Author: Kalantarian Kevo

DONORS TAKE A SWAB FOR PATIENTS

Glendale News Press
July 25 2008
CA

Participants in local drive give tissue to those in need of a bone
marrow transplant.

By Veronica Rocha Published: Last Updated Thursday, July 24, 2008
10:31 PM PDT

Jerry Pfau carefully swiped the inside of his mouth Wednesday with
four cotton swabs. The action made him an official member of the
National Marrow Donor Program.

The swabs will be sent to Minneapolis where scientists will analyze
cells and cross-match them with those of patients who need bone marrow
transplants, said Kim Ramos, City of Hope bone marrow recruitment
official.

Glendale Adventist Medical Center and City of Hope in Duarte hosted
a three-day bone marrow drive on Saturday and at Fire Station 21 and
the medical center on Wednesday and Thursday.

"They [donors] will be cross-matched with different patients until
they are 61 years old," Ramos said.

Pfau, a Glendale Fire Department employee, had heard about the drive
at the department.

The drive was sparked by medical center patient and 43-year-old
Glendale resident Asatour Gasparyan, who needs bone marrow. The
drive has been aimed at the Armenian community, because research has
indicated that an Armenian donor would be the best match for Gasparyan,
medical center spokeswoman Alicia Gonzalez said.

But donations are also needed for other bone marrow transplant
patients.

City of Hope, a cancer research hospital, helps patients look for
donors, City of Hope official Vivian Abernathy said.

"Once you need a bone marrow transplant, then you go to City of Hope,"
Abernathy said.

Bone marrow donations are generally given to local patients, so donors
don’t have to travel long distances, Ramos said.

City of Hope helps patients collect donations and conduct research
and transplants, she said.

Donors’ cell samples are registered with the bone marrow donor program,
Ramos said.

Donors’ personal information is kept private, so people who donate
for a specific patient won’t know if their cell samples went to that
person, Ramos said.

Some people who join the bone marrow donor programs have a change of
heart when their cell samples don’t match the person they had donated
for, she said.

"You have to be willing and able to donate to anybody," Ramos said.

Scientists take at least two months to process cell samples, she said.

Hasmisk Tovanyan drove from Ventura to Glendale on Thursday to donate
cell samples to the bone marrow donor program.

"I have always wanted to do it," Tovanyan said.

Tovanyan’s mother-in-law was ill several years ago and needed a bone
marrow transplant, she said.

Her mother-in-law was in the hospital for about five months until
she found a donor who matched her tissue type.

Tovanyan saw a flier about the bone marrow donor drive in Glendale
at a grocery store in Hollywood, she said.

"I could be saving someone’s life," she said.

On Wednesday, Pfau filled out a donor information form and was given
a membership card, indicating he was enrolled in the bone marrow
donor programs.

He was also given an envelope that contained a pamphlet with four
cotton swabs.

He used the cotton swabs to brush four spots inside his mouth.

"It’s just to get an accurate amount of cells," Ramos told Pfau.

Pfau said participating in the bone marrow donor program can help
many people.

"It just seems like the right thing to do," he said.

TEEN’S FILM TO HIT TOP FESTIVAL

Ottawa Citizen
July 24 2008
Canada

Class project makes shortlist of ‘one of toughest festivals in world’

There’s a good reason why Will Inrig’s first animated film is set in
partial darkness. "It’s easier to film," says Will, a 17-year-old
Canterbury High School graduate whose low-budget, low-tech effort
for his media arts class has been selected to compete in the Ottawa
International Animation Festival in September.

The Depose of Bolskivoi Hovhannes will compete in the high school
category against films from Sweden, South Korea, the United States
and a second from Canada.

The festival attracted a record number of submissions this year –
2,149 – and 105 were chosen.

Being selected is quite a coup, says Kelly Neall, the festival’s
managing director. "This is one of the toughest festivals in the
world to get into."

The story of how and why The Depose of Bolskivoi Hovhannes came to be
made is almost as quirky as the five-and-a-half minute film itself,
which tells the story of an Armenian shepherd on a wind-swept heath
whose sheep begin to mysteriously disappear.

Will admits it was a last-minute decision to enrol for a media arts
class at Canterbury last fall, instead of physics. Then he was dismayed
to discover he was expected to produce a piece of computer-generated
animation.

"It’s not the sort of person I am," he says Mr. Inrig, adding that
he doesn’t find it satisfying to create "with the click of a mouse"
and gets his best ideas from dreams.

Teacher Robert Perry allowed Will to opt for old-fashioned,
labour-intensive stop-action animation, but he issued a warning:
"We don’t have money, or studios or facilities."

The resourceful student kept it simple and substituted hard work
for technology. With the help of classmates, he constructed sets and
armatures (characters).

