Author: Kanayan Tamar

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MAY 7-13, 2004
HIGHLIGHTS:
RESEARCH ON KARABAGH PROBLEM AND REGIONAL RELATIONS PRESENTED
TWO OF THE EGG-THROWERS INTERROGATED
BROADCAST LICENSING COMPETITION ANNOUNCED
“ARAVOT” ON AIR
HCA VANADZOR BRANCH WINS SUIT VERSUS MUNICIPALITY
RESEARCH ON KARABAGH PROBLEM AND REGIONAL RELATIONS PRESENTED
On May 10 at the Journalists Union of Armenia Yerevan Press Club held the
presentation of “The Karabagh Conflict and Prospects for Settling It” book
published under the project “Possible Resolutions to the Karabagh Conflict:
Expert Evaluations and Media Coverage”. The project was implemented by
Yerevan and Baku Press Clubs with the support of OSI Network Media Program.
Stepanakert Press Club was also involved in the project.
The book presents the findings of the sociological surveys and media
monitoring, administered in 2001-2003 in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Mountainous
Karabagh. “The surveys of the population and decision-makers in 2001 as well
as focus-group discussions in 2002 allowed to reveal the sentiment and the
major priorities in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Mountainous Karabagh on the
conflict-related issues”, the Armenia project coordinator Ashot Melikyan
said. “The Delphi research of the experts in 2003 showed that despite the
significant discrepancies between the Armenian and Azerbaijani parties,
there is a certain potential for rapprochement which can be used during
political decision-making in the conflict resolution process.”
The media monitoring coordinator in Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh Elina
Poghosbekian pointed out the main distinctions of the coverage of Karabagh
problem by the media. The findings of the monitoring studies of Armenian,
Azerbaijani and Karabagh media, held by unified methodology and in
practically identical timeframes, showed that in 2001-2003 the most actively
discussed issues were those of peaceful or military solutions to the
conflict. At the same time the majority of publications was devoted to the
need for peaceful resolution. Unlike the Karabagh media that for three years
has been displaying generally steady attitude and a greater interest to the
subject in question, its coverage in the media of Armenia and Azerbaijan
significantly reduced in 2003. The “frozen” interest to Karabagh issue is
explained by the stagnation in the negotiations process, but it is primarily
due to the elections last year that kept the media attention focused in the
two countries. Thus, during presidential and parliamentary election
campaigns in Armenia the “Karabagh factor” was either not used or little
used (along with other economic, social and other issues) in the pre- and
post-election political debate. Year 2003 was marked by presidential
elections and the problems of power succession for Azerbaijan and its media
as well.
At the presentation Yerevan Press Club also publicized the monitoring data
on the coverage of the relations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey by the
media of the three countries. This research has been conducted by Yerevan
Press Club and “Yeni Nesil” Journalists Union of Azerbaijan since 2002. The
“election fever” of 2003 also told on the attention of Armenian and
Azerbaijani media to the relations within Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey
triangle. A characteristic feature of the Armenian media coverage in
2002-2003 are the Armenian-Turkish (with an emphasis on the 1915 issue) and
Armenian-Azerbaijani (with an emphasis on the Mountainous Karabagh problem)
relations. The relations of Azerbaijan and Turkey are the least popular
subject. In Azerbaijani media three priorities can be steadily traced:
Azerbaijani-Turkish and Azerbaijani-Armenian relations as well as the
Karabagh problem. The bilateral relations of Armenia and Turkey receive very
little attention. As to Turkish media, they display permanently low interest
to Turkish-Armenian and Turkish-Azerbaijani subjects, focusing on other
foreign policy aspects.
The findings of the researches mentioned can be viewed in detail on YPC web
site:
TWO OF THE EGG-THROWERS INTERROGATED
On May 12 the Public Relations and Information Department of the RA General
Prosecutor’s Office communicated that two of attackers on journalists during
an opposition rally of April 5 have been interrogated. According to the
General Prosecutor’s Office, these are a resident of Yerevan, unemployed
Ashot Avetisian, born in 1965, and a resident of Artashat city, unemployed
Hrair Harutiunian, born in 1957. According to release, these people “made a
complete confession and gave appropriate testimony”.
