Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Armenian Daily #053, 26/03/2005
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YEREVAN 2020
Yerevan’s main plan should be ready by January 1, 2006. That will
become the main urban construction document. Sirekan Ohanian, head
of the Urban Construction Department at RA government, informed
about RA government’s decision. While Gurgen Mousheghian, head of
Yerevannakhagits Institute, represented the main plan of the capital.
Stating that the plan will define the main trends and prospects for
the capital’s development, Gurgen Mousheghian said that the necessity
to adopt that is conditioned by two basic factors. Firstly, Yerevan is
no more a capital of a Soviet republic but a capital of an independent
state. Secondly, our state has passed from planned to market economy.
The main plan envisages that Yerevan should have 1,2 million
of population by 2020, while its area and communities will
remain unchanged, as that was defined in 1996 in the law “On
Administrative-Territorial Division.” No additional territories will
be allocated for Yerevan’s further development. The city will develop
the unutilized areas and ruin the damaged buildings. It is envisaged to
build sports complexes in the suburbs. When building dwelling areas,
it is set up to allocate 20 square meters of area per capita. It is
decided that 180 people should live on 1 hectares.
According to the new plan, no new areas will be allocated for plants
and factories. Gurgen Mousheghian explained this by the fact that
there are large industrial areas in the city and they can open new
plants there.
A new highway network will be built in the capital. The subway will
also function properly.
The mines in the territory of Yerevan will become green parks after
being fully utilized. While the rural lands rich in heavy metals will
be used for construction. Mr. Mousheghian informed that the green
zones will be divided into three parts. The first one will be for
general use; the utilization of the second one will be limited. The
third part will be the special territories, i.e. the forests. He
said that by 2020 the green area per capita will amount to 49 square
meters. The water supply system will be renovated too.
By Ara Martirosian

Turkish parliament seeks to end Armenians’ ‘genocide’ claims
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 25 2005
Baku, March 24, AssA-Irada
The Turkish parliament has invited leaders of the Armenian Diaspora
in this country to hold discussions, in an effort to put an end to
the false ‘genocide’ claims of Armenians.
Armenian representatives Etien Makhchupian and Grant Dinkin will
participate in the discussions to be held on April 5.
Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanian said “Official Ankara
intends to postpone the activities dedicated to the 90th anniversary
of the genocide of Armenians”.
Calling on Turkey to recognize the so-called ‘genocide’, Oskanian
said that the steps that Turkey plans to take to adjourn these events
will deal a serious blow on Turkey. He noted, however, that official
Yerevan is ready for a political dialogue with Turkey.*

I did my best to win Karabakh war – Azeri ex-defence minister
Ekho, Baku
23 Mar 05
Azerbaijan’s ex-defence minister, Rahim Qaziyev, who was recently
granted a presidential pardon, has denied any involvement in the fall
of the city of Susa during the Karabakh war in 1992. In his interview
with Ekho newspaper, Qaziyev said that when he was defence minister,
he did his best to set up a well-equipped army and win the war in
Karabakh. The following is an excerpt from A. Hasanov’s report by
Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho on 23 March headlined “They wanted to blame
me for the fall of Susa”. Subheadings have been inserted editorially:
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a presidential pardon
last Sunday [20 March]. A total of 114 people were set free
under the decree. Fifty-three of the amnestied people were on the
Council of Europe list of “political prisoners”. Among them was the
Azerbaijani ex-defence minister, Rahim Qaziyev, who was sentenced
to the death penalty in May 1995 and then to life imprisonment for
“high treason”. The figure of the ex-defence minister has always
been very interesting. Rahim Qaziyev gave his first interview to Ekho
after he was released.
Qaziyev’s authority in society caused enmity in some people
[Correspondent] How do you explain your release?
[Qaziyev] You’d better put this question not to me, but to the
authorities. I am sure that they would give you a more precise
answer. I can only tell you that my opinions and desires have never
coincided with those of the authorities. Otherwise, they would not
have put me in prison.
[Correspondent] Qaziyev is described in the country as a person who
surrendered Susa [seized by Armenians in 1992]. However, this point
was not included on the list of charges brought against you.
[Qaziyev] Sometimes, the “left” and the “right” are looking for a
specific person to blame for many crimes. I was the one to blame in
that period. Even in Soviet times, I understood that armed clashes
are unavoidable on the path chosen by the country. For this reason,
I channelled all my efforts into finding a sufficient number of
munitions and weapons. The material-technical base of our army was
established as a result of this. This could not go unnoticed. My
standing and authority in society were high in that period. This
could not but cause certain enmity in some people.
Relations with Heydar Aliyev deteriorated
Yes, I disagreed with many actions of the then authorities led by
[ex-President] Abulfaz Elcibay. But unlike many, I expressed my
opinions openly. On the other hand, [ex-President] Heydar Aliyev
was preparing to come to power. At first sight, it could seem that
I consciously expressed my opposition opinions regarding Elcibay in
order to bring Aliyev to power. But this is not the true.
[Correspondent] What sort of relations did you have with Heydar Aliyev?
[Qaziyev] I visited him in Naxcivan before he came to power. Later
on, he even thanked me for having helped him with a number of issues.
However, our relations deteriorated after he came to power. Once Aliyev
invited me to his office. We talked for about an hour. He offered
me the post of deputy prime minister for the military-industrial
complex. I refused this post. Our ties probably deteriorated after
that.
Ex-defence minister not guilty of the loss of Susa
[Correspondent] Who is to blame for the loss of Susa?
[Qaziyev] This is not an easy question. If you are interested, I am
ready to give you the 51 volumes of court materials and video tapes
in which I was accused of surrendering Susa. After you familiarize
yourself with these materials, I am ready to meet you again and answer
all your questions. The only thing I can say now is that they wanted
to blame me for the fall of Susa.