The characters moved on a metal track, held there by magnets in their
wooden feet.

The animation is actually thousands of still photographs strung
together. Will and his crew would take a photograph, then move the
action along by a fraction, and then take another photograph.

The most difficult scene was when the shepherd character, made of
clay, wire and putty, descends a long rope into a very deep hole in
the ground.

"It took an impossible amount of time," says Will.

The story is darkly humorous and the setting minimalist, so the dim
lighting is appropriate.

Will gained area attention last July when The Exceptional Jivatma
Valettas, his documentary about the family that lives next door,
was screened at Library and Archives Canada.

He is now in pre-production for The Fantastic Ballet of the Mind and
its Master.

This film will be an examination of autism, inspired by his younger
brother, who is autistic.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS ISSUE STATEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH

A1+
22 July, 2008

Today the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs issued the following statement:

"The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Yuri Merzylakov of the
Russian Federation; Ambassador Bernard Fassier of France; Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza of the United States)
welcome the constructive engagement of Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan
following their June 6 meeting in St. Petersburg and the Co-Chairs’
June 27-28 trip to the region.

At this important juncture, the Co-Chairs call on all parties to
refrain from maximalist initiatives on the ground, at the negotiating
table, and in their public statements, and to avoid all belligerent
rhetoric, as we work together in pursuit of a peaceful settlement.

There is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Both
Presidents called for invigorated Minsk Group talks during their
meeting in St. Petersburg. The Co-Chairs look forward to meeting again
with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in the coming
weeks to press forward with negotiations on the Basic Principles for
the peaceful settlement of the conflict."

Anatolia news agency, Turkey
July 18 2008

TURKISH PRESIDENT TELLS ENVOYS EU MEMBERSHIP REMAINS TOP PRIORITY

Ankara, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday [18 July] that
modernization project of Turkey as regards to European Union (EU)
membership should be one of the priorities of Turkish diplomacy and
other state institutions.

Gul met with Turkish ambassadors, currently in Turkey within the scope
of "1st Ambassadors Conference", over lunch at the Presidential Palace
in Ankara.

Gul said Turkish Republic strengthened its security, national unity
and integrity, upgraded its prosperity level and reached its goal to
become a "positive power" for peace and stability in its region.

Gul said Turkey launched initiatives on many regional problems
including the Middle East, assumed roles in multinational peace
protection forces, and played a significant role in peace and
cooperation activities in the world.

Turkish president said political, economic and cultural clashes in the
Middle East region deeply affected global peace and stability, noting
that the efforts exerted for the solution of the problems in question
could not yield results.

"We see that the actual situation was only in the interests of
fanatics, terrorists and speculators, so I think that mechanisms
should be established soon to prevent crises and to restore a new
confidence and cooperation atmosphere in the Middle East," he added.

President Gul said careful works and creative ideas of the ambassadors
contributed a lot for the solution of some problems, noting that UN
plan regarding Cyprus question was negotiated successfully.

Gul said Turkey launched many good-will initiatives to normalize
relations with Armenia since this country announced its independence,
adding "the initiatives in question and proposal of Turkey to
establish a "joint history commission" waits for response."

Commenting on relations with the EU, Gul said Turkey made important
steps on fundamental principles of democratic, secular and social
state for the past 85 years on the way to reach level of contemporary
civilization. "Full membership talks with the EU is the most important
phase of this," he added.

"Fundamental principles of the EU are based on democracy, supremacy of
law, protection of human rights, recognition of social rights, free
market economy, cultural diversity and respect. The values in question
are in conformity with the philosophy of our Republic and expectations
of our people. Thus, this project should be one of the most important
priorities of our diplomacy and other state institutions," he added.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH OSCE MINSK GROUP’S CO-CHAIR IN WASHINGTON

TREND Information
July 17 2008
Azerbaijan

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who is currently visiting
Washington, met with US Assistant Secretary of State for European
and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried and his Deputy, U.S. co-chair of
OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza.

Armenian Foreign Ministry reported to Mediamax that Nalbandian
and Fried discussed bilateral cooperation, regional security and
stability issues.

The two officials exchanged their views about the causes and
consequences of post-election developments in Armenia and the measures
being taken by Armenian authorities to overpass them, as well as
prospects of establishment of Armenia-Turkey relationships.

At his meeting with Matthew Bryza, Nalbandian discussed the current
stage of negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the results
of co-chairs’ last visit to the region, as well as opportunities
to organize a new meeting between Foreign Ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

Speaking on continuation of negotiations, Nalbandian said Azerbaijani
administration’s statements containing evident territorial claims
for Armenia and militarist propaganda do not gain good estimate from
international community. Armenian Foreign Ministry said such attitude
rather complicates creation of mutual trust atmosphere in negotiations.