As it has been reported, on April 5 the media representatives were attacked
by a group of “strong guys” while attempting to record them throwing eggs
at the rally participants (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, April 2-8,
2004). On May 5, a month after the incident, the General Prosecutor’s Office
informed about the transfer of the criminal case, instituted on April 8 by
the RA Police, to Yerevan Prosecutor’s Office. A week after the public
learned about the first steps of the investigative bodies. In this context
it is important to note that right after April 5 the scene of the assault
on one of the cameramen was shown on air, and the photographs of several
“egg-throwers” were published in the press. Here a question arises: has it
not taken the law enforcement bodies too long to identify only two of the
attackers and interrogate them? Hopefully, having finally set off, the
investigation will proceed at greater speed to find and punish people who
exerted violence against journalists at duty.
BROADCAST LICENSING COMPETITION ANNOUNCED
On May 11 the National Commission on Television and Radio announced a
broadcast licensing competition for 33rd UHF in Nor Hajn town of Kotayk
region. The deadline for the bid submission is August 9, 2004. The
applications will be considered by the National Commission on August 18.
Currently “Nor Hajn” TV company broadcasts on this frequency.
“ARAVOT” ON AIR
On May 10, after the technical break announced due to the change of the
owner and the title, “Aravot” TV company went on air. As it has been
reported, after the sale of “Kentron”, the TV company, renamed to “Aravot”,
was headed by Aram Abrahamian, also the Chief Editor of “Aravot” daily (see
YPC Weekly Newsletter, April 23-29, 2004). Despite the assurances of Aram
Abrahamian that he will continue to assist the return of “A1+” TV company on
air (Abrahamian hosted “PostScript” program on “A1+”), his consent to head
“Aravot” TV encountered very negative response from “A1+” management. (Two
years ago, by the decision of National Commission on Television and Radio
the opposition channel “A1+” lost the competition for its frequency to
“Kentron”, presently “Aravot” TV.)
On its behalf the Board of opposition party Armenian National Movement (ANM)
announced that it refuses to appear on the air of “Aravot” TV. On May 6,
with a reference to anonymous source in the ANM Board, “Haikakan Zhamanak”
daily reported that the governing body of the party does not want to
participate in the imitation of freedom of speech.
In an interview to “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” newspaper of May 7 Aram
Abrahamian expressed his perplexion at the fact that “a political force
refuses to state its position on live air out of fear that it will be an
imitation of freedom of speech”. “In any case I regret that this part of the
political spectrum will not be represented on our channel, however, I am
positive that this is temporary”, Aram Abrahamian added.
HCA VANADZOR BRANCH WINS SUIT VERSUS MUNICIPALITY
The Vanadzor branch of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly won a case versus the
administration of Vanadzor city at the court of primary jurisdiction of Lori
region. The reason for the suit was the refusal of Mayor Samvel Darbinian to
provide HCA Vanadzor branch copies of all the resolutions passed by the
municipality and the Senior Council of the community in 2002-2003.
According to the head of HCA Vanadzor branch Artur Sakunts, the Mayor
referred to the provision of the RA Law “On Legal Acts”, by which the legal
acts for internal use and personal purpose are only provided to their
addressees. The remaining documents, as the Vanadzor administration head
said, were published in the periodical books of communal legal acts. The
human rights activists were unable to find them even at the municipality
itself. Thinking that the representatives of the local authorities violated
the RA Law “On Freedom of Information” the HCA Vanadzor branch filed a suit.
During the hearing the respondent did not have objections on the essence of
the case but he noted that out of 2,614 resolutions a part cannot be
provided as it contains information not to be publicized. To get the
remaining documents the plaintiff must pay a local duty of 1,000 drams
(about $2) for each copy.
At the session of April 30 the suit of HCA Vanadzor branch was secured. The
court obliged the municipality to provide the organization with copies of
all the resolutions of city administrations and the Senior Council of the
community for 2002-2003 except those constituting a secret. The total amount
of duty to be paid for the documents was defined to be only 1,000 drams.
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]
Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]
Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

Naming Armenian president “enemy of the press” absurd – press secretary
Mediamax news agency
10 May 04
Yerevan, 10 May: The decision of the National Press Club (NPC), having
awarded Armenian President Robert Kocharyan the title of “enemy of
the press”, was “absurd, one-sided and subjective,” President’s press
secretary Ashot Kocharyan said in Yerevan today.
