Author: Karagyozian Lena

Interests towards resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution
increased in 2006 – senior state officer
Source: Trend
Author: J.Shahverdiyev
06.05.2006
A mandate of Azerbaijan at the CE will be never annulled, head of
the Foreign Relationships Department of the Azerbaijan President’s
Apparat, Novruz Mammadov, told Trend.
Commenting on Azerbaijan’s positions in the international world he
noted that if the head of the world super power states that Azerbaijan
is the world modern Muslim country, then all factors for coincidence
to advanced standards have been concluded it.
He also noted the absence of necessity for addressing a letter to
international organizations, as the leading world powers possess
information on ongoing processes in Azerbaijan.
Touching the issue on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
in 2006 Mammadov said that in 2006 the interest on the resolution of
the conflict increased. “The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs take every
effort to achieve solution to the conflict,” he underlined.

PRESS RELEASE
New York Armenian Students’ Association
333 Atlantic Avenue
Warwick, RI 02888
(401) 461-6114
Email: [email protected]
New York ASA and Columbia University Armenian Club Screen Genocide Documentary “I Hate Dogs”
On April 18, 2006, the New York ASA and Columbia University Armenian
Club screened the genocide documentary “I Hate Dogs.” Produced and
directed by husband and wife filmmakers PeA Holmquist and Suzanne
Khardalian of Sweden, “I Hate Dogs” chronicles the life of 99-year
old Garbis Hagopian, one of the last genocide survivors living in
France. In 1988, Holmquist and Khardalian produced “Back to Ararat,”
the first Armenian genocide documentary. Their inspiration for “I
Hate Dogs” stemmed from an article they read about the last genocide
survivor in Britain who passed away. They realized that few genocide
survivors remained and the resultant importance of documenting their
experiences.
The documentary starts off with Mr. Hagopian in the present day going
about his life. As he is walking through a park and sees a dog, he
mentions that he doesn’t like dogs, a seemingly odd utterance until
one discovers the underlying reason for his dislike. Mr. Hagopian
explained that his family was forced onto the death march, unable
to take their belongings with them, and described some of what he
witnessed, from mass slaughters to young girls being forced into
harems. Upon recalling how his mother embraced him for the last time
before she left him, Mr. Hagopian burst into tears, a 9 year-old
child once again lost in a sea of misery and grief. His father died
shortly thereafter and when he went back to see his father’s body the
following day, he saw dogs eating away at it. He tried to scare them
away to no avail, and that horrific image was seared in the mind of
young Garbis, hence his lifelong dislike of dogs.
Mr. Hagopian remained silent about his experience during the genocide
until his son turned 40. When his son realized the depth of his
father’s suffering, he became enraged against Turks due to the lack
of emotional closure from their denial of the genocide.
Throughout the documentary, one also sees clips of old home movies
that illustrate how Mr. Hagopian persevered, moving to France after
the genocide and becoming a successful businessman. He is also shown
surrounded by his family at joyful gatherings, from picking almonds
with his son from his vacation home, to dining with his granddaughter
who remembers how she would sneak into her grandparents’ bed and have
breakfast with them.
The juxtaposition of grief and happiness, anger and joy is true of
many Armenian families whose loved ones survived the genocide. The
furor of Mr. Hagopian’s son is similar to that of many children and
grandchildren of genocide survivors struggling to make sense of their
identity that is shaped in part by the inhumanity of the genocide. One
also sees that the childhood memories of genocide survivors are as
vivid as they were 91 years ago. They are easily transported back to
unspeakable horrors, yet somehow, they return to their present lives,
grateful always to have survived.
Following the film, Dr. Anie Kalayjian, renowned traumatologist,
Professor of Psychology at Fordham University, explained the myriad
of feelings experienced by genocide survivors and, in particular,
those of succeeding generations. She noted that healing comes from
non-violent communication through empathy and forgiveness and not
from waiting for the perpetrators to acknowledge their mistakes. Dr.
Kalayjian is the Founder and President of the Armenian American
Society for Studies on Stress & Genocide and spearheads a research
team on this particular topic. Her research findings indicate clear
generational transmission of trauma of the Genocide which include:
sadness, grief, anger, hatred, fear of the other (racism), despair,
helplessness, identity confusion, feeling abandoned and uprooted,
guilt, defensive functioning, and inability to engage in meaningful
relationships. Fortunately, it is possible to process these feelings
and transform the anger into empowerment, and the hatred into empathy
and compassion through post trauma healing workshops, or individual
therapy. A spirited question and answer session ensued.
ASA wishes to thank Dr. Kalayjian for her participation as well as
to Lisa Kebejian and the Columbia University Armenian Club for their
co-sponsorship and assistance. Most of all, thanks to PeA Holmquist
and Suzanne Khardalian for presenting Garbis Hagopian’s story to the
world. Sadly, Mr. Hagopian passed away a few months ago at the age
of 100, but his spirit will surely live on.
The Armenian Students’ Association of America is a nationwide
membership organization that promotes Armenian culture and education
by sustaining strong links with Armenia through various projects and
by providing Armenian communities with social, cultural, academic,
and educational events. All funds raised by the regional branches
contribute to the ASA scholarship fund for Armenian students studying
in the United States. In addition, ASA often co-sponsors events held
by local college clubs, working closely with and encouraging young
leaders in the Armenian student community.
For more information about the NY ASA, please visit
For more information about
the Columbia University Armenian Club, please visit
For more information about
Dr. Kalayjian’s research, please visit

