale City Council were present at the
event. Councilmembers Ara Najarian, Dave Weaver, and Bob Yousefian joined
Mayor Manoukian in showing their support and encouragement for
Krekorian’s bid for the Assembly, along with Glendale City Clerk Ardy
Kassakhian and Burbank City Councilmember Stacey Murphy.
The large crowd also included many city commissioners and community
leaders.
“I am deeply honored that Mayor Manoukian and his wife Zovig opened their
home in support of this vitally important campaign,” Krekorian said after
the event. “We’ve received tremendous support from the civic and
community leaders
of Glendale and Burbank, which gives me great encouragement. I will
continue to work hard to earn that support and to stand up for the
interests of our community in Sacramento.”
Krekorian is running for the State Assembly seat currently held by
Assemblymember Dario Frommer, who will be leaving the office because of
term limits.
The district includes the communities of Glendale, Burbank, North
Hollywood,
Silver Lake and Los Feliz, and is home to the largest Armenian-American
community in the United States. Political analysts consider Krekorian the
leading candidate in the election, which will be held next June.
Krekorian has also been endorsed by Burbank Mayor Jef VanderBorght,
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, Senator Jackie
Speier, Assemblymember Carol Liu and Assemblymember Paul Koretz, among
many others.
Krekorian spoke about his vision for California and thanked the audience
for their support and commitment. He also took a moment to introduce his
wife Tamar and their newest addition to the family, 7-week old son Andrew
Levon Krekorian.
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6 – 500 Guests Attend Fresno Fundraiser for
Attorney General Candidate Poochigian
FRESNO – California State Senator Chuck Poochigian (R-Fresno) was honored
at a June 16 dinner at the Fresno Convention Center, in support of his
campaign for Attorney General.
Five hundred dinner guests attended the campaign fundraiser.
Senator Poochigian was warmly introduced by Fresno County District Attorney
Elizabeth Egan who praised his work in the Legislature and emphasized the
importance of electing Poochigian as Attorney General.
In his remarks, Poochigian spoke about his strong interest in public policy
and the importance of electing public officials who possess common sense
and are fair-minded in the exercise of power. “The Attorney General has
very broad powers that must be exercised with great discretion to assure
that our laws are properly, uniformly and dispassionately enforced and
public safety is protected while guarding against abuse,” Poochigian said
Poochigian thanked the enthusiastic supporters for their willingness to be
involved in what he described as a great new personal adventure. He and
his wife, Debbie, have been traveling throughout California for months in
order to build a strong base of grass roots and financial support. He said
the encouragement he received was overwhelming.
The primary election will be held next June, followed by the general
election in November 2006. There are currently no other Republicans
running for the office. Former California Governor George Deukmejian is
Chairman of the campaign and Ken Khachigian is senior advisor and manager
of the campaign. Two Democrats, Los Angeles City Attorney Rockard “Rocky”
Delgadillo and Oakland Mayor (former Governor) Jerry Brown have announced
their candidacies.
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7 – Catholicos Aram I Will Visit California, October 5-19
LOS ANGELES – Catholicos Aram I, of the Great House of Cilicia, will visit
the Western Prelacy of the United States, October 5-19 in an extensive
Pontifical tour of the three North American prelacies, announced last week
Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, the Religious and the Executive
Councils of the Western Prelacy.
The Pontifical visit is being held on the occasion of the 75th anniversary
of the Seminary of the Holy See and the 10th anniversary of His
enthronement.
In California, the Catholicos will visit Los Angeles, Fresno and San
Francisco. During the visit, he will inaugurate the Prelacy’s New Building,
consecrate the Prelacy’s St. Dertad and St. Ashkhen Chapel and the St.
Sarkis Church of Pasadena.
Included in the California visit are symposiums, meetings with students and
youth, and other official events.
Under the auspices of Archbishop Mardirossian, a Welcoming Committee has
been formed to organize the Pontifical visit and the related events.
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8 – Dr.. Steve Maradian Named New
President of Los Angeles City College
LOS ANGELES – After conducting a national search, the Los Angeles Community
College Board of Trustees selected Dr. Steve Maradian as the new President
of Los Angeles City College.
Dr. Maradian is currently Vice President for Government Relations at the
American University of Armenia. Previous to that, he served as Director of
Federal Relations for the University System of Georgia. He also held
positions as President of Middle Georgia College, Executive Director of the
Regional Maritime Technology Center of the University of New Orleans,
President of Lamar College (Orange, TX), and President of Belmont Technical
College (Ohio).
“Dr. Maradian is an excellent candidate,” said LACC Board President Trustee
Sylvia Scott-Hayes. “He will fit in perfectly with the campus, specially
with his unique experiences in the Armenian community. He will bring a new
energy to the college and enrich the diversity on the campus. We look
forward to having him on our leadership team.”
“I am really excited about serving Los Angeles City College,” said Dr.
Maradian. “I look forward to getting involved in the community; helping to
re-build and modernize the campus and making sure all of our students get a
high quality education. This job is a perfect fit for me, ethnically,
philosophically and geographically. My heart has always been with community
colleges and I look forward to working in a great city and a great state.”
A search community consisting of members of Los Angeles City College and
the community interviewed a large number of candidates from throughout the
country. The final four participated in community forums on June 27 and 28.
Dr. Maradian will begin his duties at the college on Aug. 1.
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FILM: THE FIVE BEST REVIVALS
The Independent – United Kingdom; Jul 16, 2005
I Died in Childhood (Wed 7.30pm Ciný Lumiýre)
Georgy Parajanov introduces his own documentary about his uncle,
Sergei Parajanov, the visionary, poetic Armenian director called
‘a master’ by Godard and imprisoned by the KGB for many years. Part
of a must-see Parajanov season.
Untold Scandal & Memories of Murder (Sun 12.30pm & 2.30pm Richmond
Filmhouse)
To my mind, two of the best Korean films of recent years. First
in this double-bill is the sumptuous period drama transposing Les
Liaisons Dangereuses to imperial Korea; second, the outstanding police
procedural thriller set in the 1980s.
R-Point (tonight 11.30pm Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge)
The only mainstream film that really stood out at last year’s Pusan
International Film Festival was this chilling Vietnam War ghost
story about a contingent of Korean allied troops holed up in a
haunted barracks.
In the Mood for Love (Thur 6.10pm NFT3)
Perhaps Wong Kar-Wai’s masterpiece, this sumptuous, sexy melodrama
concerns adultery and passion in 1960s Hong Kong. Part of a season
on the cinematographer Chris Doyle.
Elephant & Elephant (tonight 7pm & 7.40pm Riverside)
The 39-minute Alan Clarke original, about a sequence of shootings
in Belfast . Plus, the gripping, horrifying Gus Van Sant movie that
borrowed its name and its subject matter. It explores a high-school
massacre in the US.
–Boundary_(ID_quD8tg13BRkFdiSZIlmRqw)–