Ashot Kocharyan said today that he did not find correct the actions of
a “group of journalists which acts as a part of the opposition forces
and is directly involved in political processes,” Mediamax reports.
On 3 May, the NPC awarded Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and
head of the parliamentary commission on science and education,
Hranush Hakopyan, the title of “enemy of the press.”
The NPC awarded Armenian President Robert Kocharian the title of
“enemy of the press” in 2002 and 2003 as well.

Anadolu Agency
May 7 2004
Erdogan: Aegean Sea Should Be Made A Sea Of Peace
ATHENS – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that
problems regarding Aegean Sea should be solved one by one and Aegean
Sea should be made a sea of peace.
Sources noted on Friday that Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis
said that there should be political will, good will and mutual will
for further development of relations between the two countries in the
meeting between delegations under the chairmanship of Erdogan and
Caramanlis.
Stating that the two countries should move with firm steps in
economy, tourism, trade sectors and joint investments, Caramanlis
added that it would be a good model for the region.
Caramanlis said that they considered Turkey’s European Union (EU)
membership an issue which had strategic importance for Greece and
that’s why they supported Turkey’s accession to the EU. He noted that
they would continue to support Turkey on its path to EU and stated
that they were watching steps that Turkey took and reforms that the
country fulfilled for its EU membership with appreciation. Stating
that implementation of those reforms was also very important,
Caramanlis said that those reforms would be put into practice under
the leadership of Erdogan.
Caramanlis added that he expected Greek Cypriot side not to cause any
difficulties in Turkey’s EU membership.
Erdogan said that he was the first Turkish prime minister to visit
Greece after 16 years.
Recalling that he earlier visited Greece twice prior to Copenhagen
Summit in 2002 and after quake in Greece, he stated that those visits
would make great contribution to relations between the two countries.
Stating that dialogue process which started between the two countries
continued, Erdogan said that they attached great importance to
committees which were set up within this scope.
Erdogan said that problems regarding the Aegean Sea should be solved
one by one and stressed that Aegean Sea should be made a sea of
peace.
Noting that total trade volume between the two countries amounted 1
billion 325 million U.S. dollars, he said that further improvement of
trade volume would contribute to solution of political problems of
the two countries.
Erdogan underlined that the two countries should launch joint
initiatives for the third countries.
Erdogan stated that Turkey also was ready to make contribution to
Olympic Games that Greece would host this year.
The number of border gates between the two countries should be
increased, he stated. Noting that Turkish and Greek contractors could
make business in the Middle East, Balkans, Central Asia and Caucasia,
Erdogan said that visa problem that Turkish tourists and
entrepreneurs faced when they entered Greece should be solved.
Caramanlis said that problems on this issue stemmed from Schengen
visa and stated that talks on this issue continued with EU.
Erdogan expressed his uneasiness about a Greek minister’s speech in a
meeting on April 25, 2004 in which so-called Armenian genocide
allegations were mentioned.
Stating that people should leave such issues to historians, Erdogan
said that this issue should not be used as a political tool. Erdogan
said that Turkey took a step on this issue and started to exclude
expressions which might harm relations with its neighbors from school
books and added that he expected Turkey’s neighbor countries to
assume a similar attitude.
Erdogan said that protocol on illegal migration between Turkey and
Greece was implemented wrongly and wanted Greek officials for border
to be warned on this issue.
Erdogan said that Turkey took steps for peace and a progress was
recorded with Syria on this issue and added that Israel’s latest
actions made difficult Turkey’s initiatives on this issue.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 7, 2004
ARTSAKH IN ARMENIAN PRESS
The publications on Artsakh in the press of Armenia of the current
week were more interesting and various than last week. Particularly,
at the beginning of the week the newspapers were full of analytical
articles and information on the Karabakh problem, and the publications
of Thursday mainly referred to the economy. The press of the week
closes with materials on the meeting of Aliev and Kocharian in Warsaw
on April 28. AGAIN WAR? The newspaper “Azg”, making a reference to the
agency “Turan” in the article headlined “No Compromises on
Azerbaijan’s Part” (27.04.04) informs that on Saturday the co-chairman
of the Minsk Group Steven Mann met in Baku with the defence minister
of Azerbaijan Safar Abiev and talked about the Karabakh problem.
