Author: Karakhanian Suren

PRESIDENT OF SOUTH OSSETIA PRESENTS CONGRATULATIONS TO ARTSAKH PEOPLE
ON OCCASION OF 15th ANNIVERSARY OF NKR PROCLAMATION

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A delegation
of the Republic of South Ossetia is in Stepanakert for the purpose of
taking part in the festive events dedicated to the 15th anniversary of
proclamation of Nagorno Karabakh Republic. On September 1, NKR
President Arkady Ghoukassian received members of the delegation,
Deputy Foreign Minister Alan Pliyev and Deputy Minister of Defence and
Emergency Situations Ibrahim Gassiyev. The guests conveyed NKR
President South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity’s congratulations
and wishes addressed to Artsakh authorities and people on the occasion
of the 15th anniversary of proclamation of NKR. As Noyan Tapan was
informed from NKR President’s Acting Spokesperson, the meeting
participants touched upon peaceful settlement to conflicts in the
South Caucasian region, processes of building of statehood in
non-recognized republics, as well as post-war rehabilitation and a
number of issues relating to socio-economic development.

GERALD PAPASIAN IS BACK FROM OPEN-AIR TOURS OF SHAKESPEARE/BROOK ‘MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’
Translated from the French by Irma Tyler

AZG Armenian Daily
31/08/2006

What happens when you want to bring theatre to places where it
is least expected, such as the gardens of Hermitage in Lausanne,
the Château le Bailly in Montigny/Canne, the Neiderstinzel Castle
or the Gallo Roman ruins of Bliesbruck in Alsace? What happens when
you want to perform an entire Shakespeare play with only six [male]
actors? What happens when it is summer and France and Switzerland
are swinging with festival fever?

What happens is Irina Brook (daughter of the illustrious Peter Brook,
well known to all for her award-winning production of Beast on the
Moon) and six of her loyal company members, who bring Shakespeare’s
Midsummer Night’s Dream to your backyard.

Spurning big budget glamorous productions to which she had accustomed
us, Irina Brook draws upon the complicity and confidence of her
trustworthy actors, to create a joyful and sparkling show with a
minimum of costumes and props, where improvisation lurks at every
corner. The actors excel themselves in this free style where pure
pleasure replaces conceit and pretentiousness.

"Irina Brook explores a different way to summon a spirit of festivity
that accompanied theatrical productions of the past." Official Festival
Journal – Lausanne

The talented actors (Vincent Berger, Jerry Di Giacomo, Cyril Guei,
Gerald Papasian, Christian Pelissier and Augustin Ruhabura) interpret
21 roles, involving quick changes of cross-gender dressing, miles of
crossing uneven ground, braving wind and rain, scorching temperatures,
poison ivy, mosquitoes and even a hornet’s nest!

The brilliant company, which includes a child actor played
enthusiastically by Irina’s own son Prosper, entertains and enchants
thousands of French and Swiss theatregoers over the summer months of
June and July 2006. Created in 2005 the production is scheduled for
a third season of tours in Europe and, if we are good boys and girls,
may even come to the States!

Gerald Papasian plays the demanding role of Bottom as well as the
‘young lover’ Demetrius in this third collaboration with Irina
Brook. His interpretation of the roles, a highly energetic Demetrius
and a wonderfully ‘ham’ but lovable Bottom, are acclaimed both by
critics and boisterous audiences from 7 to 77 years old. "It is the
best interpretation of Bottom I have seen," says Bruce Meyers, long
time member of Peter Brook’s company.

Next month, Gerald Papasian embarks on his fourth collaboration with
Irina in her production of Haendel’s Julius Caesar at the Theatre
des Champs Elysees in Paris where he had rehearsed the first of their
collaborations, Brecht’s The Good Person of Schezuan playing opposite
French stage and film star Romane Bohringer.

"…All this is nothing but a Dream! If we [the actors] have
offended…we will make amends!" says Puck, one of the characters in
the play. Isabelle Viong of the Courrier (Switzerland) rightfully adds,
"No need to make amends, they are already excellent!"

–Boundary_(ID_dhzE44vwjduNk+6pg SO8NQ)–

ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTERS REACH NO AGREEMENT ON MEETING IN SLOVENIA

Yerevan, August 28, ArmInfo. No agreement on the meeting of Armenian
and Azerbaijani foreign ministers have been reached, Vladimir
Karapetyan, Acting Press Secretary of Armenian Foriegn Ministry
told ArmInfo.

Regarding the possibility of such meeting, V. Karapetyan said the
ministry has no data, however, them meeting is not ruled out.

Armenian Foreign Minister participates in the Congress "Caspian
Prospects 2008> in Slovenia on August 27- 28. Participating in the
Congress are the heads of countries, foreign ministers, special
representatives of NATO and EU in the South Caucasus, high-ranking
representatives of international organizations, world-known experts,
political specialists.

