Author: Kanayan Tamar

Transitions Online, Czech Republic
June 23 2005
The Revolution Business

by Emil Danielyan
23 June 2005
The United States adopts a cautious stance on Armenia’s
democratization. From EurasiaNet.
The United States has stepped up efforts to promote democratization
in former Soviet states in recent years. Accordingly, opposition
leaders in Armenia are hopeful of receiving Washington’s support for
a renewed push to force President Robert Kocharian’s administration
from power in Yerevan. But U.S. officials seem anxious to squelch
such expectations, insisting that they harbor no regime-change
ambitions for Armenia.
During a visit to Georgia in mid-May, US President George W. Bush
offered effusive praise for the Rose Revolution led by Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili. Some politicians and pundits in
neighboring Armenia interpreted Bush’s statements as a thinly veiled
call for democratically oriented regime change throughout the
Caucasus. Media outlets in Yerevan have since speculated on who might
be Washington’s preferred successor to Kocharian.
Members of the Bush administration now adamantly deny they want
political turnover in Yerevan. `We are not in the revolution
business,” a senior Bush administration official said in an
interview. The official went on to downplay Washington’s role in the
recent revolutionary trend, saying the United States was `not
responsible’ for the successful popular uprisings in Georgia,
Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan. The official noted that the United States
had maintained good relations with the toppled leaders of the three
ex-Soviet states, Georgia’s Eduard Shevardnadze, Ukraine’s Leonid
Kuchma and Kyrgyzstan’s Askar Akaev. “We didn’t do anything to
trigger those events,” he said.
The senior administration official indicated that recent statements
made by President Bush should not be interpreted as a call for street
protests, or other anti-government action that undermines stability
in the region. `The [Armenian] opposition should not launch a
dangerous revolution or seek to humiliate the [Kocharian] regime,”
the senior administration official said, adding that Washington now
favors an `evolutionary process’ of democratization.
Officials at the State Department made a similar point, saying that
the United States supports only the use of `legal means’ in any
effort to bring about political change. U.S. enthusiasm for regime
change seems to have cooled markedly since the 13 May violence in
Andijan, Uzbekistan.
Armenia’s leading opposition parties have never recognized the
legitimacy of Kocharian’s disputed re-election in 2003, and they have
maintained a boycott of the country’s parliament. Apparently
encouraged by the rhetoric of the Bush administration, opposition
leaders have sent signals that they may organize another round of
mass rallies aimed at forcing Kocharian to step down. The
opposition’s first protest effort stalled in 2004 in the face of
stiff governmental resistance.
Of late, the opposition’s rhetoric has taken on a more aggressive
tone. Embracing a pro-Western foreign policy agenda, some opposition
politicians have gone as far as to call for Armenia’s withdrawal from
the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty, and the country’s
accession to NATO. Russia and Armenia have traditionally enjoyed a
special strategic relationship.
Aram Sarkisian, the outspoken leader of Armenia’s most radical
opposition party called Hanrapetutiun (Republic), traveled to
Washington in early June for meetings with White House and State
Department officials. He said the trip reinforced his resolve to
carry out a “revolution.” Sarkisian and other top opposition leaders
feel that they can count on Washington’s support in their
revolutionary endeavors.
“That is a dangerous and false assumption,” countered a State
Department official. He and other American officials indicated that
the U.S. government does not regard regime change as a necessary
condition for Armenia’s democratization.
According to Cory Welt, a Caucasus and Central Asia analyst at the
Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, such
statements can be taken at face value. `From all indications that I
have seen, Armenia is definitely not a target [for the Bush
administration],’ he said. `They tolerate the current regime in
Yerevan.’
Kocharian’s government drew praise from two U.S. senators who visited
Yerevan recently. Senator Charles Hagel, a Nebraska Republican,
professed to be `very impressed with the democratic reforms and
economic development that have taken place in Armenia.’ Earlier,
Senator Norm Coleman, a Minnesota Republican, downplayed Armenia’s
troubled history of tainted elections.
Coleman’s remarks seemed at odds with the strong U.S. criticism of
the last Armenian presidential election in 2003. The State Department
said at the time that Armenian authorities `missed an important
opportunity to advance democratization.’
The apparent contradiction between Bush’s pro-democracy rhetoric and
statements by other U.S. officials makes it difficult to predict how
Washington might react if the next round of Armenian national
elections, due to occur in 2007, are plagued by irregularities. `I
don’t think the United States knows exactly what it wants right now,
and that’s part of the problem,” said Welt, the political analyst.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI
June 20 2005
Apostolic church to host Armenian Picnic Sunday
Racine – St. Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church will hold its annual
Armenian Picnic or “Madagh” on Sunday at Johnson Park.
St. Hagop has held its traditional picnic since 1938.
The word madagh means offering, and Armenians have designated places
of pilgrimage where they go to worship and offer a meal to the
community.
The blessing of St. Hagop’s meal will begin at 11 a.m., with
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, who is prelate of the Armenian Apostolic
Church of the Eastern United States, officiating.
>From noon to 7 p.m., the public is invited to attend the picnic
featuring marinated shish kebab and chicken, sarma (stuffed grape
leaves), penelee (cheese puffs), khurabia (butter cookies) and other
Armenian delicacies and pastries.
Live Armenian music will be provided by the Mideast Beat throughout
the afternoon, and children’s entertainment will include a magician
and face painter.
A cash raffle drawing will be held at 6 p.m.
The event is free. For more information on the picnic, contact Mary
C. Buchaklian at (262) 639-1567 or e-mail at m [email protected].