Presenting the position of the USA in reference to Karabakh, Mann said
that the parties must make mutually acceptable compromises. However,
in answer Abiev said that Azerbaijan would make no concessions.
Moreover, Azerbaijan characterized Armenia as a country-aggressor and
added that it should be punished. Bringing the example of Yugoslavia
and Iraq, where the military interference was used, according to the
newspaper, Abiev asked why not to do the same with Armenia. And if add
the to this brazen question of the Azerbaijani defence minister the
statement of Aliev Jr. that he does not hurry in the question of
Karabakh, only one conclusion may be made that Azerbaijan is preparing
for a new war. A similar conclusion was made by the weekly newspaper
“Avangard” in the article “Probability of Both Positive and Negative
Turnarounds Increases” (28.04.04). Following attentively the policy of
the Azerbaijani authorities in reference to the settlement of the
problem the author of the article thinks that the situation got
complicated after the announcement of Aliev to start everything from
the zero point. “It seems more probable that the wish of Aliev to
start everything from the zero point is his own “genial” idea pursuing
one aim – to bury finally the principles of Key West unacceptable for
Azerbaijan, and on the other hand, to win time until the opening of
the Baku-Geihan pipeline allowing to improve greatly the financial and
economic situation of the country, arm and strengthen the army and
solve the Karabakh problem through war.” And as to the probability of
a positive turnaround, mentioning another announcement of Ilham Aliev
about his willingness to recognize the independence of the Turkish
Republic of North Cyprus, the author of the article mentions, “To
recognize the independence of the illegitimate state which was not
recognized by any country means directly accepting the right of the
nations for self-determination.” There is an impression that
Azerbaijan sacrifices its own interests for the interests of Turkey.
In the case of such developments “Azerbaijan will have to admit the
independence of NKR otherwise the approach of dual standards not only
will be striking but also will leave an obscure and absurd impression
on the international community,” writes the newspaper. “Anyway, in
unforeseeable, unexpected geopolitical developments the probability of
both positive and negative turnarounds increases which should oblige
the Armenian diplomacy to stay alert all the time to avoid dangerous
roundabouts in the question of settlement of the NK conflict and to
make utmost use of the favourable situations,” concludes the
author. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. The meeting of the NKR government on
April 27 discussed the implementation of the state budget of 2003 in
which reference “Addressing the meeting, prime minister Anoushavan
Danielian announced that the government had set an aim to maintain the
high rates of the economic development of the past years and provided
an abrupt growth of the economic development of the republic in 2003,”
informed the press service of the NKR government to the newspaper
“Republic of Armenia” (28.04.04). In the article headlined “Despite
Growth of Rates Difficulties are Ahead” the newspaper “Azg”
(29.04.04), touching upon the same topic, mentions, “2003 was a
turning point in the economic development of NKR. In particular, the
real growth of the GDP totaled 19.8 percent. Growth of rates was
reported also in the spheres of industry, agriculture and other. The
growth of the budget revenues was also unprecedented.” In this context
the active coefficient of the private sector was emphasized; if in
2000 the share of this sector in the industrial production was 25
percent, in three years it tripled. “With such growth rates in the
upcoming two years the minimum salary in NKR will double, and the
pensions will grow every year,” says the newspaper. “However, let no
one have the impression that we have overcome all the problems,” said
the prime minister of NKR according to the newspaper “Republic of
Armenia”, “on the contrary, I am sure that the main difficulties are
to follow. This is not a popular expression but the description of the
current economic situation of the country. And despite the high rates
of economic development in the past years the economic growth of the
country should be characterized as rehabilitative growth,” the
newspaper presents the opinion of the prime minister of
NKR. KOCHARIAN-ALIEV. As we have already mentioned, almost all the
newspapers of Armenia covered the meeting of Kocharian and
