Author: Jalatian Sonya

ARMENIAN PRO-GOVERNMENTAL LAWMAKERS HAIL PACE MONITORING COMMISSION’S STATEMENT
A1 Plus | 19:43:47 | 16-09-2004 | Politics |
Yesterday’s statement by the PACE monitoring commission saying
Armenian authorities have complied with PACE demand was hailed by
pro-governmental members of Armenian National Assembly on Thursday.
Answering the question journalists put to him about imbroglio over
stripping A1+ TV Company of its broadcasting license, United Labor
Party leader Gurgen Arsenyan said this demand wasn’t fulfilled.

Foreign Ministry disappointed by cancellation of NATO exercises in Baku
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 15 2004
The Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday expressing its
disappointment with the cancellation of NATO’s “Cooperative Best
Effort-2004” exercises.
Azerbaijan regards the exercises as an important step in its
integration into the Euro-Atlantic community and created all the
suitable conditions to hold the exercises, the statement says.
The document also outlines the reasons for the Azeri public’s protest
against the planned visit by Armenian military men to Baku.
“As a result of Armenia’s aggression, 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory
was occupied and more than one million people became refugees and
internally displaced persons. The government of Armenia is taking a
non-constructive position in peace talks. In this case, the Armenian
officers’ participation in military exercises in Baku is impossible,”
the statement says. The statement also expressed Azerbaijan’s adherence
to Euro-Atlantic values and principles, its commitment to cooperation
with the North Atlantic Alliance, and a hope for further development
of long-term and fruitful partnership.*

Parliament Members Discuss NATO
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 15 2004
Abolition of NATO maneuvers “Cooperativ Best Effort 2004” in Azerbaijan
was discussed at yesterday’s session of Azerbaijani parliament
(Milli Mejlis).
Turan/BT — Deputy Ibrahim Isayev expressed his regrets that NATO
yielded to Armenians and abolished maneuvers in Baku. “We did not
let Armenian officers to Baku, and I want to congratulate you on
this occasion,” he said. The leader of the Party of Popular Front
of United Azerbaijan Gudrat Hasanguliyev expressed his satisfaction
and called this event as “big achievement”. Hasanguliyev called to
be “vigilant” concerning persons and companies, who “contact” with
Armenians, and indicated on non-admission of such cooperation.
At the same time, the deputy Musa Musayev expressed his doubt
concerning positive results of cancellation of NATO maneuvers. He
reminded about significant efforts, which Azerbaijan put for joining
of Azerbaijan as associated member of the parliament assembly of
NATO. If Azerbaijan strives settling Karabakh problem by peaceful
means, then it must cooperate with NATO, said Musayev.
The parliament speaker Murtuz Aleskerov said to certain extent
NATO decision served as response to appellation of the Azerbaijan
parliament. “We protested against arrival of servicemen, who occupied
our lands and shed blood of our nation and achieved their purpose,”
he said.

Russians ground Polish military plane en route to NATO exercise
AP Worldstream
Sep 14, 2004
A Polish military plane carrying soldiers and weapons to Azerbaijan
for a NATO exercise was grounded in southern Russia following a mix-up
over its transit permit, an army spokesman said Tuesday.
The plane, carrying 15 soldiers, ammunition and weapons, was detained
late Monday in Rostov-on-Don and prevented from proceeding to Baku,
Azerbaijan, Col. Zdzislaw Gnatowski said.
Gnatowski said that, although the plane had received permission
from Moscow to transport soldiers and weapons through Russia, that
information apparently had not been forwarded to local officials
in Rostov-on-Don.
Officials’ efforts to sort out the mix-up were overtaken by NATO’s
scrapping the planned exercise, part of the alliance’s “Partnership
for Peace” program, after Azerbaijan rejected a request by neighboring
Armenia to participate.
Gnatowski said the plane was expected to return to Poland on Wednesday.

