Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Redeployment of troops to Armenia not aimed against Azerbaijan -Russian envoy
Trend news agency
2 Jun 05
Baku, 2 June: “The Russian side has not yet made up its mind on the
possible re-deployment of Russia’s military hardware from Georgia to
Armenia, and media reports to that effect have nothing to do with the
re-deployment of Russian bases from one place to another,” the charge
d’affaires of the Russian Federation in Azerbaijan, Petr Burdykin,
told journalists today, Trend reports.
He acknowledged the possibility that the military bases might really
be supplied with something because, as a large facility, they cannot
stay without equipment throughout the year. He said that if it
wasn’t something made up by journalists, it is ordinary equipment,
the transfer of some hardware as part of ordinary material and
technical provision.
As for the re-deployment of military hardware from Georgia, the
diplomat said that “Russia is being urged to withdraw its troops from
Georgia as soon as possible and pressure is put on us not only by
Tbilisi, but also by other countries which urge us to seek ways of
doing it quickly, and one of the ways is to send the troops to our
military base in Armenia”.
The Russian diplomat said this didn’t mean that the arms were being
handed over to Armenia.
“This re-deployment, if it does take place, will not be aimed against a
third country, will not affect the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict and does not run counter to international agreements,”
he said.
According to the diplomat, he has submitted the Russian side’s official
response to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry following the latter’s
note presented to him last week.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
May 31, 2005
___________________
CATHOLICOS TO HELP BUILD HOMES WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, will travel to Michigan from June 21 to 22, 2005, to
participate in Habitat for Humanity’s annual Jimmy Carter Work Project.
The Catholicos will build homes alongside former U.S. President Jimmy
Carter.
The visit is the latest effort to encourage the work of Habitat for
Humanity by the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern).
Two years ago Bishop Vicken Aykazian, diocesan legate and ecumenical
officer, took leaders of Habitat for Humanity to Armenia to see how
their organization could work with the Armenian Church.
Last year he traveled to Armenia with a delegation that included the
state leaders of Habitat for Humanity in Michigan, who invited the
Catholicos to travel to Michigan this summer for the construction blitz
with President Carter.
“While working alongside President Carter, the Catholicos will have a
chance to discuss the involvement of the Armenian Church in the efforts
of Habitat for Humanity in Armenia,” Bishop Aykazian said. “Hopefully
that will foster a closer relationship between the two organizations,
because there is a real need for housing in Armenia.”
Recent reports suggest that 40 percent of Armenia’s population lives in
substandard housing. Part of the donation made by volunteers this
summer in Michigan will go toward funding Habitat for Humanity projects
in Armenia.
Bishop Aykazian recently had the honor of blessing the 100th home
completed by Habitat for Humanity Armenia. And many parishes around the
Diocese have organized trips to Armenia during which they volunteer to
build homes for Habitat for Humanity.
While in Michigan, the Catholicos will also meet with community leaders
and faithful.
“We all know there is a need for quality homes in Armenia, and I think
the visit by the Catholicos and his work with President Carter will draw
attention to that, and help us work to combat that problem,” Bishop
Aykazian said. “It will draw the attention not only of the general
public, but of the Armenian community as well. We are the ones who need
to give our support first. It is up to us to begin addressing this
serious issue in our homeland.”
— 5/31/05
# # #

PROSPECTS OF MILITARY COOPERATION BETWEEN OCST COUNTRIES WAS DICUSSED
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
May 30, 2005, Monday
Deputy defense ministries of the countries – members of the
Organization of Collective Security Treaty (OCST) discussed the
projects of documents, which should determine the prospects of
military cooperation, in Moscow yesterday. In accordance with
information from the United Staff of the OCST, the project of the
plan of coalition military construction of the OCST till 2010 and
project of the conception of creation of united military systems were
considered.
Besides, the questions concerning creation of the united group of
forces of collective security in the Central-Asian region,
development of the anti-aircraft defense of state-members of the
OCST, creation of a united center for training of flight personnel
for national armed forces of members of the OCST were discussed too.
According to one of the representatives of the OCST, the project of
the program of military and technical cooperation of the OCSE for
2006-2010, and project on the agreement on mutual acknowledgement of
the status of servicemen and military oaths of states of the OCSE
were introduced for consideration. Such states as Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan are members of this
organization.
Source: Gudok, May 26, 2005, p. 2
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Milford Daily News, MA
May 29 2005
A family legacy: Milford native shares a lifetime of stories and
local history
By Kristine Diederich / Daily News Staff
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Mitchell Kalpakgian was born in Milford into a tight-knit Armenian
family. Like many neighborhood families, his ancestors had immigrated
to the area in search of a better life. But unlike some of his
neighbors, his family’s story began tragically.