Buffalo News (New York)
June 17, 2005 Friday
FINAL EDITION
FATHER’S COMPASSION LEAVES LASTING IMPRESSION
By Bedros “Pete” Odian
Role models come in many forms: sports figures, political leaders,
war heroes, policemen and firefighters, to name just a few. My
father, Paul, was not any of these. He grew up helping his family in
rural Armenia. He came to America as a young man in 1906 for a better
life, and worked in a factory in Providence, R.I., where I was born
in 1921.
Dad never attended school. He was semi-literate both in his native
tongue and in English. There was nothing sophisticated about him. He
seldom gave me instructions. Guidance and discipline were my mother’s
domain.
Our family moved in 1922 to Manhattan, where my father operated a
one-man grocery store in a working-class neighborhood. When the
Depression came along, it became necessary to extend credit to the
customers whose families he came to know intimately.
>From time to time, someone would come in and beg for money. Dad
usually refused, suspecting that the individual accumulated nickels
and dimes to purchase liquor. Prohibition was still in effect.
One day, a fellow came in and asked for money. When my father
refused, the man said he needed the money to buy something to eat.
When my father asked him if he was hungry, he replied, “Yes.”
The man was taken to the rear room of the store and seated at the
table. Dad brought in food and beverage fit for a king.
I was 10 or 12 at the time. I will always remember the kindness shown
to that unfortunate soul. As my mind goes back seven decades, I
realize that here was a lesson by example. I saw compassion.
The store was located on the West Side, 35th Street, between 9th and
10th avenues. In the late ’30s the New York & New Jersey Port
Authority began constructing the Lincoln Tunnel across the Hudson
River between New York and New Jersey. It was necessary to demolish
the tenements midway between 9th and 10th avenues from 34th Street to
42nd Street for an approach road to the tunnel.
It already was difficult to keep the store profitable. Many customers
failed to pay their bills for groceries. Indeed, my father fell
behind in his payables to his suppliers. To demolish buildings
housing the bulk of customers was the last straw. He surrendered the
store.
After a time, dad operated a small store on the East Side. He resumed
buying from an egg merchant from his days on the West Side, Max Blum.
Blum said to my father, “Paul, we have done business together for
many years. Some of the bills from the West Side were not paid. Let’s
forget about it and continue our friendly relationship. Times were
bad for everybody.” I witnessed the conversation. There is room for
heart in business.
My father retired in the 1950s because of failing health. He visited
grocer friends in various neighborhoods in Manhattan. During one
visit, one of my father’s customers from the ’20s and ’30s spotted
him. They had lost touch for 25 years.
The man told my father to stay put while he went to his home to get
something. Upon return, he handed my father $100, saying, “You
trusted me when times were bad. I lost track of you. I am happy to
satisfy my debt.”
I am reminded of Etienne de Grellet’s poem: “. . . any kindness that
I can show . . . let me do it now. . . . For I shall not pass this
way again.”
Bedros “Pete” Odian lives in Amherst