[Correspondent] Who ordered land mines to be cleared from the roads
leading to Susa? Why didn’t the Armenians meet with resistance in
the city?
[Qaziyev] I did not issue any order to clear the roads from the land
mines. Incidentally, certain people tried to speculate with this fact,
but failed. When Susa’s former military commandant, Elbrus Orucov,
was interrogated during the investigation against me, I asked him
some questions. For instance, I asked him whether the general staff
or I had issued an order to clear the land mines from the Xankandi
[Stepanakert]-Susa road.
“No, I had not received any such order from you or from the general
staff,” Orucov answered. I asked him again whether I had ordered him to
withdraw armoured vehicles from Susa or leave the city. Orucov said no.
[Correspondent] What about the TV pictures in which you promise to blow
your brains out if Susa falls? The city fell, why are you still alive?
[Qaziyev] The pictures that were demonstrated on television showed
me only putting my hand to my temple. But for some reason, there is
a voice-over instead of me. In fact, everything was different. This
happened on 16 May 1992. I returned to Baku from Tashkent where I
had participated in a CIS summit. An agreement on the withdrawal of
Soviet troops from Azerbaijan was signed there. After arriving in the
country, I saw some sort of celebrations outside the Milli Maclis
[parliament]. The parliament building was surrounded by soldiers
holding assault rifles. On seeing this, I made a speech. “What are
you celebrating here? Susa has fallen and Lacin is in danger. Who
allowed these soldiers to gather outside the parliament? If they do
not return to their bases by tomorrow, then I’ll just have to come
here and blow my brains out,” this is what I said then.
[Passage omitted: Qaziyev said he prevented Azerbaijan’s military
hardware from being taken away from the country]
[Correspondent] As a former defence minister, can you answer if
everything was done not to lose the war?
[Qaziyev] When I was defence minister, I did my best to win the war.
I can show you a map which indicates the forward positions of our
army when I was defence minister. Our troops had only 14-15 km to
reach Xankandi on a highway.
[Correspondent] And our last question. What are your future plans?
[Qaziyev] For the time being, I am getting used to freedom. I don’t
know how much time it will take. If my motherland needs my help,
then I am ready to serve it loyally.

Turkish Daily News
March 23 2005
Turkish Press Yesterday
More criticism from the US
As Turkish-U.S. tensions continue, “The Project for the New
American Century,” a U.S. think tank known for their neoconservative
attitude, has criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP) for pursuing anti-U.S. policies, reported daily Radikal.
A director of the organization, Bruce Pitcairn Jackson, in
testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s
subcommittee on European Affairs said, “The AKP is characterized by
strident anti-Americanism, cultural anti-Europeanism and a resurgent
xenophobia,” reported the daily.
Concerning Turkey’s foreign policy, Jackson said Turkey has quietly
broken off its strategic relationship with Israel, refused to
negotiate with Armenia on the opening of their common border and
requested from the United States the oppressive treatment of the
Kurdish population in Iraq. “In diplomatic jargon, Turkey has become
‘unhelpful’,” said Jackson, reported Radikal.
The daily also reports on Jackson’s proposals, which it says will
worry the AKP government, quoting him as saying: “Just because
Turkish officials become indignant at the mention of a genocidal
campaign conducted by Ottoman authorities against Armenian civilians
in the early years of the last century does not mean that coming to
terms with history should not be discussed between democratic allies
.. we must be clear in what we say and do.”.

Armenian president, Russian governor discuss cooperation
Arminfo
22 Mar 05
Yerevan, 22 March: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today received
a delegation led by the governor of Russia’s Sverdlovsk Region,
Eduard Rossel.
The need to intensify economic cooperation was the key topic of the
meeting, the presidential press service has told Arminfo. At the
meeting with Robert Kocharyan, Rossel said that commodity turnover
with Armenia had grown over the last two years and there were real
opportunities for increasing it.
The governor of Sverdlovsk suggested setting up a working group to
draft a cooperation programme within a short period of time.
[Passage omitted: economic ties]

AZG Armenian Daily #051, 23/03/2005
Culture
SHAHEN KHACHATRIAN TO LECTURE IN LOS ANGELES
The lectures dedicated to 125th anniversary of Martiros Sarian and
held at the Glendale Central Library became an unprecedented evening
of the Armenian Art, when Mr. Shahen Khachatrian, a well-known art
critic from Armenia, began telling about Sarian’s exhibition hall at
Picasso Museum in Antibes.
Khachatrian stage by stage represented the creative life of Martiros
Sarian since 1901 till the last sketch Maestro made. Mr. Shahen
thoroughly spoke of each piece of the great master with devotion and
love. The audience was charmed and delighted to get so close to the
art of Maestro Sarian.
The arrangement was organized by Tekeyan Cultural Fund. The listeners
were greatly impressed both by the art of Sarian and by the lecture
delivered by Shahen Khachatrian.
Dr. Minas Gocheyan represented Mr. Khachatrian to the audience. His
name is closely connected with Martiros Sarian’s creative life. In
1967, Maestro Sarian appointed Shahen Khachatrian head of Martiros
Sarian’s Museum. He led the museum for over 40 years.
After Armenia became independent, Shahen Khachatrian was appointed
the head of RA National Picture Gallery, as well. He worked in these
two positions, enriching the collection of the Picture Gallery with
over 500 pieces purchased and collected from Diaspora and Russia. He
led RA National Picture Gallery for 13 years. During these years he
also led other 16 museums and galleries of Armenia.
Mr. Khachatrian published monograms dedicated to Sarian, Hakobian,
Minas and Ayvazovski. He has delivered many lectures, organized 60
exhibitions. The last exhibition was held in Antibes at Picasso Museum.
At present, Mr. Khachatrian is leading the newly opened Archie Gorky
Museum in Etchmiadzin.