Aliev. Particularly the newspaper “Golos Armeni” (in Russian) touching
upon the dialogue that took place during the meeting of Kocharian and
Aliev in Warsaw in the article “Forgot About the 0?” (28.04.04),
mentions, “the newly elected president of Azerbaijan did not mention
about starting the negotiations from zero which Aliev insisted on in
some of his addresses.” The newspaper “Aravot” (30.04.04), presenting
the information provided by the radio station “Liberty” on the press
conference of the president of Azerbaijan after the PACE meeting on
April 29 (in which Armenian journalists also participated – C.M.),
touches upon the question asked by the reporter of the same radio
station “What do you mean when speaking about starting the
negotiations from zero?” to which Aliev answered that the presidents
of the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan did not achieve any
arrangements in reference to the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, therefore from whatever point the parties start the
negotiations, it will be a zero point. According to the newspaper,
Aliev also added that the Armenian party distorts the facts announcing
that the RA president R. Kocharian and the former president of
Azerbaijan H. Aliev reached arrangements for the peaceful regulation
of the NK conflict. According to another publication of the same
newspaper, “In Warsaw R. Kocharian stated that the only way of the
settlement of the NK question is “peaceful and willing divorce”. In
his turn I. Aliev announced that he would not cooperate with Armenia
unless the problem of NK is solved.” EVALUATION. In his turn the RA
minister Vardan Oskanian evaluated the meeting of the presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan as quite effective. “We may state unambiguously
that the negotiation process is coming out of the deadlock,” mentioned
the foreign minister of RA in his interview to the newspaper “Republic
of Armenia”.
CHRISTINE MNATSAKANIAN

ARKA News Agency
May 7 2004
RA President appoints RA Ambassador to France pluralistically the
Ambassador to Andorra
On May 10 RA President to leave for Lebanon with working visit
Crusade of SEUA students to fortress of Karabakh city Shushi to start
on May 9
6 May
Lycos-Armenia company together with Enterprises Incubator Foundation
creates education centers in two Armenian institutes
*********************************************************************
RA PRESIDENT APPOINTS RA AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE PLURALISTICALLY THE
AMBASSADOR TO ANDORRA
YEREVAN, May, 7. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian appointed RA
Ambassador to France Edward Nalbandian pluralistically the Ambassador
to Andorra (residence in Paris), President’s press office told ARKA.
L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
ON MAY 10 RA PRESIDENT TO LEAVE FOR LEBANON WITH WORKING VISIT
YEREVAN, May, 7. /ARKA/. On May 10 RA President Robert Kocharian will
leave for Lebanon with working visit. During the visit, Kocharian
will meet with the President of Lebanon Emil Lakhudo, Prime Minister
Rafik Khariri, Parliament Speaker Nahib Berri and Vice Premier Issam
Fares. The President will also meet with Catholicos of Great House of
Kilikia Aram I and representatives of Armenian community of Lebanon.
Kocharian will also visit culture and historic monuments of Lebanon.
Goods’ turnover between Armenia and Lebanon in 2003 made $900
thousand ($1 – 554.56 AMD). L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
CRUSADE OF SEUA STUDENTS TO FORTRESS OF KARABAKH CITY SHUSHI TO START
ON MAY 9
YEREVAN, May, 7. /ARKA/. Crusade of State Engineering University of
Armenia students to fortress of Karabakh city Shushi will start on
May 9. The procession will start from previous positions of NKR
capital – Stepanakert, just from the same place where on May 9, 1992
Karabakh forces conducted operation of liberation of Shushi.
Besides, the participants of the crusade will be baptized in Shushi
Church Surb Kazanchetsots and visit Common Grave in Stepanakert.
50 students will take part in the crusade. The activity is financed
by SEUA and All Armenian Youth Fund in support of RA Ministry of
Defense. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
LYCOS-ARMENIA COMPANY TOGETHER WITH ENTERPRISES INCUBATOR FOUNDATION
CREATES EDUCATION CENTERS IN TWO ARMENIAN INSTITUTES
YEREVAN, May 7. /ARKA/. Lycos-Armenia company together with
Enterprises Incubator Foundation creates education centers in two
Armenian institutes, according to Hovhannes Avoyan, the Chairman of
the Union of IT Enterprises, the Executive Director of Lycos-Armenia.