Turkey says planned elections in disputed Azeri-Armenian region illegitimate
Anatolia news agency
17 Jun 05
Ankara, 17 June: Namik Tan, spokesman of the Turkish Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, said that Turkey considered “illegitimate”
parliamentary elections planned to be held in Nagornyy Karabakh.
Replying to a question on parliamentary elections to be held in
Nagornyy Karabakh on 19 June, Tan stated, “Elections planned to be
held in Nagornyy Karabakh, which is still under Armenian occupation,
mean violation of principles of UN, OSCE (Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe) and Council of Europe, and international
law principles.”
Underlining that Nagornyy Karabakh issue was one of the main reasons
which prevented settlement of peace and stability, cooperation and
good relations between regional countries in southern Caucasus region,
Tan recalled that Turkey believed that a lasting solution should be
found to the issue through dialogue within the scope of territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan and in line of international law principles.
Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a similar statement
a few days ago, condemning the parliamentary elections planned to be
held in Nagornyy Karabakh.
The statement said that elections to be held in the region under
occupation would not affect positively solution process of the
Nagornyy Karabakh issue, underlining that such initiatives did not
have a legal validity. It added that it did not comply with the
Constitution of Azerbaijan.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Technology Group, Inc.
1300 E. Shaw Ave., Suite 149
Fresno, CA 93710
Contact: Avo Arikian
Tel: 559-224-1000
Fax: 559-224-1002
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
For Immediate Release
June 14, 2005
ATG Bike-a-Thon III
Imagine biking hundreds of miles, encountering mountains, rocky
terrain, and long stretches of uninhabited land as you go. On August
20, 2005, a number of designated riders will do just that, as they
ride for Armenia during the Armenian Technology Group’s Bike-a-Thon
III. Their goal is simple: to help rebuild their ancestral homeland
into a strong, vibrant nation.
The past two Bike-a-Thons have been a very successful part of the
ongoing process to help Armenia’s rural farmers prosper. Bike-a-Thon
I helped establish a certified grape nursery in the Artsakh region;
ATG estimates that every dollar invested in the nursery increases local
income 14-fold. Fifty-three families are now employed by the nursery,
and hundreds of acres of vineyards in Karabakh are being rejuvenated
yearly with young, disease-free grapevines.
Bike-a-Thon II played a critical role in raising the funds to purchase
four milk-cooling tanks to serve as storage for rural farmers,
allowing their surplus milk to be kept fresh and to be sold to dairy
processors. The milk tanks also serve as inspection sites to ensure
that Armenia’s children are provided with fresh, wholesome milk. More
than 3,000 families in 4 villages are the target beneficiaries of
this project.
This year’s Bike-a-Thon has the specific goal of raising the funds
needed to train professional veterinarians who will work with
the Central Diagnostic Lab to a) help increase farm production and
income, and b) to ensure that the milk and dairy products are safe for
consumption. The purpose of the Lab is to ensure that Armenia’s rural
farming operations can minimize the spread of a wide range of diseases
including as tuberculosis, brucellosis, salmonella, anthrax and e.coli,
which can enter the food supply and thereby affect public health. This
will also help farmers to run their operations more efficiently and
productively. “Rural economic development in Armenia is vital to the
future of the country. We sincerely appreciate those who participate
in helping us attain our mutual goal,” said ATG executive director
Varoujan Der Simonian.
Preparations are already under way for Bike-a-Thon III. Vatche
Soghomonian, who led the first two cycling events and recently
qualified for the Tour de France, will be accompanied by other bikers
eager to support Armenia. “I invite anyone who is willing to join me
in this noble cause of revitalizing our homeland”, stated Soghomonian.
Vatche and his friends will begin their ride from Yerevan, then peddle
towards Khor Virab, and then on to Noravank. They will then journey to
Yeghegnatsor and through Areni wine country, stopping to have a taste
of Armenia’s wines. The tour will continue to Sisian, and then Goris,
followed by a stop at Khapan, and onward to Meghri. The bikers will
pass through Karabakh, visiting Shushi and Stepanakert. They will visit
the ATG wine grape nursery in Khramort, funded by Diaspora Armenians,
and ride to the ancient Gantzasar monastery. The tour will then climb
from Yeghegnatsor to Marduni, and along Lake Sevan, then continuing
on to Oshakan, Sartarabad, and finally visit St. Echmiadzin before
returning to Yerevan.
The tour will also feature several Walk-a-Thons through several
villages and towns on the same path as the Bike-a-Thon, giving
participants a close connection with the local residents. Throughout
the tour, they will rely on the hospitality of the local population
to regain their strength. As in the past, their efforts are expected
to attract many supporters, from inside Armenia and out, to see them
in action. Tourists will also be able to visit the many natural and
historical wonders of the country. Media coverage of the Bike-a-Thon
will bring rural Armenia into the spotlight, showing the great beauty
and potential of the countryside.
For more information about participating in Bike-A-Thon III or to help
financially, please visit the Armenian Technology Group website at:
or call (559) 224-1000.