IRAN IS THE ONLY COUNTRY SURROUNDING ARMENIA AT THE TERRITORY OF WHICH ARMENIAN CULTURAL MONUMENTS ARE PRESERVED AND RECONSTRUCTED

ArmInfo
2008-07-16 16:41:00

Iran is the only country surrounding Armenia at the territory of
which Armenian cultural monuments are preserved and reconstructed,
journalist Tatul Hakopyan, which has recently returned from Iran,
said at today’s press-conference in Urbat club. He also added that
the true evidence of Iranians’ attitude towards the Armenian cultural
heritage is the fact that three Armenian monastery complexes, located
at the territory of Iran, have been recently included in the list of
UNESCO world cultural heritage, two of which are being reconstructed
at present.

‘It is strange that while Iranian people are trying to preserve and
restore Armenian cultural monuments at the right side of Arax, Armenian
cross stones and other cultural monuments were absolutely destroyed
at its left side, at the territory of Azerbaijan’, – Hakopyan said. To
recall, Armenian cemetery in Old Jugha was fully destroyed and turned
into a military polygon by the efforts of Azerbaijani authorities.

At present there are 400 Armenian churches and monasteries at
the territory of Iran. UNESCO made a decision to include Armenian
monasteries in the list of UNESCO Cultural Heritage at its 32nd
session, held on 2-10 July, in Quebec.

OSCE MONITORING OF CONTACT FRONT LINE OF AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES RECORDS NO INCIDENTS

Today.Az
July 16 2008
Azerbaijan

A monitoring of the contact front line of Armenian and Azerbaijani
armed forces was held today near Yusifjanly village of Aghdam,
reports the press service for the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

As is reported, the monitoring, held in line with the mandate of
the personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office, recorded
no incidents.

Azerbaijani side was represented by personal representative of the
OSCE chairman-in-office Anzhey Kaspshik and his field assistants Imre
Palatinus and Vladimir Chountulov.

The Azerbaijani lands, occupied by Armenians, were represented by
field assistants of the OSCE chairman-in-office Peter Ki, Antal
Herdich and Irchi Aberle.

AGREEMENT REACHED ON SEN APPOINTMENT

Turkish Daily News
July 16 2008

Agreement was reached yesterday between Dr. Faruk Sen, the director of
the Center for Studies on Turkey (TAM) in Essen, Germany, and Rhine
North Westphalia Minister Armin Laschet under which the director
will continue at TAM until December 2008 [HH] Prof. Dr. Faruk Sen
who has headed TAN for 23 years will become the director of the
German University Foundation in Izmir [HH] The Minister and TAM
Board Chairman Dr. Fritz Schaumann expressed their pleasure over the
university project at what the latter characterized as a turning point
in Turkish-German relations and as a contribution to the development
of cultural relations between Turks and Germans [HH] Sen was called to
account for his comparison of Turks as the new Jews of Europe in his
May article in Turkish newspaper Referans. For that he was confronted
with the possible loss of the position that he held for 23 years

GUL DEMÄ°R and NIKI GAMM ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News

Agreement was reached yesterday between Dr. Faruk Å~_en, the director
of the Center for Studies on Turkey (TAM) in Essen, Germany, and
North Westphalia Minister Armin Laschet over Sen’s future. Under the
agreement the director will continue to serve as head of the Center
until 31 December 2008 and from January 2009 until 2010, he will
direct the German University Foundation in Izmir.

The Minister and TAM Board Chairman Dr. Fritz Schaumann expressed their
pleasure over the university project at what the latter characterized
as a turning point in Turkish-German relations and as a contribution to
the development of cultural relations between Turks and Germans. They
also noted the many years of work that Sen had put into TAM and into
studies on the Turkish worker in Germany.

Sen noted that he was happy the problem that had arisen over an article
he had written in May in the Turkish newspaper Referans concerning
the Turks as the new Jews of Europe had been resolved. He also said
that he considered the agreement that was reached honored the work
that he had carried out over the years.

Å~^en article pointed out a painful reality

Å~^en was called to account for his comparison of Turks as the new
Jews of Europe in his May article. For that he was confronted with
the possible loss of the position that he has held for 23 years.

Energetic, focussed, disciplined, capable of juggling many things
at the same time, patient in research, impatient when it comes to
expressing his opinion – this article was rather typical of Sen. Born
in Ankara in 1948, he studied at the Istanbul German School and then
at the beginning of the 1970s he went to Munster University in Germany
concentrating on management economy. He received his Ph.D. from the
same university with a thesis on "Turkish Worker Companies in Federal
Germany." Sen taught at Bamberg and Essen Universities and then on
1 October 1985, he took on the directorship of the newly established
Center for Studies on Turkey in Essen and has continued in that post
until today.