Kalpakgian’s father, at the tender age of 14, narrowly escaped
the Turkish massacre of Armenians in 1915 when he literally ran for
his life, at his mother’s insistence. He emigrated to the United
States and never saw his parents or sister again. Over the years, he
became a fixture in Milford; a trusted locksmith, hard-working
citizen and friend to many.

Over the years, as the family grew, so did their experiences —
happy and sad — including the warmth of friendship, cultural
traditions, faith and the strong bonds of family.

Kalpakgian has compiled his family stories in a new book titled,
“An Armenian Family Reunion: A Lifetime of Unforgettable and
Delightful Stories,” published by The Neumann Press.

Kalpakgian, 64, a 1963 graduate of Bowdoin College, earned a
master’s degree at the University of Kansas and a Ph.D. at the
University of Iowa. He has taught college English and is currently
academic dean and teacher of English, Latin and French at Mount Royal
Academy in Sunapee, N.H. He now lives in Warner, N.H. He was married
for 25 years to the late Joyce Narsasian and is the father of five
children and grandfather of four.

Kalpakgian recently took time to discuss his new book and his
life growing up in Milford.

Q: Tell me about your upbringing in Milford and your influences.

A: I went through all the grades in Milford (and graduated from)
Milford High School. I had wonderful high school teachers — Nello
Allegrezza, Dr. Miriam Ryan, Philomena Collavita. Dr. Ryan, who
taught Latin, told me, “You can go to college but you need to read
more, take the SATs.” I went to the (public) library to the
recommended reading shelf for high-schoolers. I took out “A Tale of
Two Cities” but struggled with it and realized I was lacking. But I
kept at it, took out another book and another book and another (and
it got easier).

We didn’t have books at home but my family was very supportive
of my interest (in reading); there was always a respect for learning.
To receive an education and to do work that you love was a gift.

Q: Tell me what your book is about.

A: Family culture is transmitted very naturally between family
members when you are living close (and I had that). When people are
spread out over the country, you don’t hear the same messages from
multiple sources and a larger extended family.

The whole idea (of sharing a wealth of family stories) came to
me because young people just have their youth culture, where they
identify more with their age group than being a member of a family or
extended family. They develop the feeling that the past doesn’t
relate to them; it’s dead and gone. They live more in the now and
don’t seem to know what wisdom is or value it, like they might if
they learned it from an elder or grandparent. The older generation
who want to pass something down don’t have anyone to receive it.

The idea of (sharing stories at) a family reunion came to me as
a way to pass on a body of knowledge that (young people) would never
get from a college course or a movie. The reunion in the book is a
device (and did not happen because my extended family is spread out
all over the country), but all of the stories are true.

Q: What led you to write the book when you did?

A: I realized at about age 60 or 61, I should (compile these
family stories) as soon as possible. What better gift could I give to
my children and grandchildren than these stories of mine and their
ancestors? I just felt inspired to do it.

Q:What kind of reader would enjoy this book?

A: The real theme of the book is the blessing and riches of
family life, and how much education you receive when you are all very
bonded and feel thankful for that. When you have received so much,
you feel a debt to share. (So I think) the average lay reader who
just enjoys reading, especially about family life, would enjoy this
book.

Q: Where can people buy the book?

A: Contact The Neumann Press at 1-800-746-2521 or
(The cost of the book is) $18.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: I’m working on and planning “The Home and Family in
Literature;” it will go through the classics in literature, like
Homer’s “Odyssey,” where he shows you that home is the center of
civilization. I want to write this book because we see so much of the
erosion of the family all around us.