Azerbaijan News Service
July 13 2005
AZERBAIJAN WON’T GIVE UP POSITIONS, FOREIGN MINISTER
2005-07-13 17:09
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan will make statement
regarding OSCE Minsk Group co-chair’s visit to the region no sooner
than July 18. Elmar Mammadyarov, foreign minister of Azerbaijan said
in exclusive interview with ANS TV that Ministry was expecting the
results of meeting carried out in Armenia as well. Mr. Mammadyarov
said co-chairs came to Azerbaijan without any new proposals. The
Minister also caviled at those who tried misinterpreting co-chairs
statement and misleading the information on negotiation process.
Elmar Mammadyarov said the government of Azerbaijan still insisted in
its position that is restoration of territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan. Baku is not going to retract from this position,
Mammadyarov has said. Elmar Mammadyarov said it was hard to say
something for the time being reacting to US co-chair statement.
Steven Mann said yesterday that there was a possibility to achieve
peace. `Everything will depend on how we will continue peace process
and what results shall we achieve. We will witness the next meeting
of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents. Either Baku or the Yerevan
prepare for this meeting, Elmar Mammadyarov said. Head of the foreign
office also unveiled other main principles Azerbaijan holds in. The
returning of refugees and IDPs to their native lands is one those.
Elmar Mammadyarov said negotiations have been conducting within the
format of OSCE Minsk group according to OSCE resolutions answering to
the possibility of joining of Iran and Turkey into peace
negotiations. Ayten Feyzullayeva