When one says he is active, he has supervised a large staff, promoted
TAM, taught courses at Essen University and written many books and
articles. Could anyone do any more than that?

The work carried out at the Center has been thorough and reliable
backed up by interviews and frequent, extensive surveys on topics of
importance to the Turkish community in Germany, the German and Turkish
governments and the European Union. Sen’s background in economics
ensures that any statistics cited are accurate and, unlike many
professors, he sees to it that reports are readable and understandable
by people who are not necessarily grounded in statistical analysis.

Sen has been eerily correct in some of his surmises. For example
in1994, he was predicting that the so-called Visigrad countries –
Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia would be the next
countries to join the EU and would make Turkey less appealing as a
full member state. He believed at the time that it was essential for
Turkey to be admitted to customs union with the EU or it would become
much, much harder for it to become a full-member state. Actually
Turkey today has a customs union but is still far away from becoming
a full member. At the same time Sen pointed out that there was some
hope to be had where France was concerned when it was to hold the
EU presidency in 1995. Today it is again holding that position but
whether or not one can hold to the same hope is a moot question.

Sen has told the TDN that he sees the EU’s policy towards Turkey
as ambivalent. Both sides agree to final membership but the future
significance of Turkey to Europe is unknown. "This leads the EU to
conflicting decisions such as approving economic support and pledging
assistance for the developing democracies of Central European and
Baltic countries while, in some eyes remaining opposed to Turkey’s
membership, although Turkey is indisputably more economically and
politically stable than the other countries."

Since Sen frequently is quite frank in his opinions, perhaps it is
not so surprising that a flap over his article. Entitled Europe’s New
Jews, the article pointed out that there were 5.2 million Turks living
in Europe and facing discrimination. This made them more sensitive
to the issue of discrimination against Jews, Armenians and Greeks
of Turkish origin in Turkey and more sympathetic because they were
essentially in the same boat.

In the article, Sen was supporting the view of businessman
/ industrialist Ishak Alaton who had claimed that there was
state-sponsored discrimination against Jews in Turkey. Sen used the
analogy of the way that Turks in Germany were treated as comparable
to the way Jews were treated in Germany before World War Two. This
article shouldn’t have become so very important and Sen explained that
his comment was misinterpreted. He even apologized. Prominent members
of the Jewish community in Turkey including Alaton and members of
the Jewish community in Germany have come to the support of Sen who
was forced to accept compulsory leave from the Center and faced the
possibility of being removed from his position of 23 years.

One interpretation of the flap is that Sen has made enemies over the
years as director of the Center and these people wanted to see him
ousted. Well, who doesn’t make enemies if he or she is successful? Some
people might also want to see a change in direction for the Center,
perhaps away from its evenhanded, apolitical stance. Or perhaps Germans
are still supersensitive where remarks about Jews in Germany can rub
on a sore spot.

Perhaps Sen should not have written about this issue, given his
close ties with Turkey and Germany. On the other hand Britain’s
first Muslim Minister, Shahid Malik this month has claimed that the
Muslims in Britain are being made to feel as if they were targeted
like the Jews of Europe. Malik’s comments are backed up by polls
and he further refers to places in Europe where Muslims are also
discriminated against.

–Boundary_(ID_FAfWNb+tH6M5iE6rISRnRQ)–

CE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNED OVER THE PUBLICIZED LETTER OF THE CHIEF OF THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE REGARDING MAR 1-2 EVENTS IN

ArmInfo
2008-07-15 22:36:00

CE Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg is concerned
over the publicized letter of the chief of the Special Investigative
Service regarding Mar 1-2 events in Yerevan

Earlier, the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossyan said that
after the Mar events the chief of the Special Investigative Service
Andranik Mirzoyan sent an illegal instruction to all prosecutors to
start mass persecution of the opposition. As a result, thousands of
oppositionists have been arrested, beaten, intimidated and persecuted.

During a press-conference in Yerevan today Hammarberg said that he
had thoroughly analyzed the letter and was concerned over its content.

DIGGINGS WILL CONTINUE IN CASE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT

A1+
15 July, 2008

As a result of three weeks’ diggings in the frontier Village
of Koti associate member of the RA National Academy of Sciences
(NAS), archeologist Aram Kalantarian and head of the archeology and
ethnography institute of NAS, Ph.D. Suren Hobossian have discovered
several churches and khachkars (stone-crosses) dating back to 6-7c.,
12-13c. and 16-17c.

The diggings, performed with private funds, are presently
discontinued. They will continue next year, when the Government
invests funds from the State Budget.