EIGHT MORE BODIES OF THE VICTIMS BROUGHT TO YEREVAN
ArmRadio.am
06.05.2006 12:53
This night eight more corpses of the A320 passengers killed as a result
of the crash over the Black Sea were transported to Yerevan. Three
of the dead Yerevan residents, the others were from marzes.
1. Knyazyan Grigor (Armavir)
2. Nalbandyan Silva (Yerevan)
3. Mkrtumyan Manyak (Ijevan)
4. Khachatryan Anahit (Ararat)
5. Tadevosyan Sirvard (Yeghvard)
6. Hamayakyan Styopa (Yerevan)
7. Yebzipyan Nazar (Yerevan)
8. Badoyan Khachatur (Gyumri)
To remind, another 26 bodies of the victims were brought to Yerevan
on May 5.

TEARS, ANGER AS RELATIVES MOURN ARMENIAN AIR CRASH VICTIMS
Agence France Presse — English
May 3, 2006 Wednesday 11:17 AM GMT
Stunned and in tears, the distraught families of passengers killed
when an Armenian plane plunged into the Black Sea battled Wednesday
to come to terms with the sudden loss of their loved ones.
In anguished scenes at Yerevan airport, many pinned the blame for the
crash in the early hours on Russian and Armenian aviation officials.
“My little boy was on there. He wasn’t even 25 years old,” said one
tearful mother among those at the Armenian capital’s airport.
Most relatives had heard about the crash from watching television or
after being telephoned by other family members.
Many of the 113 people who died when the Armavia Airbus A320 crashed
as it tried to land near the Russian resort town of Sochi were making
family visits, reflecting the close ties between Russia and its small
Caucasus neighbour.
Russian and Armenian officials have both blamed the crash on poor
weather conditions, saying the pilot aborted a first attempted
landing because of rain and poor visibility before wheeling round
for a second attempt.
A teenage boy, Apet Tatevosyan, appeared barely able to grasp the
news as he waited in the airport hall, as emergency workers and
officials bustled.
“My mum was on the plane. She had gone to visit her sisters who she
hadn’t seen in 15 years,” he said. “We thought she was going to call
— when she didn’t, I was worried and called our relatives in Sochi
who told us the news.”
His disbelief was echoed by Andranig Avetisyan, who also lost a
loved one.
“I lost my niece. She lives in Sochi and had come to visit us in
Yerevan,” Avetisyan said.
A woman who said she her husband had been killed lashed out at the
state of the planes operated by the Armavia national carrier.
“They tell us that these planes are in a good state. And then what?
They call that a good state!,” exclaimed the woman furiously.
The mother who had lost her son blamed Sochi’s Adler airport for
hesitating to let the plane land in heavy rain that was lashing the
coast at the time.
“If the airport had quickly allowed the plane to come in to land,
the disaster would never have happened,” she said, as a white-coated
doctor approached her to administer a sedative.
A team of four doctors was on hand at Yerevan, while Russian
authorities said psychologists were being deployed in Sochi to help
the bereaved when they arrived to help with identification of the dead.
“We have seen hysteria, hypertension, heart attacks. We have also
provided psychological help to those who need it,” said one doctor,
Larisa Arsenyan.
Some 78 of the bereaved left for Sochi early Wednesday. More were
expected to follow on a second flight later in the day.

ARMENIAN ORGANIZATIONS OF JAVAKHK PROPOSES TO GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES TO DISCUSS ISSUE OF SECURITY GUARANTEES OF JAVAKHK
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 03 2006
AKHALKALAK, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Representatives
of the Samthkhe-Javakhk Armenian Public Organizations Council had a
meeting on April 28 with Artur Yeremian, the head of the region of
Akhalkalak, during which they raised the issue of security guarantees
arising among Armenians of Javakhk on the occasion of removing the
Russian military bases from Akhalkalak. According to the “A-Info”
agency, the council representatives turned to the head of the region,
asking to negotiate with high-ranking responsible officials of
Georgia in the affair of organizing a meeting and discussing the
issue. A.Yeremian, sharing anxiety of the council representatives,
promised to assist initiatives of the council within the borders of
its possibilities.