Armenian Canadian Medical Association of Ontario
555 University Avenue, Room 6536B
Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8
Canada
Phone: (416) 813-6291
Fax: (416) 813-6334
Email: [email protected]
Press Release: Full-text online biomedical journals for Armenia’s scientists
The Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI,
) is a project administered by the World
Health Organization (WHO) in conjunction with the six major journal
publishers worldwide to provide free-of-charge full-text access to
institutions in developing countries. To meet the criteria of free access,
the country’s GNP per capita has to be less than $1000 US; whereas
institutions in countries with GNP per capita $1000-3000 pay a fee of $1000
per year per institution. Armenia is included in the list of countries
eligible for free access, as its GNP per capita is less than $1000 US
().
The Armenian Canadian Medical Association of Ontario (ACMAO) put
considerable effort in distributing information about the availability of
this resource. However, only 4 institutions from Armenia currently have this
most valuable scientific resource – American University of Armenia,
Emergency Scientific Medical Center, Yerevan State Medical University
(YSMU), Yerevan State University Library and the University Hospital # 1,
all located in Yerevan. The majority of Armenian physicians and scientists
are still unaware of this resource.
All research institutions, universities and hospitals in Armenia qualify for
free access through HINARI. All that is required is a director, a librarian
and a computer technician. As of July 12, 2005, HINARI provides access to
full-text articles from 2884 biomedical journals.
We urge all Armenian biomedical and health care institutions to register
with HINARI by accessing and following the
registration requirements.

Lraper Church Bulletin 12/07/2005
Contact: Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970, 517-0971
F: +90 (212) 516-4833, 458-1365
[email protected]
[email protected]
<; PASTORAL VISIT TO THE SAINT SANDOUKHT PARISH IN RUMELIHISAR On Saturday 9 July 2005, the Armenian Church celebrated the feast of Saints Thaddeus and Sandoukht. His Grace Archbishop Shahan Sivaciyan, Patriarchal Vicar, presided over the Divine Liturgy in the Saint Sandoukht Armenian Church in Rumelihisar, on a hill on the western bank of the Bosporus Strait. Numerous pilgrims from the other 37 parishes of Istanbul attended the festivity. On Sunday 10 July 2005, His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey, presided over the festivities in the same church. The Reverend Archpriest Myuron Ayvazyan celebrated the Divine Liturgy, while the Reverend Deacons Vartkes Pestilciyan, Sevan Civanyan, Harutyun Mkhitaryan and Hayk Koparyan served at the altar. The liturgical hymns were sung by the Gomidas Choir of Kurucheshme. The small church and the surrounding garden overlooking the Bosporus were full of pilgrims. In his homily, His Beatitude retold the story of Saint Sandoukht and emphasized that the follower of Christ must not only keep faith and live accordingly, but he or she must also profess it. "As Christians, we are called to bear witness confidently to the faith of our forefathers and pass it on to the new generations. Faith that is not witnessed to and spread is weakened," said the Patriarch and reminded the faithful of the words of the Saviour: "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Mt. 10:32-33). At the end of the Divine Liturgy in Rumelihisar, as in all the other parish churches in Istanbul, a special Service was held for the repose of the souls of the victims of the 7 July terrorist attacks in London. Condemning such criminal acts of terrorism and violence in general, the Patriarch reiterated that religions are for peace, and so should be the followers. A festive luncheon was then held in the church garden in honour of Saints Thaddeus and Sandoukht, attended by all those who were present. A short annual report of the activities of the parish council of Rumelihisar was read out by the Chairperson, Nouritsa Yasulkal. Armenian folk songs were sung by all. The Patriarch concluded the occasion with pastoral remarks encouraging the parishioners of Rumelihisar and with prayers. His Beatitude the Patriarch then visited the home of Ebruhi Kanaryan, one of the most senior residents in Rumelihisar. The whole family had returned from the church services and relatives were getting ready for a family reunion the same evening on the occasion of the annual feast of Saint Sandoukht. The Patriarch took coffee with the family and was present when the Kanaryans' daughter Satenik Nshanyan cut her birthday cake. Satenik is the director of the Esayan High School in Taksim, while her husband, Hayk Nshanyan, is the director of the Holy Cross (formerly Tbrevank) High School in Uskudar. Finally, the Patriarch visited the Armenian cemetery in Rumelihisar, overlooking the intercity motorway leading to the Bosporus Bridge, about twenty minutes away from the church. His Beatitude took a stroll in the cemetery, checked the condition of the early 18th century gravestones, and said a prayer for the repose of the souls of all who were buried in Rumelihisar. There are some sixty local Armenian parishioners presently living in Rumelihisar, which used to be a small fishing village in the past, populated mostly by Armenians and Greeks. St. Thaddeus is one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. After the ascension of Jesus Christ, Thaddeus began his mission preaching in Edessa and then continued in Armenia. He was able to evangelize the royal palace where he baptized Sandoukht, the daughter of King Sanatrouk. She embraced Christianity and became a disciple of Thaddeus. The king was displeased, and tried to bring his daughter back into the fold of the old pagan faith. Sandoukht remained loyal to her Christian faith. As a result, she was imprisoned and subjected to torture, deprivation and finally death, thus becoming the first saint of the Armenian Church. She is also considered to be the proto-martyr, the first witness for Christianity, amongst the Armenians and an apostle because of the role she played in converting others.

LENNMARKER’S REPORT SUFFICIENTLY BALANCED: AZERI FM
YEREVAN, JULY 11. ARMINFO. The Azeri FM says that the report by PA
OSCE special representative on the Karabakh conflict Goran Lennmarker
is sufficiently balanced, says the head of the ministry’s information
and press department Tahir Tagizade.
He says that the report contains several serious views, positions and
proposals concerning the conflict and its settlement. Azerbaijan
welcomes the report’s urges to eliminate disintegration and separatism
in solving the problem, to protect the rights of ethnic minorities in
the framework of territorial integrity, to ensure economic integration
in accordance with he international law and European values. Of
special importance is the opinion that the South Caucasian state
should not be disintegrated.
Tagizade says that the establishment of peace between the Karabakh
communities, bilateral relations, wider European integration,
developing cooperation between Azerbaijan and Armenia will play a
great role in the countries;’ post conflict life. Tagizade specially
notes three points in the report: the formation of international
preventive forces to hold monitorings and ensure security in Karabakh;
the non readiness of the international community to provide
independence to individual regions in one sector; and Azerbaijan’s
readiness to provide Karabakh with highest autonomy possible within
its territory.

RIA Novosti, Russia
July 8 2005

Russia extends agreement with Armenia on voluntary migration
MOSCOW, July 8 (RIA Novosti) – The State Duma, the lower house of the
Russian parliament, extended Friday a Russian-Armenian agreement on
voluntary migration for another five years.
The document was signed in Moscow in August 1997 and extended in
March 2004 in Yerevan. The agreement covers the procedure for the
migration of Russian and Armenian citizens from one state to the
other, as well as the protection of the property rights of the
migrants and their families.
Under the agreement, migrants are not restricted in bringing in or
taking out property and will be exempt from customs duties, taxes and
dues. Russia and Armenia undertake to assist migrants and their
families in leasing, purchasing and building housing.
An Interior Ministry official said about 10,000-12,000 Russians lived
in Armenia. More than 200 people left Armenia for Russia last year.
About 2,000 people in Armenia said they wanted to live in Russia on a
permanent basis.