Mr. Khachatrian was awarded “Honored Artist of Armenia” and “Movses
Khorenatsi” medal in 1998.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (E.)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
March 22, 2005
___________________
THE EASTER MESSAGE OF ARCHBISHOP KHAJAG BARSAMIAN
Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
TO LIVE IS CHRIST
For I know that through your prayers, and the help of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ, this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is
my eager expectation and hope that I shall not be at all ashamed,
but that with full courage, now as always, Christ will be honored in
my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ,
and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:19-21)
* * *
FROM PRISON THE APOSTLE PAUL wrote those lines, as he awaited almost
certain execution. Surely one senses his apprehension beneath the
words. He is not a fanatic, who would seek death out as a worshipper
pursuing an idol. To the contrary, like our Lord before him during
His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, the apostle does not relish the
prospect of death, because he knows that life is dear. But at the same
time, the question of whether he will live or die is not uppermost in
his thoughts. He can find the courage to write, “to die is gain,”
because he trusts that his killers will not have the final say.
The power they hold over him may be real, and consequential. But it
is not final.
But if to die is gain, then what shall he call “to live”? One can
sense St. Paul grasping for the right word to convey life’s splendor,
its preciousness, its inherent quality of hope. If to die is gain,
then to live? To live is…
“To live is Christ.” That is the way a man facing death resolved to
put it. Admittedly, it is a curious formulation–almost jarring to the
ear. We should not pretend to fully understand his meaning. Yet we
can observe that it is congruent with much else in Christianity: with
our Lord’s testimony, “I am the Resurrection and the Life”; with the
epithet “Lord of Life” applied to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The entire Christian story, it would seem, is an affirmation of life.
And so it is a puzzle that this same God, this Lord of Life, chose
to subject Himself to death. The paradox is concisely expressed in
an Armenian hymn, Miadzin Vorti: “You, the unchangeable One, became
man and you were crucified, O Christ our God: you trampled down Death
by death.”
The cause, of course, was a great one: the salvation of mankind.
But let us not doubt that things could have been otherwise.
God could have chosen to effect salvation through some means other
than His own death. He chose not to. Armenian Christians should
be clear on this point: Our church does not regard the shedding of
His blood as a necessary condition of salvation, in the manner of
other Christian denominations. We do not conceive of Christ as some
kind of human sacrifice or scapegoat, whose humiliation and death
“purchased” salvation for mankind. We stress the free choice of
God: His willingness to enter into human history. To take on the
infirmities of the human condition: its weakness and vulnerability;
its mortality. To do this out of love for His creations, in a divine
act of solidarity.
Singing Miadzin Vorti should remind us that God could have simply
trampled death–period. But He chose instead to trample it with
death–to subject Himself to the thing He sought to correct–thus not
merely correcting the problem, but affirming the very human condition
which had to endure such suffering in the first place. We might say
that Christ’s death was God’s way of standing shoulder-to-shoulder
with all the deaths that had gone before. And of anticipating all
those that would come after.
It is an especially poignant thought for us this Easter–ninety years
after the greatest conflagration of death our people have ever known.
Knowingly or unknowingly, the Armenians of Ottoman Turkey in the
days prior to April 24, 1915, were in the same position as St.
Paul: captives awaiting death at the hands of unjust powers.
Unlike Paul, most of them were denied the chance even to scrawl
a final few words from a prison cell. So we cannot say that they
all met their fates with the same con-scious-ness as Paul, or even
with the same faith. Our enemy made no discrim-ination between the
believer and non-believer; all were killed, simply for being Armenian.
So we cannot say they were all martyrs, in the sacramental sense of
that word. But then again, who are we to say whether they have not
all been sanc-tified? To paraphrase the noble words uttered over a
different spectacle of death: Their ordeal has sanctified them far
beyond our own poor powers of recognition.
What we can recognize, as we experience Easter from the perspective of
this solemn milestone, is this: That the scars we still bear today, the
losses we have endured–whether inflicted ninety years ago, twenty-five
years, ten, or even last night–Christ has borne before us. Borne them
in anticipation of our own afflictions. Borne them out of His love
for us, to show He abides with us, in triumph as well as tragedy.
Borne, above all, to assure us that affliction is not the End.
There is a final act, not yet performed, but written nonetheless,
awaiting its consummation at the true end of things–which itself
will be only the beginning of something new. When that day arrives,
we can be sure that something of our past affliction will still be
with us, even as our Lord’s wounds remained visible, tangible, after
His return to life. But we will be made new: Not so much reborn,
as made whole again. Whole in our bodies and spirits; whole–we
are permitted to hope, and obliged to pray–in our relationships
with others, too. Reunited with those we have lost along the way.
Reunited with those we never knew, but to whom we owe our existence.
Reunited with those who are, from our perspective now, still yet to be.
All of us, reunited in the bosom of our Lord. Even if such a reunion
were only a dream, men would hardly be fools to long for it. But we
have been promised, and shown, that it is not a dream, but rather a
hope: the secret culmination of human existence. That is the hope
which Easter eternally represents. We can enter upon it, if we
so choose. And Jesus Christ is our doorway.
It was with his eye on that hope that St. Paul was able to face the
prospect of imprisonment, injustice, even death. It is our hope,
too: our hope for ourselves, to be sure; but more than that, our hope
for those countless Armenian souls who perished ninety years ago.
Let us carry that prayer in our hearts this Easter, as we affirm:
Krisdos haryav ee merelotz. Orhnyal eh harootiunun Krisdosee.
Christ is risen from the dead. Blessed is the resurrection of Christ.
Easter 2005
# # #

REP. LANGEVIN SAYS IT’S “CRITICALLY IMPORTANT” FOR U.S. TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
WASHINGTON, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Representative James Langevin
(D-RI), a well-known champion of Armenian issues, is urging President
Bush to follow the example of other leading U.S. public officials
and formally recognize the Armenian Genocide in his statement of
remembrance next month, the Armenian Assembly of America reported.