“VETERANS’ UNION OF RA PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE SYSTEM” FOUNDED
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 02, NOYAN TAPAN. “Veterans’ Union of RA Prosecutor’s
Office System” was founded on April 28. At the foundation meeting,
Rafael Karapetian, the Chairman of the organization committee was
elected the organization Chairman, Aghvan Hovsepian, the RA Prosecutor
General was elected the Honorary Chairman. Aram Tamazian and Gagik
Jhangirian, the Deputies of the RA Prosecutor General participated in
the foundation meeting of the union. The latter mentioned that the
union may expect in its activity the assistance of the Prosecutor
General’s Office, and some members of the union may be involved in
the certification committee staff and participate in legislative
initiatives of the Prosecutor’s Office. According to the regulations
adopted in the foundation meeting, the Union has a goal to pass the
working experience of veterans of the Prosecutor’s Office to young
employees, to assist formation of a democratic, social, legal state,
support process of legislative and legal reforms.
Veterans of the Prosecutor’s Office system envisage to aim efforts of
their organization to legal bringing up of wide strata of the society
as well, assisting just by it increase of public confidence towards
legal bodies, particularly, the Prosecutor’s Office.

WE ENCOUNTER REGRESS, GENTLEMEN!
A1+
[07:35 pm] 02 May, 2006
“Democracy has developed asymmetrically within the recent 14 years
in Armenia since the proclamation of independence. Though Armenia was
the first country among the Soviet former republics to put an end to
communists’ power, the absence of the efficient system of checks and
balances, the centralization of the president’s liabilities and the
lack of independent civil service paved a way for a weak governing
system and spread corruption,” the 2005 review of “Freedom House”
organization begins with these words.
The organization deems the RA election procedure a serious obstacle
for democracy; “The public inconfidence to the election procedure was
determined by the high – rank officials’ failure to hold democratic
elections.” According to Ann Walker, the reporter of “Freedom House”
on Armenian issues, though the Constitution guarantees a number of
fundamental provisions for human rights protection, in fact there
are many obstacles hindering their efficient protection. “Judicial
system has little independence.”
While speaking of the corruption deeply rooted in the country, Ann
Walker first of all laid the stress on official corruption. “The
close ties of the political and economic elites and the absence of
efficient law implementation give ground for official corruption.”
The representatives of “Freedom House” maintain that the discord
between the Government and the Opposition will still strengthen at the
turn of the year; on the eve of 2007 elections. The organized attached
importance to the role of mass media in establishing democracy in
the country and mentioned that the Armenian media turned “from half
independent” to “half dependent” in the course of 2002 – 2003. “The
main free Armenian TV channel “A1+” was embattled in 2002 and was
unable to resume its frequency license. The members of the Commission
on television and radio are so far appointed by President Kocharyan.”
The representatives of “Freedom House” stated at the end of their
review that they held a thorough survey taking into consideration
their meetings with the Government, political figures, NGOs and
representatives of mass media. By the way, certain journalists inquired
about the results of the Armenian observation in comparison with the
Georgian and Azeri ones. As it turns out, there has been progress in
Georgia in connection with democracy, whereas the state of Azerbaijan
is worse than that of Armenia.
This is a real consolation for Armenia.

THERE WERE FAMOUS PEOPLE AMONG THE PASSENGERS OF THE CRASHED PLANE
ArmRadio.am
03.05.2006 12:00
According to preliminary information, there were a number of famous
people among the passengers of the plane that crashed May 3 near
Sochi. These particularly include former Chief of National Security
Service Karlos Petrosyan’s son, former Director of the “Armenian
Airlines” Vyacheslav Yaralov, “Head of the VIP Service of “Zvartnots”
airport Albert Azaryan.
To note, all none of the passengers survived. Most of them were
citizens of Armenia.

OPENING OF THE FIRST BUILDING UNDER THE “CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II WORK PROJECT” TO BE HELD MAY 3 IN GAVAR
ArmRadio.am
02.05.2006 13:10
On May 3, 2006 the opening ceremony of building will be held under the
” Catholicos Karekin II Work Project: An Armenian Building on Faith”
project in Gavar city, Gegharkunik region.
“The partnership with HFH Armenia and also being the first to
implement such a great project is much responsible for us,” said
Gurgen Martirosyan, the mayor of Gavar city, “We will do our best in
the mission of eliminating poverty housing in our community.”
The construction of this building was stopped in 1993 because of the
huge grade the country was exposed. Now the city administration gave
the building to the families selected by HFH Armenia to be homeowner.

PanARMENIAN.Net
PACE Subcommittee on Karabakh to Visit Region in October 2006

29.04.2006 20:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next session of the PACE Subcommittee on Nagorno
Karabakh will be held in October 2006, head of the Armenian delegation
to the PACE, Armenian NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan stated in a
conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the
Subcommittee is expected to pay a visit to the region at the same
time.
«Lord Russell-Johnson will visit Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan within
the Subcommittee’s regional visit,» Torosyan remarked. After the PACE
summer session the Subcommittee is not going to visit the region, he
said. The mandate of the Azeri delegation and activities of the PACE
Subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh will be considered at the PACE summer
session, he reported.
To note, head of the Azeri parliamentary delegation to the PACE Samed
Seidov stated in Baku that Russell-Johnston is to visit the region in
summer 2006.