KOCHARIAN REPLACES HEAD OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO NATO
ArmenPress
Sept 10 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: By a September 8 decree Armenian
president Robert Kocharian dismissed Vigen Chitechian of his duties
of head of the Armenian delegation to the North-Atlantic Treaty
Organization. Kocharian’s press office said that Samvel Mkrtchian
was appointed by Kocharian to take up the post.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GLO to continue protest actions
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 10 2004
Baku, September 9, AssA-Irada — The Garabagh Liberation Organization
(GLO) made public on Thursday its schedule of future protest actions
against the Armenian officers’ planned participation in NATO exercises
to be held in Baku within the Partnership for Peace program.
GLO deputy chairman Shamil Mehdi said the party members will pay
tribute to the Cemetery of Martyrs at noon on September 11, and
then march towards the Cabinet of Ministers and submit a relevant
statement. The march will end outside the President’s Office.
GLO also plans to hold pickets in front of the Foreign Ministry on
September 13, and Defense Ministry on September 14.
On September 15, the anniversary of Baku’s occupation by Armenians
and Bolsheviks in 1918, the party members intend to visit the Cemetery
of Martyrs again and march to the President’s Office.
Mehdi added that GLO regional divisions will continue protest
actions as well. If the visit by Armenian military men to Baku is not
prevented, the party’s management board will adopt new decisions on
September 15.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSTRUCTION OF MODERN GERARD CAFESJIAN ART MUSEUM TO START SOON
ArmenPress
Sept 8 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS: Construction of a modern Gerard
Cafesjian art museum will start soon in Yerevan and will most
likely host the first art funs in a couple of years. David Hotson,
the director of an architectural David Hotson company, was named
the winner of a contest announced for the best design. He designed
several prominent venues, namely the office of UN General Secretary,
African Art Museum in Manhattan, New York and several others.
According to John Waters, the deputy chairman of Cafesjian Museum Fund,
the design takes into account the opinions of experts and respective
officials. The main building of the museum will enlarge the territory
of Kaskad which joins Tamanian park to Arabkir community by outdoors
stairs and indoors escalator. The museum building will encompass
public places, a decorative pool, architectural monuments, parks,
a cafe and an outdoors cinema which can be attended by passer-bys
and visitors of the museum.
A 25 meter high glass tower will be made by famous glass makers,
Stanislav Libenski and Yaroslava Mrikhtova. Near the glass tower and
the museum building a monument to independence will be erected. The
museum will exhibit rare samples of 20-th century painting and
architecture. To be located on 10 thousand square meters, it will
also host traveling exhibits throughout the world. The total project
costs 25 mln USD.
“This is a excellent opportunity to work in Armenia, in a country
with such an outstanding history and culture, in such an unusual
environment. Cafesjian museum will enter in between the history of
Armenian nation and its future. It is a call for a promising future
of Armenia, concurrently reflecting its strong origin,” architecture
D. Hotson said, speaking about the design.

Next OSCE Monitoring Is To Run on September 7
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 7 2004
Next OSCE monitoring at Armenian-Azerbaijan front line is scheduled
to run on September 7, Turan reported.
The monitoring is to run on the territory of the village Ashagy
Veysally, Hojavend region.
Running of the monitoring by both parties will be accomplished by
field assistants of personal representative of OSCE Acting chairman,
press service of the Ministry of defense of Azerbaijan reported to
TURAN news agency.

ArmenPress
Aug 30 2004
TSAGHKADZOR HOSTED ALL ARMENIAN EDUCATIONAL FIRST CONFERENCE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS: All Armenian Educational First
Conference under the auspices of president Kocharian and Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II opened on Aug 27 in the resort town of
Tsaghkadzor. Some 220 Armenian teachers from 29 countries of the
world participated in the conference.
Armenian president Robert Kocharian addressed a message which says
in particular, “education plays an indispensable role in
Armenia-Diaspora relations. This important pillar of preservation of
Armenian identity needs continued renewal and modernization. Steps
taken by Armenian leadership, education of teachers at higher
educational establishments, training of teachers from Diaspora,
publication of textbooks and methodology manuals are necessary but
not sufficient support to Armenian schools across the world.” In his
message, the president also voiced his hope that the developments at
the conference will open up wider opportunities for Armenian
establishments across the world.
Catholicos of All Armenian Karekin II honored the conference,
noting that cooperation in the field of education between Armenia and
Diaspora is of vital importance. The more healthy our schools are,
the bigger our hope for the future, he said.
The conference was also greeted by PM Andranik Margarian, Speaker
of Armenian National Assembly Arthur Baghdasarian and His Holiness
Catholicos Aram A. Congratulating speeches were made by Armenian
minister of culture and youth affairs Hovik Hoveian, chairman of
Armenian writers’ union Levon Ananian.
The first speaker of the conference, education minister Sergo
Yeritsian said that accessibility and openness, quality and
compatibility of education are challenging issues today because very
few young people attend Armenian schools across the world now.
Speaking on education policy and reform, he underscored
modernization of education. He said by the proposal and support of
Catholicos of All Armenians a training school for Diaspora teachers
is planned to be opened in Armenia which will contribute largely to
quality of education in Armenian schools across the world.
Speaking about the education system within Armenia, the minister
said that we have a developing school though it is slightly
imbalanced. Schools in border areas and mountainous regions
considerably stay back from schools in the capital. In some cases
even non specialists teach certain subjects there and a lot of
vacancies are available. Yeritsian promised that the salaries of
teachers will rise up to 51,000 in 2005. He also said that there will
be no teachers in the republic in the coming three years who will
stay without passing training.
The head of Armenian national institute of education affiliated to
education ministry Viktor Martirossian preferred 12 year education in
his speech on the topic of Armenian education and educational
developments in the world. The Armenian schools will pass onto this
new regime starting 2006. Though the economic conditions push for
shorter education, the Russian statistics indicates that 85 percent
of illnesses among schoolchildren are due to overload of teaching at
schools.
Only 25 percent of children go to kindergartens because of poor
facilities in kindergartens and low public income levels.