Langevin, in a statement issued on March 17 to Congress, urged Bush
to properly label the atrocities as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Evans so candidly did during his meetings with Armenian-Americans
throughout the U.S. last month. During those public exchanges,
Evans declared that “the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of
the twentieth century.” “By employing this term, the Ambassador is
building on previously made statements by Presidents Regan and Bush,
as well as the repeated declarations of numerous world-renowned
scholars,” Langevin said. “In effect, Evans has done nothing more
than succinctly name the conclusions enunciated by those before him.”
Langevin, a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
noted that Evans’ remarks correspond with the signed statements of over
120 renowned Holocaust and Genocide scholars on the “incontestable
fact of the Armenian Genocide,” and that of the International Center
for Transitional Justice on the use of the term Armenian Genocide,
which states that: “The Events, viewed collectively, can thus be said
to include all of the elements of the crime of genocide as defined in
the Convention, and legal scholars as well as historians, politicians,
journalists and other people would be justified in continuing to so
describe them.” Langevin also said that the ability of Armenians
to survive in the face of repression is a testament to their will
to survive. “Therefore, it is critically important that the United
States speak with one voice in condemning the horrors committed
against the Armenians,” he concluded. In other news, Langevin this
week signed his support to a congressional letter to President Bush,
asking that he acknowledge this crime against humanity. The letter,
initiated by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), currently has the backing of 75 Members
of the House of Representatives.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
03/21/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Karabagh Status Most Important, Lennmarker Says 2) Armenia Asks OSCE to Send Fact-Finding Mission to Formerly Armenian-Populated Regions 3) Armenia Names New Ambassador to US 4) German Politicians Increase Pressure on Turkey over EU Reforms 5) Rumsfeld Puts Heat on Turkey 6) Azerbaijan's Leader Pardons 114 Prisoners 7) Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian 8) Alpha Epsilon Omega Wristband Campaign Seeks to Raise Genocide Awareness 9) Disabled Armenian Athlete Completes LA Marathon 10) Antonovich Appoints John Krikorian to Small Business Commission 1) Karabagh Status Most Important, Lennmarker Says YEREVAN (Yerkir)--The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OCSE) rapporteur on Karabagh Goran Lennmarker, reaffirmed that the region's status is of utmost importance, National Assembly Vice Speaker Vahan Hovhannissian told a news conference on Monday. According to Hovhannisian, Lennmarker also said that Azeri arguments regarding the refugees and territories are secondary. Leading a two-member delegation to Brussels last week to discuss with Azeri counterparts Lenmarker~Rs report, Hovhannissian said the draft report was not discussed because of several questionable points. He described the preliminary report as ~Sbalanced,~T speculating that it might have been the cause of Azeri parliament members~R anger. Its final version, he said, would be presented to an OSCE annual meeting in Washington in July. The Brussels meetings were held to discuss the Karabagh conflict, as well as specify both nations~R approaches towards conflict resolution in the context of eventual European integration as part of EU~Rs Wider Europe new initiative. He said discussions were held with senior officials of the European Commission, European Parliament, and EU Committee of Ministers. ~SIn general, the Armenian delegation managed to present its views and persuade Lenmarker to address that the major problem towards finding a solution is Nagorno Karabagh~Rs status and that all problems presented by Azeris are its derivatives~Ewithout the resolved issue of the status all other issues cannot be resolved,~T he said. He also indicated that during the discussion of the issue, the Azeris unsuccessfully attempted to include "Atkinson~Rs provisions" in the report, as well as tried to set the next meeting in London, in hopes of gaining backing from the British. This proposal was also denied, Hovhannisian said. 2) Armenia Asks OSCE to Send Fact-Finding Mission to Formerly Armenian-Populated Regions YEREVAN (Armenpress)--During a televised appearance over the weekend, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said that Armenia has officially asked the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send a fact-finding mission to Mountainous Karabagh~Rs northern Martakert, Shahumian, and eastern Martuni regions--once densely populated by Armenians who had fled their homes to escape Azeri massacres. Oskanian told Armenian Public TV that the OSCE fact-finding mission's report indicates that the issue of refugees has two sides. ~SAzeris say only they have refugees; however, the majority of those living now in several Armenian-controlled regions around Karabagh are Armenian refugees from northern Martakert and Shahumian who say they are ready to return to their homes.~T "After the OSCE fact-finding mission's report, there are no obstacles and the talks should resume," Oskanian said. 3) Armenia Names New Ambassador to US YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--President Robert Kocharian has appointed Tatul Markarian, a deputy foreign minister who has represented him in peace talks with Azerbaijan, as Armenia~Rs new ambassador to the United States. Markarian, 40, will replace Arman Kirakossian who has headed the Armenian diplomatic mission in Washington since October 1999. A graduate of Washington~Rs Johns Hopkins University, Markarian began his diplomatic career at the Armenian embassy in the U.S. where he held various positions from 1994-98. He had previously worked as a top aide to Gagik Harutiunian, Armenia~Rs former vice-president and prime minister who now heads the Constitutional Court. Markarian became deputy foreign minister in 2000 and his influence grew two years later when he was named Kocharian~Rs personal representative in internationally sponsored negotiations on Mountainous Karabagh. He met regularly with his Azeri counterpart Araz Azimov, between 2002 and 2003. 4) German Politicians Increase Pressure on Turkey over EU Reforms BERLIN (Reuters)--Turkey needs to reinvigorate its reform drive if it wants to start European Union entry talks as planned on October 3, two leading German politicians say. "At the moment, I do not see any movement. If that remains the case, there will be no start to entry negotiations," Martin Schulz, the Socialist leader of the European Parliament, told Berliner Zeitung newspaper on Sunday. "We must say clearly: If Turkey wants negotiations, further things need to happen," he told Sunday's edition of Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper. Guenter Gloser, the European spokesman of Germany's ruling Social Democrats, told the same newspaper he feared Turkey was in a "weak phase of fatigue" after a string of reforms encouraged EU leaders in December to offer Ankara a date for talks. The EU might have to delay the start of talks if Turkey did not act, he said. The German lawmakers' comments partly echo those of EU envoy Hansjorg Kretschmer, who said earlier this month Turkey was showing "slippage" in its reform drive. Television footage showing police beating and kicking mainly women demonstrators at a rally on March 6 shocked many in Europe and drew sharp criticism from EU officials. Turkey has pledged a full probe and six police officers have so far been suspended. The Istanbul incident revived concerns that Turkey is not fully implementing a range of EU-inspired human rights reforms. 