If you are a MetroWest author and have recently self published a
book, let us know and we may feature you in a future Writer’s Corner.
Send an e-mail to [email protected] with information about your book
and yourself, including the town you live in. If you have an upcoming
book-signing or event, please be sure to contact us at least three
weeks in advance of the event.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
May 27, 2005 Friday 6:15 AM Eastern Time
GAZ automobile works to increase exports
NIZHNY NOVGOROD, May 27
The GAZ automobile-making works, in Nizhny Novgorod, is going to
increase exports by 6,000 cars as against 2004 and to bring it to
50,800, Sergei Shunin, director of exports department of the Russkie
Machiny Trade House, said on Friday at a conference, entitled
“Development of automobile market in Russia: current situation and
prospects.” The conference is being held within the framework of the
Autoforum-2006 exhibition.
According to his information, the exports will account for 21.9 per
cent of the total sales, planned for this year. In 2004, however,
exports amounted to 44,566 cars, which made 19.3 per cent of the
sales.
GAZ is going to deliver some 5,000 GAZEL and Sobol mini-buses to the
Bisan Firm, Izmir, Turkey, in 2005. In the future annual deliveries
of automobiles to Turkey will be brought to 8,000. The demand for
GAZEL and Sobol mini-buses in Turkey is estimated at 20,000 annually,
PRIME-Tass reports.
GAZ is planning to deliver this year 500 mini-buses to East European
countries, 1,500 to 2,000 – to Tajikistan, 23,000 – to Ukraine, 7,000
– to Kazakhstan and 2,000 – to Armenia. Aside from it, it is going to
deliver right-wheel cars and mini-buses to South Africa. GAZ is
planning to bring its exports to 100,000 a year by 2010.
According to Shunin, GAZ is planning to sell a total of 232,000 cars
in 2005, which exceeds the 2004 level by 0.3 per cent. The figure for
2004 was 231,321 cars.
GAZ accounts today for 6.5 per cent of Russia’s car output, 55.6 per
cent of truck output and 47.9 per cent of bus output.

POSSIBLE RE-DEPLOYMENT OF RUSSIAN MILITARY BASES ISSUE OF
ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS: LEVON MKRTICHYAN
YEREVAN, May 27. /ARKA/. Possible re-deployment of Russian military
bases from Georgia to Armenia is an issue of Armenian-Russian
relations, Levon Mkrtichyan, Head of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
parliamentary faction, told reporters. According to him, this issue
can be settled under Armenian-Russian military agreements, as well as
within Armenia’s commitments to the Council of Europe, including in
setting up military quotas. “If these criteria are observed, it will
be a problem of Russian-Armenian relations alone,” Mkrtichyan said.
On the other hand, Mkrtichyan said that the withdrawal of Russian
bases from Georgia involves the problem of Javakhk Armenians.
According to him, the presence of Russian military bases in Georgia
means a solution to serious problems of Javakhk Armenians,
particularly social problems and problems of security of the Armenian
community. He pointed out that the intensification of Turkey’s policy
toward the region and Georgian-Turkish military cooperation arouses
the Georgia-based Armenian population’s concern. Mkrtichyan said that
the best way of dispelling this concern is the establishment of the
“equal citizenship” principle in Georgia, which means that Armenians
must not feel any infringement on their rights in Georgia. Mkrtichyan
stated that “the Armenian community’s fear of future may vanish if the
community will really enjoy and exercise its democratic rights and
succeeds in preserving its national identity, culture, language and
schools.” In his turn, speaking of the possibility of re-deployment
of the Russian military bases from Georgia to Armenia, Galust
Sahakyan, Chairman of the RPA parliamentary faction told ARKA that
negotiations are currently under way, but no decisions have yet been
made. He pointed out his positive attitude to this idea, saying that
“materiel is most likely to be transported, and other issues must be
settled as a result of negotiations.” P.T. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
May 26 2005
Armenian Minister, MP Deny Brawling In Parliament
26/05/2005 20:48
Armenian Minister for Local Government Hovik Abrahamian and a
pro-government lawmaker denied on Thursday throwing punches on the
parliament floor the previous day despite eyewitness accounts to the
contrary.

The dispute occurred mid-way through the government’s regular
question-and-answer in the National Assembly, just moments after most
journalists covering the session rushed out of the main parliament
auditorium to interview Prime Minister Andranik Markarian.
At least one reporter claimed to have seen Abrahamian swearing at
parliament deputy Aramayis Grigorian and then being punched in the
face by the latter. Others heard their angry voices in the parliament
lobby.
However, both men denied that the row turned violent. `There was just
a businesslike conversation,’ Abrahamian told reporters. `I’m
surprised that it has been blown out of proportion. There was no
problem.’
`We may have raised our voices during the conversation, but there was
no fight,’ he added.
`There were no punches,’ Grigorian told RFE/RL.
The dispute broke out after Grigorian, who owns one of Armenia’s
biggest wineries, felt that Finance Minister Vartan Khachatrian did
not properly answer his question relating to the collection of excise
duties on alcohol and protested to Abrahamian. The lawmaker was
elected to the parliament from the electoral list of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), one of three parties
represented in the government.
Both officials are the natives of the southern Ararat region where
they have similar business interests. Abrahamian, long considered to
be Armenia’s unofficial prime minister, was named by President Robert
Kocharian late last month to head a newly created ministry which
oversees local governments and the government departments on
emergencies and refugee affairs. Kocharian also appointed Abrahamian
a member of his National Security Council, making him a potential
candidate for the post of prime minister.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andranik Markarian sought to downplay the
extraordinary argument, saying that neither men did anything wrong.
`The minister was not guilty,’ he said. `Neither was the deputy.’