As he said, such centers are created in Yerevan State University and
State Engineering University of Armenia, where 50 students specialise
in IT area and take a two-year training program. Avoyan noted that
the students are provided with good specialists, computers and
internet. According to him, there are three main problems when
training the specialists in IT area: first, the lack of good
specialists in this area; second, the need of changes of education
programs and teaching new subjects; third, the lack of modern
computers and Internet. He noted that the education centers created
in two Armenian institutes are to solve the above mentioned problems.
Avoyan noted that Armenia has a demand for specialists in
programming, and the Armenian Universities do not answer the demand
either by quantitative or qualitative indicators. He added that 4-5
Armeian companies are looking for highly qualified specialists in
programming. At that, Avoyan doesn’t think that there is a brain
drain of specialist from Armenia, noting that Lycos-Armenia lost only
1-2 specialists for 4-5 years. He emphasized that 60 specialists work
in the company today, and their number to be brought to 100 till the
end of the year. Avoyan added that programming area ensures the
highest salaries in Armenia, beginning from $500.A.H. – 0 –

A1 Plus | 19:03:48 | 06-05-2004 | Politics |
WHO ARE POLITICAL PRISONERS?
“It is wrong to call those arrested for participation in the Opposition
rallies political prisoners”, “Republican” Party Chair Galust Sahakyan says.
{BR}
So, how to call them? “People can cause disorders, break laws and be
arrested. When it is said a political prisoner or a political pursuit,
scaled operations we have witnessed are meant. And we cried all over the
world that we have political despots and political arrests”, Sahakyan
announced.
“Why was I arrested?”, “Justice” Bloc Secretary Ruzan Khachatryan asked.
“You know, I can’t now answer what for you were taken in detention. But as
far as I know you I think you wouldn’t commit a sin”, Mr. Sahakyan answered.
“Would you answer the same way if you knew all those arrested in person?”, a
journalist asked. “To know them we must gather, discuss, analyze all the
cases and make decisions”, Galust Sahakyan said.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 5, 2004
GERMAN PRESS PUTS UNDER DOUBT
The supporters of Turkey’s membership to the European Union bring
honest but unconvincing arguments, says the German newspaper Leipziger
Volkszeitung. Turkey’s integration to the EU will indeed favour the
political stabilization of the country, but is this good, asks the
newspaper? In case of membership Turkey will become the first country
of the EU by the number of population. This means that at the EU
Ministerial Council Turkey will have considerable weight, and will be
represented in the Europarliament by the largest group of members of
parliament. The countries, which are for Turkey’s membership, will
hardly agree to such distribution of forces; this is the opinion of
the newspaper. Moreover, membership of new countries to the EU will
also mean expansion of the territory of the EU. In case of Turkey’s
membership the EU will have common border with Syria, Iraq, Iran,
Azerbaijan and Georgia, i.e. crisis regions, writes the German
newspaper. IN THE UPCOMING TEN YEARS EU MEMBERSHIP “DOES NOT THREATEN”
TURKEY, THINKS JACQUES CHIRAC. It will take at least ten years from
Turkey to become member of the EU. This was stated by the president of
France Jacques Chirac during the press conference devoted to the
questions of wider EU. He mentioned that the talks for the membership
of Turkey will last long, 10 years and more. According to the French
president, the necessary conditions for membership to the EU have not
been provided in Turkey yet, informed the agency “Interfax”.
PANARMENIAN

The Times (London)
May 5, 2004, Wednesday
Il trovatore
by Hilary Finch
Il trovatore. Covent Garden. ***
ELIJAH MOSHINSKY has returned to direct the first revival of his
visually spectacular Il trovatore, new to the Royal Opera two years
ago. With Dante Ferretti (designer for the likes of Pasolini, Fellini
and Scorsese) in charge of the sets, it’s still a banquet for the
eye. Except, that is, for the monochrome landscape images which act
as curtain projections between the overlong scene changes.
Verdi’s four musical canvases -the Duel, the Gypsy, the Gypsy’s Son
and the Punishment -are realised in monumental tableaux, each one
beautifully lit by Howard Harrison. Every entrance in the dark
shadows of the first is framed by a line of lofty pillars; Azucena
and her band of Risorgimento partisans hide out among four massive,
glowing furnaces; exquisite Piranesi-like perspectives of glass and
steel house the convent.