5) Rumsfeld Puts Heat on Turkey By Geoff Elliott The weekend's second anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq proved to be another bloody one but US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has sheeted home at least some of the blame for the troubles to Turkey. Rumsfeld yesterday hailed Iraq's liberation and January elections but said the insurgents' success was a result of the Government in Ankara blocking US troops from entering Iraq from Turkey, to the north. "Given the level of the insurgency today, two years later, clearly if we had been able to get the 4th Infantry Division in from the north, in through Turkey, more of the Iraqi, Saddam Hussein, Baathist regime would have been captured or killed," Rumsfeld told Fox News. "The insurgency today would be less." Coalition troops were forced to use southern Iraq corridors, which the US military says allowed insurgents to evade capture in the north. The US-Turkey standoff occurred partly in the context of Ankara's concerns that any move to autonomy for Iraq's northern Kurdish population would enliven its own ethnic Kurds in their drive to independence. Rumsfeld said that by the time Baghdad was taken, Saddam's military and intelligence personnel had escaped to the northern cities and were, "in a number of instances, still active." But he was confident the Iraqi security forces were taking more responsibility for the insurgency and that it would gradually diminish. At least 45 people were killed in weekend violence in Iraq, including a US soldier. In one of at least six deadly incidents, in the northern city of Mosul a suicide bomber blew himself up in a provincial anti-corruption department. The department's chief, General Walid Kachmoula, died, as did two guards. With more than 1500 US soldiers killed and about 11,000 wounded, many Americans are asking how much longer the occupation--involving about 152,000 US troops--will continue. Asked on the ABC network whether the US commitment could be reduced soon, Rumsfeld indicated that was possible. "We're planning to bring the 152,000 down to about 135,000 or 137,000 or 140,000 over the coming weeks, now that the election is behind us." Washington expects Iraq's security forces to reach 200,000 members by the northern summer. 6) Azerbaijan's Leader Pardons 114 Prisoners BAKU (AP)--Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev pardoned more than 100 prisoners on Sunday, including dozens of opposition politicians whose release had been demanded by Europe's top human rights body. Fifty-three of the 114 people pardoned were on a list of political prisoners that the Council of Europe demanded be released, Aliyev's office said in a statement. Aliyev's decree came just four days after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe warned Azerbaijan that it must free its political prisoners or face punitive measures, including a review in the former Soviet republic's membership on the 46-nation council. Council officials were pressing for the prisoners to be released by April to ensure parliamentary elections scheduled for November are free and fair. Among those pardoned Sunday were seven top opposition leaders convicted for taking part in protests following a 2003 presidential vote and sentenced to prison terms of up to five years. Aliyev was declared the winner of the 2003 poll to succeed his father Heydar. Western observers said the election was marred by fraud, and several thousand protesters marched through Baku, smashing cars and shop windows after the vote. Like his father, the longtime ruler in this oil-rich Caspian state, Aliyev is accused of stifling political dissent and media independence, and opposition members mounted large protests earlier this month after the killing of a prominent journalist whose death they blamed on the authorities. 7) Desert Nights: An Interview with Ara Manoogian Ara Manoogian is an American-Armenian living and working in the self-declared Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. He is the grandson of Shahan Natalie, a famous Armenian writer and activist, and works for the foundation established in his grandfather~Rs name. Through the Shahan Natalie Foundation, Inc. he has conducted a number of high-profile investigations into corruption and human rights related issues in both Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. His most recent was conducted in collaboration with Edik Baghdasarian, Editor-in-Chief of Hetq Online, who investigated the trafficking of women and children from Armenia to the United Arab Emirates. ONNIK KRIKORIAN: You~Rve recently returned from your third and final trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where you were involved in an investigation into the problem of trafficking from Armenia. When did this investigation start? ARA MANOOGIAN: Edik Baghdasarian and I started this investigation at the beginning of 2004 although we had discussed this problem on many occasions prior to that. From reading many reports from international organizations in Armenia, we knew that there was a problem and so, at the beginning of 2004, we decided to examine the situation on the ground to determine whether those reports were accurate. On our first trip to Dubai in February or March 2004, we very quickly discovered where the Armenian girls were although we spoke with only one girl at first. When we noticed the sad look on her face, we considered that she was a possible victim. She reminded me very much of girls from Nagorno Karabagh and as it turned out, she was a refugee from Azerbaijan. She was twenty or twenty-one years old and was divorced from her childhood sweetheart who left for Russia because of the harsh economic condition in the country leaving her alone to bring up her daughter. Because she had been unable to find employment that would pay her a decent living wage, and as she was a very beautiful girl, she said there were only a few options available to her. She could either work in a store in Armenia for 30,000 drams (about $60) a month and be expected to sleep with her boss or she could go "elsewhere" to work. In a sense then, she was in Dubai voluntarily and we discovered that she partially knew what she was getting herself into. However, she did admit that she wasn~Rt expecting Dubai and other Arab countries to be so rough and dangerous, especially for girls. OK: Do you consider that she was a victim in the sense that as a single mother unable to support her family in Armenia she had no choice but to find this type of work abroad? AM: Yes, that~Rs what she felt. Incidentally, on our third trip we tried to find her again but her phone had been disconnected. OK: Were most of the girls at least partially deceived into working abroad as prostitutes? AM: I would say that a large number of girls from Armenia are tricked into coming by being offered an opportunity to find employment outside Armenia. Speaking to these girls, most seemed very naive and uneducated. Many came from broken homes. However, we also visited a hotel in Dubai called the St. George that accommodated a couple of hundred Armenian girls, most of whom appeared to have come to Dubai voluntarily. Even there, however, we found a few girls that had been tricked into coming by friends already working in Dubai. Because we knew that we had to get inside this ring to collect information, we also managed to discover which girls were truly the victims of trafficking and which were not. As a result, those that had been tricked wanted to expose those responsible for their situation. OK: That sounds a little risky. I would imagine that those responsible for trafficking are not people you want to mess with. All you needed was one girl to tell her trafficker what you were doing... AM: We think that there was one girl like that and on my last week I was followed everywhere so yes, that risk did exist. However, the girls we trusted were quite reliable for the most part and nothing serious happened. OK: How old were the girls? AM: We heard that there were fourteen year olds in Dubai but the youngest I personally saw was sixteen. The oldest was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. OK: How did these girls manage to enter a country such as the United Arab Emirates which has very strict rules of entry, especially for young women and girls traveling alone? AM: From what we were told and from what we saw in the form of documents, the girls were first taken to Russia where false passports are prepared. Usually, the first names of the girls are kept the same, and sometimes even their surnames, but their date of birth is changed to make them over thirty. However, because they still appear to be, and actually are, younger it appears that the authorities in the UAE are therefore involved. These girls are not even questioned about their passports when they enter the country. OK: What you~Rre saying is that nobody bothers to question these young girls traveling on passports indicating that they are, in some cases, twice as old as they actually are when entering the UAE? AM: Actually, the passports they~Rre traveling on are the old red [Soviet] passports which, I think, are not recognized anywhere else in the world apart from in the UAE. OK: Presumably, the same is true when the girls leave Russia? AM: From what these girls told us, they actually have two passports. They leave Russia on their Armenian passport but then, when they board their flight, they hide it in one of their shoes and enter the UAE on their Russian passport. OK: When they arrive in Dubai, do they still retain their passports? AM: No. The trafficker takes all of their documents when they arrive and gives them a Xerox of their fake passport and visa which is sufficient for them to travel around and stay in hotels. OK: What happens then? After working for the traffickers, can they eventually buy back their passports? AM: Yes, they can buy back their freedom. The way this works is that the trafficker decides their "debt" which varies between $6-12,000. I~Rm not sure how the debt is determined but anyway, the girls work and give all their income to the trafficker who sends a minimum of $100 a month to their families in Armenia who presumably think that they are working in Russia, Greece, Spain or some other country. After the "debt" is "settled," their documents are then returned and the girls are given the option to continue to work in the UAE under the protection of the trafficker who takes a percentage of the money they earn. OK: How many Armenian girls are working as prostitutes in the UAE? AM: We can~Rt put a concrete figure on this but initial figures from various organizations estimate that there are approximately five hundred. However, I personally saw over two hundred girls in only four or five locations but others are known to be working in other places. Edik went to other locations that I didn~Rt, for example, and reported that there were also a large number of girls from Armenia there. Therefore, based on what we saw and from speaking to the girls themselves, I~Rd say that there are as many as two thousand Armenian girls working in the UAE. I would say that this is a realistic and believable figure. OK: Is there enough evidence to take legal action against anyone involved in the trafficking of women and children from Armenia to the UAE? AM: Yes, and we will be pursuing the matter once our film is ready. We would expect some arrests to be made later and maybe even prior to the completion of the film. Many of the articles we have already published are accompanied by pictures of people involved in trafficking and one woman wanted by Interpol is currently in jail in Armenia. However, she is only serving a light sentence. OK: I remember this case from one of your articles. You suggest that this particular woman returned to Armenia knowing full well she would be imprisoned for a short period of time in order to clear her name off Interpol~Rs list. AM: Yes, and if the law worked, she would be facing additional charges. OK: Is this the problem, then? Is the law not functioning correctly or are sentences for trafficking simply too light? AM: The law contains provisions to hand down heavy sentences to traffickers but the legal system is not functioning correctly. I was present at the trial of five traffickers in Armenia last August and as far as I am concerned, Judge Ohanian and the prosecutor failed to do their jobs properly. These individuals should have received sentences of at least ten years but when Gulnara Shahinian, an expert on trafficking, presented the judge with details of Armenia~Rs international obligations to prosecute those guilty of trafficking, he instead insisted on prosecuting them with old Soviet laws that carried lighter sentences of only two years. OK: Why do you think that was? AM: The evidence we collected on three trips suggests that there are officials in Armenia and the UAE that are directly involved in trafficking. There is not a single doubt in my mind that they are directly involved. OK: If that~Rs the case, and after talking about possible risks in Dubai, isn~Rt it potentially dangerous to expose those responsible for trafficking in Armenia? AM: We~Rre in the homeland. OK: That gives you protection? AM: Yes. In fact, it gives me a great deal of protection because my family has conducted this kind of work for many, many years and my grandfather as well as the foundation established in his name is very well respected by the Minister of Defense and the military. As a result, I~Rm not concerned at all and anyway, I~Rm a true believer in fate. When someone~Rs time comes, that~Rs their time. I~Rm not a person who lives in fear and it is for that reason that I do what I do. It has to be done. OK: Now that Hetq Online has examined the problem of trafficking from Armenia to the UAE, what do you think the Armenian Government~Rs response should be? AM: The Armenian Government~Rs response should be to denounce this as not being culturally cohesive and as being wrong. However, the Government has known about this problem for a number of years and I~Rm still unable to comprehend why it has not yet issued any additional statement on the matter. Regardless, the Armenian Government, as well as the Church and the Diaspora, needs to take a strong position on this problem. What we have discovered, and what we have published up until now, is irrefutable. The evidence is there and it~Rs unreasonable for people to go into denial. OK: However, do you think that it~Rs considered culturally taboo to talk about such issues? AM: Absolutely, and what I~Rve noticed from my own internet blog where quite a few of the articles have been republished is that few readers want to publicly comment on the findings of our investigation. Of course, I~Rve received some private emails which have been very positive and there have also been some financial commitments from readers for future investigative work but only on the provision that these donations are made anonymously. Otherwise, it would appear that many Armenians in the Diaspora, and even here in Armenia, are in shock. OK: It~Rs also interesting to point out that one of those responsible for funding this investigation is a prominent Diasporan who also prefers to remain anonymous. It~Rs good that they supported this project, of course, but very interesting to note that they don~Rt want their name to be known. Ironically, however, you would have thought that it is precisely these people that should be acknowledged and appreciated. AM: There were also some donations from a number of other individuals that wanted to remain anonymous. However, a number of others who said that they understood the importance of this work declined. Presumably this was because they were afraid of the possible fallout. OK: There~Rs also a sizeable Armenian Community in the UAE. Were they willing and able to assist in your investigation, albeit anonymously? AM: No. You have to understand that unless you are born in the UAE, almost everyone is on a residency visa and because the Government is directly involved with trafficking, the Armenians living and working there chose not to be involved in any shape, form or fashion even though I~Rm sure that many would have liked to have been. Because we understood that situation we pretty much left the Armenian community alone. OK: What about the Diaspora in the United States and Europe. They don~Rt face any risk so what do you think they should do? AM: I~Rve received emails from Armenians in the Diaspora who say that they found this investigation very "interesting." Unfortunately, the problem of trafficking is not "interesting." It~Rs very sad and shouldn~Rt be looked upon as just another human interest story. It is instead an issue that affects all of us regardless of whether these girls went to the UAE voluntarily or not. The reason why this phenomenon exists today is economic and therefore, it is resolvable. However, it will take commitment but until then, Armenia is in a situation that I would describe as being out of control. OK: Do you think that the Diaspora should speak out about such issues? AM: Absolutely. The Diaspora, or at least those who have a sense of belonging, has a responsibility to do so. Unfortunately, the Armenian Government does not understand the concept of civil service or the fact that they are civil servants. This has to change and Armenians in the Diaspora can assert a certain amount of pressure on the Government to do so. However, so far they~Rre not. Instead, there~Rs a certain mentality that~Rs probably very damaging for this nation. It~Rs the idea of something being "amot (shameful)." I~Rve heard this over and over again and the notion that it~Rs shameful to talk about problems such as trafficking. It~Rs much easier to ignore the problem but, in my opinion, there~Rs nothing shameful in talking about such problems if the situation can be changed as a result. The Armenian Diaspora can play a role in that and perhaps I~Rm evidence of that. OK: However, you~Rre just one person out of six million. AM: Yes, I~Rm one of six million but my voice has been heard time and time again and I~Rve achieved results. If properly coordinated, I believe that other individuals and organizations can also have a positive impact in determining the future of our nation. In my opinion, it~Rs time for the Diaspora to wake up. When people remain silent, they can only contribute to perpetuating such problems. OK: Of course, some people, especially in the Diaspora, might instead criticize you for concentrating only on the negative aspects of life in Armenia. How would you respond to those that accuse you of dirtying the country~Rs image abroad? AM: I would say that unless we address the problems that threaten the future of this nation, there can be no moving forward. However, I~Rd also add that I think of myself as an optimist and believe that Armenia has a promising future if these problems are resolved. --- Edik Baghdasarian and Ara Manoogian~Rs investigation into the trafficking of women and children from Armenia can be read online at <; Ara Manoogian~Rs blog from Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, Martuni or Bust, can be read online at <; 8) Alpha Epsilon Omega Wristband Campaign Seeks to Raise Genocide Awareness LOS ANGELES--Alpha Epsilon Omega, The Armenian Fraternity, has launched the `Never Again' awareness wristband campaign to bring greater awareness to the Armenian Genocide and the struggle for recognition. They will serve as a symbol that recognition of the Armenian genocide is a crucial part in preventing future genocides. The wristbands are a reflection of the spirit of the Armenian culture which has endured the constant pose of denial from the government of Turkey. The wristbands represent the constant reminder to ourselves that history, if not accounted for, is in danger of repeating itself. The awareness wristbands are in black and have ~QNEVER AGAIN~R embossed on one side. Available for purchase from the website, the wristbands are for youth and adults of all ages. All proceeds, including donations generated by the NEVER AGAIN campaign, will go to the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, the Zoryan Institute, and other organizations actively involved in pursuing recognition of the Armenian genocide. Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial being part of ANI (Armenian National Institute) is in the forefront of research in the area of the Armenian genocide and the prevention of future genocides. The Zoryan institute funding the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies is also making opportunities for scholars to research and publish in the field of genocide and human rights studies. For more information regarding these organizations, please visit the following websites: <; and <; If you would like to become a sponsor, or would like to know how you or your organization can contribute to this campaign, please visit <; or send an email to [email protected]. 