Author: Kajoyan Gevork

PIANIST PLAYS UP JEITA GROTTO’S BID TO WIN SEVEN WONDERS CONTEST
By Megan Bainbridge

Daily Star – Lebanon

Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Lebanon

300 attend concert in underground cave

JEITA: The beautifully lit stalactites and stalagmites on the upper
cavern of the Jeita Grotto provided a spectacular backdrop for Friday
evening’s recital by the Lebanese-Armenian pianist and composer,
Guy Manoukian, and his ensemble. The concert was held as part of the
campaign to designate the Jeita Grotto as one of the new seven natural
wonders of the world. It was presented by the MAPAS organization,
which oversees the grotto’s management, and the Association for
Lebanese-Japanese Culture and Business Leaders.

The well-heeled audience was ferried from the entrance to the
mouth of the grotto in the small "train" that services the site. The
approximately 300-person crowd included notable figures such as Tourism
Minister Ellie Marouni, Japanese Ambassador Yoshihisa Kuroda and Miss
Lebanon Rosarita Tawil.

The grotto, "a star in the sky of Lebanon" according to Nabil Haddad,
General Manager of the Jeita Grotto, provided a beautiful setting for
the concert. The audience was seated intimately close to the makeshift
stage, on which Manoukian performed, surrounded by the grotto’s famous
"architecture."

The audience was treated to an hour-long recital that included a
combination of traditional Lebanese pieces, as well as a selection
of Manoukian’s own compositions, including the works "Peace"
and "Freedom." He was accompanied by four violin players, two
percussionists and a flutist.

He was also joined by a female wide-pipe performer for a haunting
musical item.

Speaking during a pause in the recital, Manoukian spoke of his long
association with the Jeita Grotto and his affection for the natural
wonder.

"The first time I played [in the grotto] was 11 years ago. It was my
first ever professional concert, and so I am very happy to be here
today," he said.

"I hope and believe that it will be made one of the seven new wonders
of the world," Manoukian added.

Manoukian, who began playing piano at age six and performed at the
presidential palace when he was seven years old, also spoke about
his changing relationship with his music.

"When I started playing music I had a choice, I could play piano and
play other people’s music or make my own," he said, adding that he
had gladly chosen the latter option.

"I wanted to give my music an identity, and what better identity than
a Lebanese identity?"

The Jeita Grotto is currently vying, along with the cedars of Lebanon,
to be named as one of the new "Seven Wonders of Nature," as part
of a global competition organized by the Swiss-based New7Wonders
Foundation. The two Lebanese sites are competing for the votes needed
to reach the second stage of the competition – and only one "candidate"
from each nation can proceed to the next round.

The grotto is comprised of two immense limestone caves, and is
located in the Nahr al-Kalb (Dog River) Valley 20 kilometers north
of Beirut. It is the only grotto in the world that has two levels.

TOUGHER MEASURES SOUGHT FOR PLAQUE METAL THEFTS
By Roger Alford

Forbes
Associated Press
10.06.08, 11:09 AM ET
NY

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gene Ray cringes at the irreverence of thieves who
would steal historical markers to sell as scrap metal.

Ray, a great-great-great-great-great grandson of famed frontiersman
Daniel Boone, is calling for tougher sentences for people caught
plundering the bronze, brass, copper and aluminum plaques displayed
across the country to commemorate places of historical significance.

The issue arose after a man was sentenced in August to only four
months in jail for stealing a $10,000 plaque marking the original
Missouri burial site for Boone. Cut into pieces, the Boone marker
sold as scrap for less than $100.

"We were all just horrified," said Ray, an Atlanta resident. "That this
would happen, especially to someone of such historical significance,
infuriated many of us."

In the western Kentucky town of Henderson, investigators are trying
to find who took a cast aluminum marker that stood in front of the
one-time home of Gov. Augustus Owsley Stanley, who was elected in
1915. The newly refurbished marker disappeared about two months ago,
said Ronnie Browning, a superintendent in the state transportation
office in Madisonville.