6 WITNESSES INTERROGATED DURING TRIAL OF SPY FOR AZERI SPECIAL SERVIcES
YEREVAN, JUNE 13. ARMINFO. 6 witnesses were interrogated during today’s
court hearing of the case of Andrey Maziev who is accused of spying
for the Azeri special serviCes.
Maziev is facing charges of high treason, terrorist act and murder
political plotting.
The court has found out that Maziev tried to establish contacts
with the president of the Ashur Assyrian youth organization of
Armenia Irina Gasparyan who has taken part in many international
events in Tbilisi and Baku and has consequently had contacts with
Azeri representatives. In the spring 2002 she went to Baku to take
part in a conference of the South Caucasian ethnic minorities. Some
Zaur Hasan and Mahmud (the latter Azeri national security agent) met
her on the Georgian-Azeri border. At first they were very aggressive
but then calmed down. The men refused to be photographed. Gasparyan
says that during her visit she as not offered to move to Azerbaijan
pointblank but some hints were made – moreover the question was not
only about her personally but about the whole Assyrian community.
The employee of Yerevan Project Petros Sogomonyan says that he has also
been a target of such offers. In 1964-1972 he worked in Nakhichevan
for Soviet-Iranian expedition and for many years had business contacts
with Azeri KGB agents. Sogomonyan says that the Azeri special services
may be interested in him as an specialist.
Witness Artur Haroutyunyan says that Maziev asked him to help him to
get a job at Drmbon mining group but his father dissuaded him from
so doing. Witness Armenak Sirakanyan (class mate of Maziev, Defence
Ministry employee) says that Maziev was a constant bother for his
friends and relatives but he never said he contacted with the Azeri
special services.
The court has also found out that the Azeri special services instructed
Maziev to join the Communist Party of Armenia which he did in Apr 2000.
The next hearing is scheduled for June 17.