INDELIBLE IMAGE: ANDRE AGASSI, PLAYER
Dave Scheiber Times Staff Writer

St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
August 28, 2006 Monday
1 Edition

"I look forward to not having to do things – like waking up every
day and saying ‘What do I have to do today?’ because of the schedules.

It’s going to be a bit more on my terms, which is what I want my life
to look like. …

"You know, the last 20 years on the tennis court have all been practice
for me for tomorrow. It’s always been that way. I’ve spent a lifetime
on the tennis court preparing myself for the next battle.

And I feel like I have over 20 years of experience doing this very
thing, which is the challenge of how life now may look for me. I
look forward to embracing that as much as embracing any stage of my
career. I look forward to that general level of pressure to deal with
and holding yourself to the highest standard every day.

"I look forward to not having to rest. There are times (in tennis)
when you just have to rest. But try to explain that to a 3-year-old
and a 5-year-old. …

"Giving back to the sport is going to be very important to me in
any way that I feel I can make a difference. For me, hopefully the
decisions are being made so that I can continue my involvement. I
don’t just want to walk away, because this has been my life. It
hasn’t been about hitting the ball. It’s been about being part of a
great sport with a lot of great people. Family is also my foundation,
it’s my life. So that’s going to be a given. …

"There are difficult parts about (walking away while still
competitive). I anticipated it being more difficult. I wish I could
explain why but I can’t. It’s not just saying goodbye to a sport,
to a business, to hitting tennis balls. It’s saying goodbye, by the
way, to all the people you’ve done this with, from the fans, to the
sport itself, to your peers. …

"I’ve pushed myself through so many physical issues over the last
four years to negotiate doing this as well and as long as possible –
until I realistically felt it’s not something I can do at the highest
level anymore. I didn’t know if it was going to be physical reasons
or mental reasons or emotional reasons or all of the above. There
were so many factors involved. … But this has been great, and I’m
going to take this all in. I’ll also spend the rest of my life trying
to make everybody proud who has helped me along this path. And it’s
just time for me to do that."

– Excerpts from a recent press conference

BY DAVE SCHEIBER | TIMES STAFF WRITER

THROUGH THE YEARS

1970: Born Andre Kirk Agassi on April29 in Las Vegas. One of four
children (brother Phillip, sisters Rita and Tami). Mother is Elizabeth
and father is Armenian-born Emmanuel "Mike" Agassian, a former boxer
who participated in the 1952 Olympics for Iran.

1975: Practices with pros such as Jimmy Connors and Roscoe Tanner.

1986: The 16-year-old prodigy of Nick Bollettieri, training at
Bollettieri’s academy in Bradenton, turns pro, exuding a long-haired,
earring-clad rebellious image (later underscored with his role as
pitchman for Canon’s Rebel camera, proclaiming "Image is everything.")

1987: After losing in the first round at Wimbledon, is criticized
for passing up the tournament the next three years. He claims it’s
because he isn’t allowed to wear his colorful shirts on court instead
of the traditional all-white; critics say it’s because he doesn’t
want to risk losing. As a wild card, he beats Luiz Mattar of Brazil
on Nov. 29 in Brazil, for his first ATP title.

1988: Wins six titles in seven finals.

1989: Wins only title of year in Orlando.

1990: First Grand Slam final is French Open.

1991: Finalist for second year at the French Open, losing to fellow
Bollettieri star Jim Courier.

1992: Wins first Grand Slam, at Wimbledon. Later that year at U.S.

Open, Barbra Streisand, romantically linked with Agassi, refers to
him during a TV interview at Open as "Zen master."

1993: After a poor season, parts ways with Bollettieri in July and
hires a new coach, Brad Gilbert. Has right wrist surgery.

1994: Returns from surgery to win five titles, including U.S. Open.

First unseeded player since 1930 to win the Open, beating five seed
who were seeded. Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation opens doors to
assist at-risk youth in Las Vegas.

1995: Shaves balding head just before winning Australian Open. Wins
career-high seven titles in a personal-best 11 finals, compiling a
personal-best 73-9 match record and reaching No. 1 on April 10, where
he reigned for 27 weeks. His first Grand Slam for Children benefit
is held, with more than $52.3-million taken in through 10 fundraisers.

Named winner of ATP’s Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award for 1995 and
2001 for helping disadvantaged youth in Las Vegas.

1996: First American man to win Olympic gold in singles play since
Vincent Richards in 1924.

1997: Marries actor Brooke Shields after four-year courtship;
plummets to No. 141 in rankings. Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club in
Las Vegas opens.

1998: Makes biggest one-year jump into top 10 in history of ATP
rankings (since 1973) by climbing to No. 6. Compiles a 68-16 record
and wins five titles.