In California, thieves stole a 160-pound bronze plaque last year from
the base of San Francisco’s Mount Davidson Cross. The plaque honored
victims of Armenian genocide from 1915 to 1918. Police notified
recycling plants in the San Francisco area to be on the look out for
the marker. So far, it hasn’t been found. The Council of Armenian
American Organizations of Northern California paid $11,000 for a
new marker.

Browning said the markers make easy targets for thieves because they’re
accessible and can be easily ripped from their posts or foundations. He
said he is convinced metal salvagers took the 60-pound aluminum marker
commemorating Gov. Stanley. Though such markers cost more than $2,000
to make, Browning said they probably would fetch relatively little
cash at scrap yards.

Copper was bringing $2.25 per pound on Friday at Baker Iron & Metal
Co. in Lexington. Aluminum, depending on its quality, was bringing
43 cents to 55 cents a pound. Copper alloys like brass and bronze
were just over $1 a pound.

Prices have been declining in recent months, said Bob Garino,
commodities director for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
Inc. in Washington.

"We’re seeing some lows that we really haven’t seen in quite some
time," he said.

Garino said wholesale prices for copper fell since September from
$3.15 a pound to $2.65 a pound, and aluminum fell from $1.17 to
$1.04. He said the prices still are high compared to five years ago,
when the average price for copper was 80 cents a pound and aluminum
was 65 cents a pound.

Cashing in with stolen scrap is risky in Kentucky and more than 30
other states where legislators have passed laws in recent years
requiring recyclers to notify police if they suspect someone has
dropped off stolen metal.

State Rep. Mike Denham, D-Maysville, said he believes Kentucky’s law,
which went into effect July 15, has discouraged metal theft. The law
requires scrap dealers to record the names and addresses of people
who cash in recyclable metals.

Utility companies had pushed for the new law primarily to combat the
theft of copper, which has been stolen from power and telephone lines,
electrical substations and construction sites. Its ramifications
reach beyond copper wire to bronze grave markers, urns and flag
holders that can be melted down for quick cash.

Jerry Raisor, curator at Fort Boonesborough near Richmond in central
Kentucky, said all kinds of monuments, even statues, are at risk of
being destroyed. Raisor said judges need to be tough with people who
plunder anything of historic value.

"It’s pretty pathetic," he said. "These are national treasures."

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

JOHN MC CAIN COURTISE LA COMMUNAUTE ARENO-ERICAINE

Nouvelles d’Arméni
lundi6 octobre 2008
France

USA

Le sénateur John McCain a publié lundi 29 septembre une lettre
ouverte aux électeurs arméno-américains, recherchant leur soutien
pour sa campagne présidentielle, mais laissant de côté les questions
au cÅ"ur des préoccupations des arméno américains, a annoncé le
Comité National Arménien d’Amérique (ANCA).

La lettre écrite par l’équipe de campagne de McCain-Palin reproduit
les mêmes thèmes que la correspondance du sénateur McCain
en février dernier transmise a l’ANCA. En employant un langage
presque identique, le Sénateur de l’Arizona loue la contribution
de la communauté arméno-américaine a la société américaine
et la contribution de l’Arménie aux opérations de la coalition en
Irak et de l’OTAN dans le Kosovo. Il reste silencieux sur le Nagorno
Karabagh, le blocus turc et azéri, l’aide américaine a l’Arménie et
la question plus large des relations Etats-Unis-Arménie et utilise
le langage typique employée par l’Administration en mentionnant la
Â" tragédie épouvantable Â" subie par les arméniens, sans employer
bien sÃ"r le terme approprié de génocide ni même mentionner l’Empire
Ottoman ou la République de Turquie.

Â" Les Arméno-Américains sont des électeurs et espèrent que les
candidats visant leur appui aient des positions et des valeurs claires
et en particulier sur les questions liées au Génocide arménien,
Au Nagorno Karabagh, au renforcement de l’Arménie et de la croissance
des relations Etats-Unis-Arménie Â" a déclaré le direceur de l’ANCA
Aram Hamparian.