MTV
Aug 30 2004
Tom Morello, Serj Tankian Releasing Axis Of Justice CD/DVD

Tom Morello at an Axis Of Justice event
Photo: Kevin Estrada
“It just seemed like it was a really special, even historic, evening
of musicians coming together for social change.” – Tom Morello

Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello and System of a Down singer Serj
Tankian were thinking the same thing midway through last month’s
benefit for their Axis of Justice political action group. “Maybe we
should release this,” Tankian recalled.
“As it was going on, it just seemed like it was a really special,
even historic, evening of musicians coming together for social
change, but in an artistic atmosphere that was pretty unprecedented,”
Morello said. “So we started discussing putting it out.”
Those discussions have led to Axis of Justice Concert Series Volume
1, a CD/DVD set recorded and filmed by friends for free at the July
17 concert at the Avalon in Hollywood (see “Flea, Tool Singer Join
Fight Against Hunger, Homelessness”).
“Everyone did everything out of [the goodness of] their hearts, and
that’s what made it so special,” Tankian said. “It wasn’t a gig, it
was more like friends that care about causes getting together and
making music.”
Axis of Justice will release the collection on November 2 – Election
Day. “It’s making a statement in saying that we need a more just
America,” Tankian said. “We have the biggest hearts in the world, but
the people who represent us don’t show that and instead foster hate
against us.”
Both the CD and DVD will include the memorable all-star
collaborations from the show, including an encore of U2’s “Where the
Streets Have No Name” with Tankian and A Perfect Circle’s Maynard
James Keenan on vocals, Pete Yorn on guitar and vocals, Morello on
guitar, the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea on bass, Audioslave’s Brad
Wilk on drums and Jonny Polonski on keyboards. That lineup, minus
Keenan and Polonski and with Tankian on piano, also covers Bob
Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom” and Funkadelic’s “Alice in My Fantasies.”
An improvisational jam featuring Flea, Wilk and Tankian is also
included.
The CD features Tankian’s “Charades” and an improv piano number, two
songs from Morello as the Nightwatchman (“Until the End” and “Union
Song”), Pete Yorn’s cover of Junior Kimbrough’s “I Feel Good Again,”
two songs from Jurassic 5 (“What’s Golden” and “Freedom”), and two
spoken-word tracks from Knowledge: the self-explanatory “President
Evil” and “Speak on It,” about the Armenian genocide and featuring
Tankian on piano.
As a bonus, the CD will include a cover of Nick Lowe’s “(What’s So
Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” performed by Chris
Cornell and Keenan at last summer’s Lollapalooza.
The DVD will include most of the same tracks, along with the
Nightwatchman’s “The Road I Must Travel” with Tankian on piano, Yorn
on guitar, Polonski on bass and Wilk on drums, and Yorn’s “Strange
Condition” and “Broken Bottle.”
Bonuses on the DVD will include excerpts from Morello and Tankian’s
Axis of Justice radio show, such as interviews with Michael Moore and
Janeane Garofalo, as well as four songs from an early Axis show at
West Hollywood’s Troubadour.
Morello and Tankian have yet to schedule their next concert, although
Axis is sponsoring a show Tuesday at the Knitting Factoring in New
York featuring the Nightwatchman, the Coup’s Boots Riley, Spearhead
and a special guest. The Nightwatchman is also performing Wednesday
at a protest of the Republican National Convention in New York, and
the Axis of Justice radio show is taking over New York’s K-Rock for
three hours on Monday afternoon.
“I’ll be playing rebel music and telling the truth as I see it, so
look out,” Morello said.
– Corey Moss

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress