Author: Kanayan Tamar

Pan Armenian News
KOCHARIAN AWARDED MKHITAR GOSH MEDAL TO CAROLINE COX
17.09.2005 05:30
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian yesterday signed a
degree on awarding Vice-Speaker of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, baroness Caroline Cox with Mkhitar
Gosh medal. The award is due to the contribution to the development and
strengthening of the Armenian-British ties, as well as for the efficient and
dedicated philanthropic activities for many years, reported the Press
Service of the Armenian leader. When handing the medal to baroness Cox in
the course of the meeting, R. Kocharian appreciated her consistent and
purposeful activities. Within Pilgrimage to Artsakh mission Caroline Cox is
visiting Nagorno Karabakh for the 60th time now. Ms. Cox shared her
impressions of NK with the President. Baroness Cox noted that progress is
evident after each of her visits to Armenia and NKR. At the instance of C.
Cox, R. Kocharian told her about his meeting with the Azeri President and
presented the current course of the Karabakh settlement process.

EXPLORE CULTURES AT HERITAGE FESTIVAL
By Stacy Jenkins
Staff writer
Farmington Observer, MI
Sept 18 2005
This week’s Heritage Festival events will celebrate the many colors
that weave the fabric of the Farmington_Farmington Hills community
and the common threads that unite its residents.
The Heritage Festival, a week-long celebration with special events
happening all around the community, began six years ago as a way to
share racial and cultural backgrounds in the community.
“Just as quickly, we realized we wanted to explore not only our
differences, but our similarities as Farmington and Farmington
Hills residents,” said Karen Bolsen, co-chair of the Multicultural
Multiracial Community Council.
A special new citizen swearing-in ceremony will do just that. The
annual event, which draws hundreds of new citizens, is set for 10
a.m. on Monday, Sept. 19, at the Costick Center. The ceremony includes
voter training and voter registration for new citizens.
“Most United States citizens originated from other countries or their
ancestors did, so we wanted to share that similarity as Americans,”
said Bolsen.
Heritage events
New this year will be a cultural music concert and lecture, set for
7-8:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 19, at the Farmington Community Library,
32737 W. 12 Mile Road. The event will feature Ara Topouzian, who
will lecture and demonstrate Armenian and Middle Eastern instruments.
Accompanying on percussion will be Mark Sawasky. For more information
call (248) 553-0300. The event is free of charge.
A leadership luncheon and mini conference will be held 11:30 a.m. –
1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Costick Center. The event
will highlight the unveiling of a multicultural art exhibit.
New this year, a world music concert will be held 12 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Civic Theatre in downtown Farmington. It’s
the first Heritage Week event to be held in the city of Farmington.
Music will include performances by Millish, a Celtic band; Eastern
Winds, Middle Eastern music; and Biakuye, African music.
The main Heritage Festival will happen from 12:30 – 5:30 p.m. on
Sunday, Sept. 25. This exciting event will take place at the Costick
Center and include many free attractions, such as cultural booths;
children’s activities with crafts from around the world; ethnic food;
community booths and historical displays; ethnic music and dance
and foreign language children’s book collection and distribution.
“Heritage Week is important because we honor every single heritage
from the Quakers in the Magical History Tour, which debuted with our
festival, through our history to all of the backgrounds represented
by our current residents,” said Bolsen. “We have 85 languages spoken
in the homes of our current students. What a fabulous way to have
fun as we better understand each of our neighbors’ backgrounds.”
For more information, leave a message on the multicultural information
line at (248) 871-2512.

ARMENIA READY TO JOIN CE “STAGE” PROGRAM AND ESTABLISH CULTURAL
CONTACTS WITH AZERBAIJAN
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14. ARMINFO. The South Caucasian culture ministers
are to meet in Kyiv Sept 15.
The press service of Armenia’s Culture and Youth Ministry reports that
during the conference Armenia’s Culture Minister Hovik Hoveyan will
speak about introducing the CE “STAGE” project (support of
transitional cultural processes in Big Europe) in the South
Caucasus. Hoveyan will introduce projects to develop culture and
society as well as to establish cultural cooperation between Armenia,
Georgia and Azerbaijan. CE experts have already visited Armenia and
have presented the STAGE. The period of the project will be specified
during the conference.
The enlarged conference will last till Sept 16. The key topic will be
Culture and Cultural Policy for Development.
The STAGE was launched in Dec 2000 to help the South Caucasus to
develop effective transitional cultural policies and to encourage
contacts between the region and Europe.
Attending the conference will also be observers and donors from
Greece, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine as well as
delegates from all 48 signatories to European Cultural Convention.
Opening the event will be Ukraine’s Culture and Tourism Minister Oxana
Bilozir and CE Deputy Secretary General Maud de Boer-Buquicchio.

MehrNews.com, Iran
Sept 14 2005
Iranian director producing film in Azerbaijan Republic
TEHRAN, Sept. 14 (MNA) — Iranian director Babak Shirinsefat’s film
`Aisuda’ is currently in the pre-production stage in the cities of
Lankaran and Astara in the Azerbaijan Republic, the Persian service
of Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on Wednesday.
`The 90-minute movie is about the Karabakh war between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. It tells the story of two Azeri refugees, showing the
influence of war on people’s lives,’ he said.
The film also features Azeri actors and Iranian actors like Farhad
Qaemian, he added.
He intends to complete the movie in time to screen it in winter 2006
at the Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran.
Some parts of the movie will also be shot in Iran, he said.
Shirinsefat’s other film on the Karabakh war, `The Zero-Hour Train’,
was warmly welcomed at the Baku Film Festival in October 2004.
For over a decade, one million displaced Azeris have been living
under appalling conditions since the Karabakh war. These people are
living in tents, underground caves, and old train cars. The film
shows the difficult plight of these refugees who have been forgotten
by the entire world.

Eurasia Daily Monitor
The Jamestown Foundation
Sept 13 2005
WILL TBILISI FACILITATE AN ANTI-ALIEV REVOLUTION IN AZERBAIJAN?
By Zaal Anjaparidze
Monday, September 12, 2005
In recent weeks both the Georgian and the Azerbaijani media have
actively speculated whether the government of Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili would support a popular revolution in neighboring
Azerbaijan. Some analysts tend to link the recently cooled relations
between Tbilisi and Baku with this issue.
On August 26 Azerbaijan’s State Border Service detained a Georgian
citizen, Merab Jibuti, for illegally crossing the border of
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani law-enforcement officials claim that Jibuti
was connected with the Azerbaijani opposition youth movement Yeni
Fikir (New Thinking), and he reportedly admitted to attending a
secret meeting with Yeni Fikir leader Ruslan Bashirli and his
associates in Tbilisi on July 28-29. Moreover, Bashirli, who was
arrested on August 3 on charges of plotting a coup in Azerbaijan, met
with an Armenian special services agent in Tbilisi and received cash
from him to organize public unrest in Baku. Against the backdrop of
hitherto good Georgian-Azerbaijani relations, this widely advertised
news could not pass unnoticed.
Before this incident Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev had told
border service officials on August 17 that he would not spare any
money in improving control over the border with Georgia in order to
“preserve stability in Azerbaijan.” Aliev’s statement was clear
evidence of Baku’s concerns.
On August 29, the Georgian Intelligence Agency confirmed reports by
Georgian and Azerbaijani media outlet that Batu Kutelia, chief of
Georgian intelligence, had visited Azerbaijan and met with Aliev to
discuss bilateral issues, including cooperation between the Georgian
and Azerbaijani special services to ensure the security of the
region. Meanwhile, the Georgian Interior Ministry denied that
Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili had visited Baku on August 15,
while the Azerbaijani media reported that Merabishvili had met with
Aliev. Georgian media speculated that both of these visits were
linked to the investigation of an alleged revolutionary plot in
Azerbaijan and aimed at warming the chilly relations between Aliev
and Saakashvili.
Symptomatically, on September 6 Saakashvili openly stated that
Georgia’s top priority is the victory of democracy worldwide.
Therefore Georgia would always support democracy in any region but
would do so within the parameters of the law. Saakashvili made this
announcement when he welcomed home two activists from the Georgian
youth movement Kmara (Enough) after they had been detained in Belarus
for one week for training the Belarusian opposition youth
organization Zubr in methods of civil disobedience. Kmara was modeled
after the Yugoslav youth group Otpor. It was a key player in the
Georgian Rose Revolution and a contributor to the Ukrainian Orange
Revolution.
The Azerbaijani media, both pro-governmental and opposition, have
actively speculated about the possibilities of a Western supported
“color revolution” in Azerbaijan and the inevitable replacement of
Aliev by an “Azerbaijani Saakashvili.” Russian analysts have
anxiously noted that the Azerbaijani opposition widely uses the
methods tested during the Rose and Orange Revolutions, hinting at the
possible involvement of Georgian envoys in training the anti-Aliev
opposition (RBK, August 17; Nezavisimaya gazeta, August 29). Some
supporters of Aliev have also accused Tbilisi of clandestinely
supporting the anti-Aliev opposition groups.
Aliev and his entourage likely suspect that Saakashvili might be
willing to sacrifice his friendship with Aliev to cause of global
democracy. Symptomatically, Aliev has so far refused to join the
declaration about a “Commonwealth of Democratic Choice,” that
Saakashvili and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko signed at
the Georgian health-resort Borjomi on August 12 (see EDM, August 15).
Most Georgian officials and analysts have vehemently excluded any
possibility of Georgia’s involvement in the would-be revolution in
Azerbaijan.
Any support of an anti-Aliev revolution in Azerbaijan looks almost
suicidal for Georgia both politically and economically, taking into
account neighborly relations and Georgia’s dependence on Azerbaijan’s
goodwill regarding the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and other joint
international energy projects. However, Saakashvili’s opposition
argues that the concerns of Azerbaijani officials over Saakashvili’s
“revolutionary” plans are not groundless, because Saakashvili wants
to curry favor with the West.
Givi Targamadze, chair of the Georgian parliamentary committee for
defense and security, who was an informal consultant for the Kyrgyz
“Tulip Revolution” (see EDM, March 25) said that the Georgian
government “must help and helps indeed” the nationwide public
movements that fight the authoritarian rules “but it is not any kind
of force that plans revolution.” “So far, I don’t see this kind of
movement in Azerbaijan,” he added. Targamadze, a former member of the
influential NGO Liberty Institute, however said that some attempts
“on the level of individual initiative” might take place.
Meanwhile, Levan Ramishvili, director of the Liberty Institute, said
that although Georgian state bodies must not be involved in the
internal processes of Azerbaijan, “The NGOs’ hands are unbound in
this respect.” “We have contacts with certain Azerbaijani NGOs. We
share with them our experience on how to make the changes in a
bloodless way,” he added.
The meeting between Aliev and Saakashvili on the sidelines of the
August 26-27 Commonwealth of Independent States summit in Kazan was
quite cool, sources say. This suggests that, contrary to the claims
by some Georgian officials, the Azerbaijani leadership remains
concerned about the Georgian leadership’s plans regarding the
situation in Azerbaijan.
(Resonance, August 18, 21; , August 26; Civil Georgia,
Turan, Regnum, RBC daily, August 30;Caucasus Press, September 6)

Days of Petersburg beginning in Armenia
ITAR-TASS, Russia
Sept 13 2005
YEREVAN, September 13 (Itar-Tass) – The Days of St. Petersburg are
beginning in Armenia on Tuesday that will become a remarkable event
within the framework of the Year of Russia held in the republic.
St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko and plenipotentiary
representative of the Russian president in the North-Eastern federal
district Ilya Klebanov are arriving in Yerevan on Tuesday to take
part in an extensive programme of the event.
They are accompanied by a large group of representatives of the
business community and culture workers of St. Petersburg. Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan will receive the delegation from the city
on the Neva River. The delegation will also hold meetings at the
Yerevan mayor’s office, with students and teachers of Russian-Armenian
(Slavic) State University. The Russian businesspeople will visit
the Armenia-Expo-2005 exhibition and take part in a Russian-Armenian
business meeting within the framework of the exhibition.
An exhibition of paintings of artists from Leningrad will be unveiled
at the National Picture Gallery of Armenia. All the 23 paintings on
display will be gifted to the gallery after the exhibition is over. A
concert of Russian and Armenian masters of arts will be held at the
Arno Babadzhanyan concert hall.
St. Petersburg is one of the main Armenia’s partners among Russian
regions. The city has traditional close ties with Armenia, especially
with Yerevan in the humanitarian sphere, in particular.
A branch of the St. Petersburg-based Foreign Economic Relations,
Economics and Law Institute is successfully operating in the
Armenian capital and an office of the Pulkovo air carrier is working.
Passenger planes of Pulkovo are performing regular flights from St.
Petersburg to Armenia and back.
The 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg was widely celebrated in
Armenia. President Robert Kocharyan visited the city to attend
the jubilee events. A large Armenian community is living in St.
Petersburg and Armenia’s Consulate General is operating there.
According to all accounts, direct bilateral contacts today have wide
development possibilities.

Sitting of PACE sub-committee on Nagorno Karabakh held in Paris
Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 13 2005
13 September 2005 [09:25] – Today.Az
The second sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe
(PACE) Lower Committee for regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh problem
is held in Paris, capital of France yesterday.
Azerbaijan is represented in the sitting by deputy Foreign Minister
Araz Azimov, head of the Azerbaijani Parliamentary delegation to PACE,
member of Lower Committee Samad Seyidov and member of sub-committee
Asim Mollazade.
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman and personal representative of OSCE
chairman-in-office Andrzey Kasprzyk have been invited to the sitting
too.
It must be noted that, the sub-committee was formed in PACE Winter
session this year and the committee is chaired by CE ex-president,
member of British parliament Lord Russell- Johnston. Yesterday’s
sitting is presided by R.Johnston too. Recommendations are expected
to be made on the regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
URL:

SPEAKERS OF HUNGARIAN, BRAZILIAN, RUSSIAN AND SLOVAKIAN PARLIAMENTS TO VISIT ARMENIA TILL END OF 2005
12.09.2005 02:42
Pan Armenian News
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian National Assembly is celebrated
its 15-th anniversary this November. On this occasion a solemn
sitting of the parliament will be convoked. As RA NA Chairman
Artur Baghdassaryan told journalists, representatives of some
interparliamentary delegations will be invited to take part in the
sitting. At the same time the Chairman informed that Speakers of
Hungarian, Brazilian, Russian and Slovakian parliaments will visit
Armenia till the end of the current year. Artur Baghdassaryan also
noted that late this year two sittings of the CIS Interparliamentary
Assembly will be held. In November the republic of Armenia will assume
presidency over the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Organization, reported by IA Regnum.