Le sénateur McCain s’est pendant son mandat au congrès, en grande
partie opposé ou est resté passif face aux interrogations des
arméno-américains. Récemment en octobre de l"année dernière,
le sénateur McCain s’est publiquement opposé a la reconnaissance
par le Congrès du génocide arménien. En 1999, il a voté contre
la limitation de l’aide des Etats-Unis a l’Azerbaïdjan en raison de
son blocus et de l’utilisation de la force armée contre l’Arménie
et le Nagorno Karabagh.

–Boundary_(ID_XrnuLx6qeDZubRrzI37AcQ)- –

ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT: ARMENIAN DRAM MOST STABLE CURRENCY IN REGION

ARKA
Oct 6, 2008

YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. Armenian Dram has become the most stable
currency in the region in recent years, Advisor to President of
Armenia on Economic Issues Vahram Nersisyants said at the opening
of the second Armenian Technology Congress (ArmTech). Inflation has
reached its minimum in Armenia in recent years, he said.

Nersisyants also stressed stable economic growth in the country that
has ranged within 12% since 2001.

Last year a 13.8% economic growth was recorded in the country. Economic
growth constituted 10.3% by August; hence, a two-digit economic growth
is expected to be recorded also for the year 2008, Nersisyants said.

The Advisor welcomed attraction of investments in Armenia that will
allow making the management system transparent and equal for everybody,
raising the efficiency and developing the economy.

A PERFORMANCE TITLED `PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN’

Azat Artsakh Daily
03 Oct 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

NKR Foreign Minister’s Advisor Ara Puluzyan’s comment on the
pre-election situation in Azerbaijan `Every time elections in
Azerbaijan resemble a performance. In addition, everything looks
extremely false, as the basic thing – democratic process, without which
fair elections are impossible – misses. Even Saddam Hussein, before the
USA attacking Iran, organized `elections’ in his country and as a
result polled 90% of votes. However, that did not help him. Azerbaijan
is also doomed to defeat in this sense: it successively moves to the
dictatorship. It is dangerous to see only what is happening on the
stage titled `Presidential elections in Azerbaijan’. It is rather
important to examine what is going on behind the scenes. Pluralism of
opinions does not exist in Azerbaijan and the main oppositional
parties’ refusal to participate in the elections is a striking
illustration of this. What condition the poor opposition has been
driven to that it boycotts the elections from the very beginning,
without entering into a struggle?! This means that it is completely
deprived of any opportunity to express its own opinion and that it does
not want to be satisfied only with an episodic role in this
performance. Being a person, dealing with th
e problems of Iran,
where presidential elections are also going to be held in summer, I
would like to mention that the situation in this country is
incomparably better. Here we can see struggle of opinions, there are no
persons beyond the criticism, there are mechanisms, the use of which
averts the coming of dictatorship. Unfortunately, similar mechanisms do
not exist in Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, some European structures,
which do not want to notice the anti-democratic processes in
Azerbaijan, and do not show similar attitude to the analogous problems
in Azerbaijan and, for example, in Iran, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,
obviously connive at the aggravation of the situation. The use of
double standards, Euro structures’ flirting with the Azeri authorities,
the recognition of the election results in any state of affairs, do not
stimulate the development of the civil society in this country. By the
way, in the NKR, in spite of its non-recognition by the international
community, the elections are held more transparently and
democratically, which is testified, at least, by the parties’ active
participation. An alternative and an opportunity of a choice exist in
our republic, unlike our `recognized’ neighbors. Democratic
institutions should function in a normal country. And democracy is not
merely elections; it is a complex and multilateral process, which is
achieved only by successive and purposeful steps. Agai
nst the
background of a complete absence of any signs of democracy, a `game’ of
elections looks unconvincing, absurd and dangerous for the Azeri nation
as well’.

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE FERA DU LOBBYING POUR L’AZERBAIDJAN

Nouvelles d’Arméni
samedi4 octobre 2008
France

AZERBAIDJAN

Le Directeur du Comité Juif Américain David Harris a déclaré a
Bakou lors d’une conférence de presse que son organisation ferait
du lobbying pour les intérêts de l’Azerbaïdjan aux Etats-Unis.

David Harris était en visite en Azerbaïdjan sur invitation du
Président azéri Ilham Aliyev.