But there’s a price to pay for this visual magnificence. Tableaux
they may be; but Verdi’s are tableaux vivants, and Moshinsky’s
staging, seduced by its own beauty, does too little to empower this
cast beyond formulaic body language. There’s simply too little
impassioned engagement with the music, with each other or with the
audience.
This is very much in the nature of the beast. While Moshinsky’s
production admirably realises the form of Verdi’s opera, it can too
easily stifle its beating heart. The individual seems trapped within
the massive set pieces: the emotional charge at the meeting of Di
Luna, Manrico and Leonora in the convent is diffused by the fearful
symmetry of the stagecraft; the sparring of the Count’s leather-clad
soldiers in Part III is almost risibly “choreographed”.
Dwarfed by their environments, a strong new cast stand and deliver
goods of considerable quality. Three Eastern European singers
contribute effectively to Verdi’s dark palette in this opera.
The opening narrative is compellingly and elegantly shaped by the
Ferrando of the Armenian bass-baritone Arutjun Kotchinian. And the
Georgian baritone Lado Ataneli brings menace, if too little ardour
and anger to the role of Di Luna. In the Russian mezzo Irina Mishura,
Azucena, Verdi’s own favourite, has both the high flare of flame and
a dark anguish within her true chest voice. She simply isn’t
exploited enough on stage.
Marco Berti’s coarse-edged and tirelessly robust Manrico and Fiorenza
Cedolins’s Leonora sing feistily, but too seldom to each other.
The Royal Opera Orchestra play superbly for the veteran Verdian
Edward Downes; but on the first night, even he was unable to provide
quite the elan and momentum this show still needs.
Box office: 020-7304 4000

A1 Plus | 22:36:06 | 27-04-2004 | Politics |
COUNCIL OF EUROPE ANTI-TORTURE COMMITTEE VISITS ARMENIA
A delegation of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of
Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)
recently carried out a three-day visit to Armenia. The main purpose of
the visit, which began on 20 April 2004, was to collect information
concerning the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the
course of or following the recent demonstrations in Yerevan.
The delegation interviewed numerous persons who had been deprived of
their liberty in connection with the above-mentioned demonstrations.
Most of these persons had been released by the time they were
interviewed. The others were interviewed by the delegation at Kentron
penitentiary establishment and at Temporary detention centre of the
Yerevan Department of Internal Affairs. The CPT’s delegation consisted
of Eric Svanidze, a Georgian lawyer, Marija Definis Gojanovic, a
Croatian forensic doctor, and Borys Wodz of the Committee’s
Secretariat.
In the course of its visit, the CPT’s delegation held discussions with
Davit Harutyunyan, Minister of Justice, Hayk A. Harutyunyan, Head of
the Armenian Police, and Aghvan Hovsepyan, General Prosecutor.

Hid in oven
The Guardian – United Kingdom
Apr 28, 2004

So far the new border controls at Terespol and elsewhere appear to
work. Maj Woloch says there has been no “dramatic increase” in the
number of illegal immigrants trying to enter Poland. There have,
though, been some extraordinary attempts.
“The weirdest case we ever came across was that of an Armenian who
managed to hide in the oven of a passenger train,” says Maj
Woloch. “It was summer, so fortunately the oven wasn’t lit.”
Some immigrants don’t make it, he adds. A fisherman trying to catch
pike and bream in the Bug recently found a body instead.
The border authorities recognise that Poland will not be a point of
entry just for locals from down the road but also for thousands of
people from further east – from Vietnam, China, India and Afghanistan,
and Kurds from the north of Iraq.
Last year a customs dog discovered four Chinese immigrants in a goods
train, hidden by glass, according to Maj Woloch. Many of these
would-be immigrants pay thousands of dollars to criminal gangs.
“There are international groups that are trying to get people from
Russia into the EU. It is very profitable,” he says.
In 2003 the border guards turned back 10,314 people attempting to
enter Poland via Terespol. They also arrested 384 people already in
Poland, many of them prostitutes, who were trying to work illegally.
But with wages in Poland five or six times higher than in Belarus, it
seems inevitable that workers from the east will try to enter both
legally and illegally, while many Poles will head west.
So long as there is inequality, Maj Woloch and his men will have a
tough job on their hands.