National Assembly of RA (press release), Armenia
Sept 9 2005
NA President to Participate at the World Conference of the
Parliaments’ Presidents

In Washington NA President Artur Baghdasaryan met Dennis Hastert, US
Congress Speaker. Issues pertaining to the wide circle of
Armenian-American relations were discussed in the atmosphere of full
understanding. It was decided to develop the relations between US
Congress and National Assembly, pointing out that their factual
absence doesn’t contribute to bilateral cooperation. An agreement was
reached on the cooperation of several concrete problems.
After meeting Dennis Hastert, the Republican US Congress Speaker,
Artur Baghdasaryan met Nancy Pelosi, head of the Democratic faction
of US Congress, Stanley Howard, head of the control body of
Democratic minority. NA President also had discussions on various
problems concerning Armenia and Armenian people and processes being
carried out in Armenia and in the region. Problems pertaining to the
elimination of lifting the blockade of Armenia by Turkey, recognition
of Genocide and other problems related to the South Caucasus region,
were discussed with Joe Knollenberg, Frank Pallone and congressmen
Anna Eschew, John Sweeney, Scott Garrett, Adam Schiff and Joe
Schwarz. Two projects are on the agenda of the Congress: Genocide
recognition and against the construction of the new railway through
lifting Armenia from blockade by Turkey. NA President requested to
assist in the above-mentioned matters and protect the interests of
Armenia, at the same time expressing gratitude to the congressmen for
their activities in favour of Armenia. Artur Baghdasaryan invited
them to Armenia, and the invistation was gladly accepted. During the
meeting at the request Artur Bahgdasaryan presented the reforms
taking place in Armenia.
The issues pertaining to democratic reforms being carried out in
Armenia and South Caucasus region were discussed with Daniel Fried,
Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
and John Fox, Director of Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs.
Issues pertaining to RA inner political situation, constitutional,
electoral and judicial legal reforms were discussed with Glen Davies,
Acting Deputy of State Secretary on Democracy and Human Rights.
At US State of Department meetings the parties highlighted the
development of Armenian-American cooperation in different spheres in
the atmosphere of mutual understanding.
Afterwards NA President left New York, where he will participate at
the 2nd World Conference of the Parliaments’ presidents, where Artur
Baghdasaryan’s speech is envisaged, as well as a number of bilateral
official meetings.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Times of Oman, Oman
Sept 11 2005
Iraq group threatens to kill Lebanese hostage

DUBAI — A previously unheard of group in Iraq threatened to kill a
Lebanese hostage it accused of working with a liquor distribution
firm that “deals with the occupiers,” according to a video posted on
the Internet Sunday.
“The Group for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” said
it had “captured an importer of food and liquor in Baghdad who works
for a company that deals directly with the crusader occupiers of
Iraq.”
It demanded the company’s “withdrawal from Iraq as soon as possible
in order to free the Lebanese hostage — otherwise woe on him and
you.”
The hostage, who speaking in Arabic gave the Armenian name of Garabet
Jean Chekerjian, said he held dual Lebanese and Cypriot nationality.
He was shown in the footage sitting on the floor with his hands and
feet tied.
A hooded gunman pointed an automatic weapon at his head. The captive
exhorted Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and the Lebanese embassy in
Baghdad to put pressure on his employers to pull out of Iraq.
“I hold dual Lebanese and Cypriot nationality and I work with the
branches of the ‘Jetco Trading’ (phonetic) company in Lebanon, Cyprus
and Iraq. The company supplies foodstuffs and alcoholic beverages to
the occupation forces and the Iraqi army,” he said.
“I urge the company to leave Iraq and I ask the Lebanese embassy to
put pressure on the company and its owner to sever links with the
occupation forces and the Iraqi army.”
Addressing unspecified people he named as “Gebran, Avo and Rita,” as
well as Lahoud, the captive called on all Lebanese companies to quit
Iraq, which he said was occupied “as Lebanon had been 15 years ago.”
Dozens of foreigners have been kidnapped by anti-US insurgents in
Iraq and some have been executed by their captors. About 30 Lebanese
working for private companies in Iraq have been kidnapped and later
freed, most of them in exchange for a ransom. But in September 2004,
one Lebanese national was killed by his captors and three others died
during an attempted kidnap.