9) Disabled Armenian Athlete Completes LA Marathon GLENDALE--Pyunic athlete Greta Khandzrtyan, an above the knee double amputee from Armenia, completed the 26-mile wheelchair division of the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, March 6, in 3 hours and 19 minutes. ~SI am thrilled to have finished my second Los Angeles Marathon and proud to be able to show that a person can accomplish any goal regardless of their physical disabilities,~T said Khandzrtyan, 18. Khandzrtyan's determination was put to the test after passing the 5-mile marker. She fell out of her racing wheelchair when her waist strap came apart. After recovering from the fall, she was assisted back into her wheelchair by spectators. However, Khandzrtyan was not able to race at full speed as part of her chair's wheel frame had bent. At the 22nd mile mark, Lorig Sivazlian, a Pyunic-LA member, briefly joined the race. Seeing Khandzrtyan approach, Sivazlian moved from the sidewalk and ran alongside the racer shouting words of encouragement. ~SI received an extra burst of energy by seeing Lorig and the three other Pyunic supporters,~T added Khandzrtyan. Founded in 1989 to help the disabled children of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Pyunic is the leading non-governmental organization shaping public awareness for the disabled. Pyunic provides humanitarian aid, social services, career training and summer/winter teaching camps. Pyunic athletes have competed in numerous worldwide athletic competitions, including the Los Angeles Marathon and both summer and winter Paralympics since 1994. For more information about Pyunic, please contact Sarkis Ghazarian at (818) 785-3468 or visit <; 10) Antonovich Appoints John Krikorian to Small Business Commission LOS ANGELES--Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich recently appointed John Krikorian to the Los Angeles County Small Business Commission--which serves to provide ongoing advice and support to the Board of Supervisors to help small business grow in Los Angeles County. A resident of Glendale, Krikorian is a publisher/consultant for Cal-Conn Enterprises, Inc., publisher of Business Life and Senior Living Magazines, along with Krikorian Marketing Group. He is also a member of the Glendale Adventist Medical Center Civic Advisory Board, Pasadena~Rs Mayor Disability Committee, Woodbury University President~Rs Executive Council, County of Los Angeles Human Relations Corporate Advisory Council, and County of Los Angeles Area Agency for Aging. Krikorian and his son Greg Krikorian (serving as President on the Glendale Unified School Board) founded in 1989 Business Life Magazine--a four-color business lifestyle magazine that serves readers and advertisers in Los Angeles County. Readers include business owners--small and large--movers and shakers in cities served, professionals and various members of multicultural chamber and business associations, Hispanic, Armenian, Asian, Filipino, Black, etc. Senior Living Magazine serves the over 55 market in Los Angeles County and delivers quality journalism in a four-color format. Business Life Magazine has received many awards over the past years, including the State of California ~SMedia Advocate~T award from the US Small Business Administration, as well as Soroptimist International~Rs prestigious ~SImproving the Status of Women~T award. In the mid-90~Rs, with the emerging ethnic market, they saw the need to develop a multicultural agency. Krikorian Marketing Group (KMG) was born to serve the needs of the multicultural market located in Los Angeles County and in California. The concentration was on emerging multicultural populations that included a large and growing number of Armenians and extended to connect with the Russian, Arabic, and Iranian communities. For additional information call (818) 240-7088, Fax (818) 240-7380, or visit <; All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri leader looking for partners in undemocratic countries – pundit
Yeni Musavat, Baku
18 Mar 05

Text of Kanan report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat on 18 March
headlined “China does not care whether Azerbaijan is a democratic
country or not” and subheaded “Hacizada believes that Ilham Aliyev is
looking towards despotic countries since he is not invited to
civilized countries”
Criticized by the democratic countries of the world, [Azerbaijani
President] Ilham Aliyev is looking towards despotic and authoritarian
regimes in the East. It is not by chance that Iran, Russia, Saudi
Arabia are among the countries recently visited by the successor. The
only European state, which he recently visited, is Italy – the home
country of the mafia.
It must be remembered that the Washington administration, which was
reproached by the democratic public for supporting Ilham Aliyev when
he came to power, has not yet invited him to the USA. Therefore, the
successor’s visits are confined to the northern and southern routes
and other undemocratic countries.
Political expert Hikmat Hacizada sees two reasons behind the Western
countries’ reluctance to send invitations to Ilham Aliyev. First, the
West and the USA are specifically demonstrating their dislike for
Ilham Aliyev’s dictatorial policy in Azerbaijan. That’s to say the
government has an anti-democratic image.
The second reason, the pundit thinks, is that Azerbaijan is lagging
behind these countries in many aspects: “On the other hand, from an
economic point of view, Azerbaijan has nothing in common with
democratic countries. In other words, the country is in such a
situation that there is no sphere left for cooperation with the West.”
We wonder how undemocratic countries of the East can help Ilham
Aliyev? Some people believe that with these visits, the successor is
compensating for the lack of invitations from the West.
Although the pundit ruled out political support, he admits that such
visits promote economic ties. “Visits to such countries are less
productive from a political point of view. Although they are despotic
regimes, they have no strength. However, it is possible to do some
low-level business with them. It is possible to exchange raw materials
and establish other low-level bilateral relations. For the time being,
things have not reached a point when Ilham Aliyev would be paying
visits for the sake of paying visits. They have certain relations with
despotic countries, but these contacts certainly cannot be compared to
business relations with democratic countries.”
Ilham Aliyev flew to China yesterday. According to official reports,
documents on bilateral cooperation will be signed and a business forum
will be held there. Commenting on the successor’s visit to Beijing,
Hikmat Hacizada said the visit was important to both sides at the
moment. “China is a big country and its influence is on the
increase. Beijing is trying to be more active in its foreign
policy. Azerbaijan is an ordinary country with which China wants to
cooperate. China probably intends to make investment in Azerbaijan and
take part in oil projects. In principle, we also need to establish
ties with China to resolve the Karabakh problem and implement economic
projects. China is also one of the important states in the UN.”
The pundit thinks that since China is not a democratic country, Ilham
Aliyev can set up normal partnership with it: “Beijing does not care
whether Azerbaijan is a democratic country or not, because China
itself is not well-developed either. Therefore, Azerbaijan can be
China’s worthy partner both in the economic and political spheres.”