Azerbaijan News Service
June 11 2005
CROATIA AND AZERBAIJAN BOOST RELATIONS
2005-06-11 12:23
Croatia supports the territorial integrity o Azerbaijan and wants
settlement of Daqliq Qarabaq conflict within the principles of UN. It
is said in the joined communiqué signed by Ilham Aliyev, president of
Azerbaijan and Stipe Mesic his Croatian counterpart. They discussed
opportunities to develop bilateral relation on all spheres. The Two
appeared before the media after having met in head to head and
enlarged meeting. Ilham Aliyev said either Azerbaijan or Croatia
faced the invasion but if situation in Balkans was normal time being
it was not the same in the Caucasus. Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan was
ready to give the highest autonomous status and guarantee the
security of Armenians. Mr.Aliyev said that Armenians occupied the
territories of Azerbaijan with the help of foreign armed forces.
Ilham Aliyev also spoke about economic potential of his country
informed about newly opened Baku -Tbilisi -Jeyhan pipeline. In his
turn Stipe Mesic told his country was open for Azeri goods and it was
good opportunity for Croatian companies to establish business there.
Stipe Mesic said there was a good chances to build cooperation in
energy, tourism and agriculture spheres. It was also decided to open
mutual representatives in Baku and Zagreb. It should be noted that
leaders of ten major companies accompany the President during the
visit and they expect to meet Croatian businessmen on trade exchange.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 11 2005
ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CONCERNED OVER KARS-TBILBISI-BAKU RAILROAD
CONSTRUCTION
[June 11, 2005, 22:53:04]
AzerTAj’s Washington-based correspondent reports that visiting US
capital Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has expressed
concern over the construction of the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railroad
(Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan), at the briefing on June 10. He described
as unreasonable a spending millions of dollars on the new project
whereas existing railroad Kars-Gumri (Turkey-Armenia) is `rusting’.
In the States, the Armenian Minister met with State Secretary
Condoleeza Rice, US President’s National Security Advisor Stephen
Hadley and co chairs of the US Congress’ working group for Armenian
issues.
According to Mr. Oskanyan, ongoing political and economic reforms in
Armenia, ways to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkey-Armenia
relations and current situation in the South Caucasus are what the
meeting were focus on. He claimed Armenia would not become one more
place of `revolution’.
Touching upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenian Foreign
Minister said the meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart expected
on June 17 in Paris would be built on the progress reached by the
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Warsaw. He claimed the future
of the peace talks would depend on the forthcoming parliamentary
elections in Azerbaijan.
As for the moving the Russian military installations from Georgia to
Armenia, Vardan Oskanyan said, it met the interests of both sides
increasing Armenia’s security in the current situation.

Foreign Policy Association
June 10 2005
Chiefs of Party – New Independent States
DPK Consulting

DPK Consulting, an international development consulting firm working
in rule of law and democratic governance, seeks candidates for
anticipated USAID anti-corruption/civil society projects in Armenia,
Georgia, and Ukraine. The projects will focus on working with
nongovernmental organizations, the media and the private sector to
build public awareness of costs of corruption and shared
responsibility to combat it. We are seeking candidates for:
Chief of Party – Armenia
Chief of Party – Georgia
Chief of Party – Ukraine
Qualification:
Demonstrated ability to manage, design, and implement technical
assistance, and training programs to combat corruption and advance
public or private sector reforms, with a focus on building broad
civil society engagement and support and increased public awareness.
Extensive knowledge of and one or more of the following areas:
assessing, measuring, and monitoring corruption in different
sectors/agencies; corruption indicators and monitoring systems;
generating credible information on corruption through forensic audits
and targeted expenditure tracking surveys; improving the capacity of
regulatory and control institutions to detect and share information
on corruption; legal frameworks; engaging private sector and creating
linkages to economic reforms; grants program design and management;
public access to information; advocacy; constituency/coalition
building; civil society complaint and oversight mechanisms and NGO
watchdogs; community mobilization and oversight of public investment
and service delivery; legislative strengthening and processes;
independent media and training in investigative journalism.
Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience and at least 5
years of international experience. Previous work experience in the
NIS/Eurasia region preferred.
Experience on USAID projects.
Fluent in English. Knowledge of local languages and/or Russian a
plus.
Please submit resume and cover letter to: [email protected]
with the job code `NIS-01.03′ in the subject line. No phone calls,
please.
Email: [email protected]

CONSTITUTION, LEGISLATION MEETING CE STANDARD TO OPEN NEW PROSPECTS
FOR ARMENIA’S DEVELOPMENT
YEREVAN, June 7. /ARKA/. The Constitution and legislation that meet
the CE standards will open new prospects for Armenia’s development,
the newly appointed Swedish Ambassador to Armenia Jugan Mulander
stated at his meeting with Speaker of the RA National Assembly Artur
Baghdasaryan. He expressed his country’s willingness to contribute to
reforms and development programs in Armenia. In his turn, Speaker
Baghdasaryan congratulated the Ambassador and informed him of the
reforms in Armenia. He pointed out that the country’s involvement in
the EU New Neighborhood program creates new opportunities for
democratic reforms and economic development. According to him, Armenia
needs both the experience and assistance of Sweden. P.T. -0–