A1plus
| 14:28:00 | 26-05-2005 | Politics |
COURT GUARDIANSHIP
We suppose there is no need in clarifying how `just and transparent’ the
Armenian courts are. There is no need to bring any examples of `exceed’
responsibility of the court officers and judges either.
Today at 10.00 a.m. Director of `A1+’ Meltex LTD has received a letter
informing that in an hour, at 11.00 a.m. in the Court of Cassations the
counter-claim on the decision by the Economic Court will be heard. To
remind, April 11 the RA Economic Court upheld the suit of the National
Academy of Sciences and decreed to evict `A1+’ from 15, Grigor Lusavorish
Street.
For about 15 years `A1+’ has occupied the territory in the above mentioned
building on contractual basis and fulfilled all the obligations provided by
the agreement. To note, it took the Economic Court several seconds to render
a decision. The appeal and counter-claim submitted by Meltex LTD were turned
down.

Evening Standard, UK
May 25 2005
Oil pipeline to end Middle East ‘rule’
Lech Mintowt-Czyx, Evening Standard,
AN OIL pipeline intended to sweep away decades of western reliance on
the Middle East was opened today. The 1,094-mile line from the
landlocked Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean is designed to free the
region’s huge potential reserves of oil – thought to be the third
largest on the planet.
Analysts hope the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project will supply more than
1% of the world’s oil needs within months and help develop capacity
to 6m barrels a day, 8% of the total required, within five years.
The pipeline, which is 30% owned by BP, will eventually feed from an
underground reserve capable of holding 220bn barrels of oil, enough
to meet current needs for eight years.
At an opening ceremony today at the Sangachal oil terminal, 25 miles
south of the Azerbaijani capital Baku, the first drops of oil were
pumped into the £2.2bn pipeline, which will take five months to fill
along its whole length. The first shipment of Caspian oil from the
Turkish port of Ceyhan is expected before the end of the year.
At the opening US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said: ‘This is a
contribution towards an increased supply in oil in the world. It adds
a new supplier of some consequence. We view this as a significant
step forward in the energy security of that region.’ Azerbaijan
President Ilham Aliyev added: ‘The whole region needs this pipeline.’
Described by BP as the ‘world’s biggest energy scheme’, the pipeline
passes the Georgian capital of Tbilisi and eastern Turkey to the port
of Ceyhan, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.
Azerbaijan will earn taxes and royalties on the oil, while Georgia
and Turkey are to profit from transit fees. It is thought the wider
Caspian region has oil reserves bigger than those in both American
continents, with the potential to provide the west’s oil needs for 50
years. There are also proven reserves of gas at least as large as
those controlled by Saudi Arabia.
The project, which took 10 years to design and build, runs through
some of the most inhospitable terrain and politically volatile
territory in the region. In Azerbaijan, it goes close to a ceasefire
line with Armenia where there are still frequent clashes over a
territorial dispute. Georgia is fighting separatist conflicts while
in Turkey the pipeline skirts the Kurdish heartlands.
In an attempt to prevent sabotage the line has been buried several
metres underground for most of its length and will be guarded by
local police forces. There have also been tensions with Russia, which
feels it has been cut out of the deal.

WOOD-TV, MI
May 25 2005
MSU prof disappointed by postponement of Armenian genocide conference
ISTANBUL, Turkey Three Turkish universities said today that they are
postponing a conference to discuss last century’s mass killings of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks.
The move follows a government minister’s harsh criticism of the
conference.
Michigan State University sociologist Muge Gocek (MOO’-geh GOH’-chek)
traveled to Istanbul for the conference.
She says she’s disappointed by the postponement and says the
conference would have been a chance to show the effectiveness of
Turkish democracy.
Armenians say one-point-five (M) million of their people were killed
in a deliberate campaign of genocide.
Turkey says the death count is inflated and says that Armenians were
killed in civil unrest.