Nations Seek U.N. Council Expansion Vote
By EDITH M. LEDERER
.c The Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Brazil, Germany, India and Japan made the first
move Wednesday toward a possible vote next week on their resolution to
expand the powerful U.N. Security Council, despite differences with
Africa and the United States.
The decision by the so-called Group of Four to seek a vote in the
General Assembly without clear support from the 53-nation African
Union is a gamble. But the four countries believe their proposal
gives Africa almost everything it wants – and far more than it has
now.
The Group of Four delivered the resolution to the U.N. Secretariat
late Wednesday to be translated into the world body’s six official
languages, Japan’s U.N. Mission said. The translation of the
resolution is a prerequisite for official distribution to the 191
U.N. member states and consideration by the General Assembly.
There is wide support among U.N. members for expanding the Security
Council to represent the global realities of the 21st century rather
than of the post-World War II era when the United Nations was
created. But the precise size and membership of an expanded council
remain contentious.
The council currently has 15 members, 10 elected for two-year terms to
represent different geographical regions and five permanent members
who wield veto power – the United States, Russia, China, Britain and
France.
The Group of Four resolution would expand the Security Council from 15
to 25 members, adding six permanent seats without veto power and four
non-permanent seats. Brazil, Germany, India and Japan are hoping to
win four of the permanent seats with the two others earmarked for
Africa.
The African Union adopted a resolution on Tuesday calling for two
permanent seats for Africa with veto power and five non-permanent
seats. The Group of Four draft would give Africa four non-permanent
seats.
The Group of Four, also known as the G-4, dropped its initial demand
for veto power for the six new permanent members in the face of
opposition from a number of countries, including some of the current
permanent members who have veto power. Their draft would delay
consideration of granting veto power to the new permanent members for
15 years.
The United States wants a smaller expansion to 19 or 20 seats with the
addition of “two or so” new permanent members including Japan, and
two or three non-permanent members. U.S. officials have also made
clear they don’t want Germany to have a permanent seat; China strongly
opposes a permanent seat for Japan.
To win approval, the G-4 resolution needs support from two-thirds of
the 191 U.N. member states.
Even if the initial resolution is approved, the most difficult step is
a final resolution to change the U.N. Charter. That not only requires
a two-thirds vote in the General Assembly but also the approval of the
five permanent Security Council members.
Japan said the G-4 will request that debate on the resolution start as
early as next week. “Japan intends to direct its efforts towards
adoption of the draft resolution during the month of July,” the
statement said.
Germany’s U.N. Mission said it hopes the text can be distributed
Friday and formally introduced in the General Assembly on Monday,
followed by a debate and vote later next week.
Later Wednesday, the 15-nation Caribbean Community, known as Caricom,
agreed to support the G-4 proposal on the last day of a four-day
summit in St. Lucia, said Paulette Bethel, the Bahamas’
U.N. ambassador. She said Caribbean leaders set several conditions for
their support, including rotating seats to include small states like
those in Caricom.
07/06/05 19:22 EDT

The Times Literary Supplement, No. 5330, UK
May 27 2005

It’s God Guignol by Robert Irwin

Kingdom of Heaven is set in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the years
immediately preceding the recapture of Jerusalem from the Crusaders in
1187 by Saladin’s Muslim army.
Earlier attempts to make films out of the story of the Crusades have
been dire. Virginia Mayo, playing Berengaria in King Richard and the
Crusaders (1954), caught the essence of that film with the words “War!
War! That’s all you think about, Dick Plantagenet!” As for Richard
the Lionheart’s appearance in the Egyptian film-maker Youssef
Chahine’s Saladin (1963), Time Out’s film critic described Richard as
a “red-wigged mongoloid given to [uttering] lines like ‘We can take
Acre by lunchtime!'” The film as a whole was enough to “boil your
brains”.

Kindom of Heaven is in many respects a much better film than its
precursors. Its visual mix of the chivalric and heraldic with the
Oriental and exotic has proved o be a gift to the designers of sets
and costumes, as well as to the cameramen. It is as if a continuous
diorama of Orientalist canvases by Jean-Leon Gerome were being
unscrolled. Tableaux featuring rich tapestries, ornate stucco, golden
ewers and the leper King of Jerusalem in silk robes and a chased
silver mask alternate with desert landscapes of dust, flies, corpses
and carrion.

Everything appears as if painted with the bright colors of the
world when it was younger. Though the Alhambresque decor of the King’s
palace in Jerusalem certainly owes more to fourteenth-century Granada
than it does to twelfth-century Syria, it is nevertheless successful
in suggesting the mixture of the exotic and the feudal in the Kingdom
at its height. Sir Steven Runciman evoked that life of mingled danger
and opulence, in his History of the Crusades: “Revellers like the
wedding guests at Kerak in 1183 might rise from the table to hear the
mangonels of the infidel pounding against the castle walls. The gay
gallant trappings of life in Outremer hung thinly over anxiety,
uncertainty and fear”.

Ridley Scott, previously the director of Alien and Gladiator, is
successful in reproducing the fearful and violent tenor of the times.
He is a specialist in the direction of scenes of bloody and
fast-moving action. Indeed, his reliance on scenes of surprise
violence, swift dagger blows and unpremediated decapitations is such a
mannerism that, rather than being shocked by them, one waits
impatiently for them to be over. It is a Grand Guignol version of the
war between Christians and Muslims.