Â" En tant qu’ami nous essayerons de faire quelque chose mais cela
dépend surtout de l’Azerbaïdjan elle-même. Les Américains ne
doivent pas seulement voir l’Azerbaïdjan comme un pays énergétique
riche, mais aussi comme un pays qui fait des contributions importantes
aux efforts de pacification en Irak et l’Afghanistan Â" a-t-il dit,
promettant de prendre des mesures pour un renforcement des relations
entre l’Azerbaïdjan et les Ã~Itats-Unis.

Selon David Harris, l’AJC fera pression sur le gouvernement américain
pour qu’il prête plus d’attention au travail du Groupe de Minsk
Le travail du Groupe de Minsk dans le règlement du conflit du
Nagorno-Karabakh doit être amélioré a-t-il dit. Â" Le conflit
du Nagorno-Karabakh était le problème-clé des discussion pendant
ma visite a Bakou. Nous travaillerons pour améliorer la mission du
Groupe de Minsk dans le règlement du conflit Â".

–Boundary_(ID_E0s1sXxymU2nOrzpnevT QA)–

ARMENIA – INTERESTED IN COOPERATION

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
02 Oct 2008
Armenia

"By cooperating with the authorities of Georgia, Armenia is ready
to assist the Georgian-Armenians in strengthening their schools and
media, public organizations and churches. We must do all our best for
the Georgian-Armenians not only to live with the achievements of the
past but also have a stable present and steady prospects for future,"
President Serge Sargsyan mentioned yesterday during the meeting with
more than 200 representatives of the Georgian-Armenian community at
the end of his official visit to Georgia. The meeting was organized
in the hall of "Marriot Courtyard" hotel, Tbilisi.

"The interrelations of our compatriots will bear a more organized
nature, and the Ministry of Diaspora which is going to be established
in the near future will greatly contribute to that. The Republic of
Armenia hereafter plays a great role in the solution of the problems of
the Diaspora. And the Armenia-Diaspora cooperation will be hereafter
based upon the following new principle: with the compatriots – to
the benefit of the compatriots," the President said.

U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA: IT IS HISTORICAL MOMENT FOR NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS

ArmInfo
2008-10-02 14:18:00

ArmInfo. Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie
L. Yovanovitch believes the given moment historical and important
for normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations. The Ambassador made
such statement at her first press conference in Yerevan.

She mentioned that Armenian President’s invitation to his Turkish
counterpart to Yerevan on 6 September proved crucial in the
establishment of Armenian-Turkish relations. Marie L. Yovanovitch
says the given initiative opens new horizons for normalization of the
relations and new opportunities for settlement of Nagorny Karabakh
conflict. The Ambassador highlighted the benefits from opening the
boundary with Turkey and said that it will strengthen security in
the region and boost economy, which will lead to Armenia’s prosperity.

URGENT SESSION OF NA TO BE CALLED OCTOBER 2

ARMENPRESS
Sep 30, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Hovik Abrahamian signed a decree on calling an urgent session of
parliament on October 2 at 18.30 on the initiative of the Armenian
president.

The NA press service told Armenpress that the agenda of the NA session
includes the speech of the Armenian president to the people and the
National Assembly.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONSIDERS REVISION OF OPPOSITION’S STRUGGLE STRATEGY AS URGENT

Noyan Tapan

Se p 29, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the Conservative
Party of Armenia, the election of the head of Yerevan’s Kentron
community definitely proved that the coup d’etat is completely
finished in Armenia, and the hopes of a way out can no longer be
linked to elections at any level.

"The legislative, executive, judicial and law enforcement systems of
the country are degenerative to the core. The only living section
is the society, which has submitted a bid for becoming civil and
which is the final target of total terror of the hostage-taking
authorities. The Armenian ethnos of the Republic of Armenia is doomed,
its rescue is either in the immediate resignation of the evil – Serzh
Sargsyan and the regime or in a mass emigration. So it is a vital and
urgent necessity to revise the strategy of struggle for restoration
of the people’s power," is said in the September 29 statement of the
party’s central board.