The real history of the kingdom in the 1180s makes a good story,
rich in telling incidents and images, as I noted in an essay on the
historiography of the Crusades: “the youthful Saladin playing polo,
the playmates of the young leper prince Baldwin sticking pins in his
arm, the shocking promotion of handsome but foolish Guy de Lusignan to
rule as king-consort in Jerusalem, the swashbuckling pirate raids of
Reginald de Chatillon in the Red Sea…the ill-fated encounter of the
military orders at the Springs of Cresson…the waterless slog of the
Christian army towards their doom at Hattin, Guy’s drink of sherbet
and Saladin’s beheading of Reginald of Chatillon”.

Why then should anyone wish to ditch such a splendid story and
substitute a fiction based on narrative cliches that seem designed to
pander to adolescent dreams of wish fulfilment? Balian in the film
(but not in history) starts out as a blacksmith in France, but he is
also the illegitimate son of the Crusader lord of Ibelin. The
narrative tactic of making the Crusader lord of Ibelin start out as an
outsider provides a pretext for Eastern affairs to be explained to him
and the audience. It may also appeal to the democratic sympathies of
American audiences, as hard work and gritty courage, rather than noble
birth and wealth, will make the fictional Balian a leader of men in
the Kingdom. The ensuing plot owes a little to Walter Scott’s Talisman
(specifically the encounter with an unrecognized Saladin in the
desert), but perhaps more to G.A. Henty’s historical yarning. As in
so many of Henty’s juvenile historical romances, an untried youth sets
out for exotic parts, becomes truly a man, wins the approbation of his
seniors and ultimately the hand of a fair lady. The villains that
Balian is up against are very villainous indeed. One wonders what
possible sort of fun they get out of being so very evil and so
brainless. Kingdom of Heaven seems to be telling us that medieval
people were just like us, only much stupider. One person who would
certainly have enjoyed this film, if only he were alive, is William,
Archbishop of Tyre. William died in 1184, but he would have been
delighted to see the polemical and malicious portraits of Guy de
Lusignan, Reginald of Chatillon and the Patriarch Heraclius that he
presented in his History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea being given
renewed currency in a film in the twenty-first century. The
historical Guy de Lusignan, confronted with Saladin’s invasion of
Palestine in 1187, faced far more difficult and dangerous choices than
either Guy or Balian in the film

Balian, as played by Orlando Bloom, is earnest and quiveringly
alert (in a way which brings to mind his role as the elf Legolas in
the film version of The Lord of the Rings. He is unfailingly pious,
though not in any really medieval way, as there is a great deal of
stuff about the desirability of a multi-faith Jerusalem and about the
real heaven as something that is to be found not in any patch of
earth, but within one’s heart. Kingdom of Heaven is visually
inspiring and thus well worth seeing, but, sounds of battle,
neighboring horses and grunting camels apart, not worth listening to.
It would have been a much better film, if the director had dispensed
with both script and stars.

SwissInfo, Suisse
5 Juillet 2005
Grand Conseil vaudois: le génocide arménien formellement reconnu

LAUSANNE – Le Grand Conseil vaudois a formellement reconnu le
génocide arménien. Il l’avait déjà fait indirectement en 2003. La
résolution adoptée n’engage toutefois que le législatif, le Conseil
d’Etat estimant cette démarche inappropriée.
“Les divergences portent sur la forme plus que sur le fond”, a assuré
le conseiller d’Etat Jean-Claude Mermoud devant le plénum. Le
gouvernement vaudois “préfère faciliter la tche de la conseillère
fédérale Micheline Calmy-Rey”.
En outre, cette démarche n’a plus vraiment de sens, puisque le
Conseil National a reconnu le génocide arménien en décembre 2003,
estimait le Conseil d’Etat. Le gouvernement vaudois proposait au
législatif cantonal d’en rester là.
M. Mermoud a rappelé que la prise en considération de ce postulat en
2003 avait provoqué le report du voyage en Turquie de la cheffe de la
diplomatie. “Les sensibilités sont encore à vif”, a-t-il souligné.
Les parlementaires ont refusé de s’aligner sur la position de
l’exécutif. La résolution a été acceptée par 86 voix contre 35 et 25
abstentions. Elle indique simplement que “le Grand Conseil du Canton
de Vaud reconnaît le génocide du peuple arménien de 1915 et honore la
mémoire des victimes”.