1999: Marriage to Shields ends in divorce. After losing first two
sets in French Open final, roars back to win the tournament, becoming
only the fifth male to complete a career Grand Slam and the only one
to win all four majors and Olympic gold. Finishes No. 1 for first time.

2000: Captures sixth career Grand Slam title at Australian Open.

2001: Marries Hall of Famer Steffi Graf on Oct. 22 in Las Vegas;
son Jaden Gil is born Oct. 26. Oldest player (31) to finish in top 3
since 32-year-old Jimmy Connors was No. 2 in 1984. Starts season by
winning his seventh career Grand Slam at Australian Open.

2002: Becomes oldest (32 years, 8 months) to finish No. 2 in ATP
rankings.

2003: Captures four titles in first four months of season, including
his eighth and final Grand Slam in Australia. Daughter Jaz Elle is
born Oct. 3.

2004: Sixth in Open era to reach 800 wins.

2005: Finishes in top 10 for 16th time in his 20-year career and
becomes oldest in year-end top 10 since Jimmy Connors (36) was No. 7
in 1988.

2006: Plays only seven ATP matches (4-3) in first five months of
season because of chronic ongoing back problems. Announces June 24
he is retiring after U.S. Open. Highlights include: member of three
winning Davis Cup teams; career singles record of 868-273, including
60 titles; career earnings of $31,110,975.

Bill to aid Israel, Armenia passes U.S. House

r/press/2006/6-8-06.htm
June 8, 2006

WASHINGTON , D.C. – The U.S. House today debated and passed the
Foreign Operations Appropriations Act of 2007. The legislation includes
funding for international aid, programs, and projects to assist in the
development of U.S. priorities abroad. Congressman Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI-09), a senior member of the committee with jurisdiction over
the bill, commended its passage.

"This is an excellent bill that balances the many priorities of
the United States around the world. Our foreign assistance fosters
democratic and transparent governments, promotes human rights, and
helps millions of people in need. While less than one percent of our
entire annual budget, foreign assistance serves as a main pillar of
our foreign policy and is an integral part of our national security.

This bill provides important economic and security assistance to
Israel , including $40 million for refugee resettlement. It also
prohibits direct funding for the Hamas-infected Palestinian Authority,
but allows limited humanitarian assistance under strict guidelines
and checks to ensure absolutely no funding reaches Hamas.

I am also particularly pleased that the bill provides $62 million in
economic assistance to Armenia . This funding is especially important
since Turkey and Azerbaijan continue to obstruct transportation and
infrastructure routes into and out of Armenia with the intention of
forcing Armenia into economic isolation.

This is a responsible bill. It’s the result of significant oversight,
it’s fiscally sound, and it focuses funding on priorities that will
advance democracy and freedom around the globe."

###

CONGRESSMAN EXPLAINS ‘GETTING INTO POLITICS’

By Jane Pojawa
El Vaquero Editor in Chief
May 12, 2006 (view cover)

El Vaquero, CA
Aug. 27, 2006

In El Vaquero’s May 12 issue, Editor in Chief Jane Pojawa writes about
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff’s advice to students about how to become
involved in politics, even up to becoming an elected official.

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, representing California’s 29th District,
spoke in the J.W. Smith Student Center Monday on "Getting Into
Politics," giving advice to students about getting their voices heard
as citizens or for actually becoming an elected official.

The 29th district is a sprawling area that encompasses Glendale, as
well as Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, Griffith Park, Monterey Park,
Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Gabriel and Temple City.

More than 100 students and faculty members filled the student center
for this event, sponsored by the Organization of Latinos for Higher
Education [OHLE], which was a short biographical speech followed by
questions from the audience.

Schiff was an adjunct instructor in GCC’s political science department
while serving as a state senator for California’s 21st district,
his position before election to the House of Representatives. He is
a strong proponent of educational and environmental issues.

Schiff recommends student involvement at all levels of politics,
whether that means voting (even for those who usually don’t), working
on campaigns, providing grassroot support for bond measures, which
often pass by only a small number of votes, to ultimately running
for office.

Schiff recommended that students who want to pursue a career in
politics "decide what you have a passion to do and then go after it."

He said that the typical example of political science major followed
by law school was no longer the operative model for success, and that
his colleagues in the House of Representatives were just as likely
to have been accomplished "teachers, athletes, lawyers, doctors,
engineers, even a rocket scientist." The common denominator is that
they "are good at what they do." He added, "There will always be an
opportunity down the road to serve."

Schiff is an outspoken advocate against genocide denial and believes
that the United States should condemn the 1915 Armenian genocide
regardless of pressure from the Turkish government.

In answer to a question posed during his speech about his proposed
Armenian genocide bill, Schiff described adding an amendment to a
reauthorization of a State Department bill asking the Historian of
the State Department to review the pertinent documents of the United
States to the Armenian genocide.

The state department bill was not directly related to the genocide,
but "it just happened to be my good fortune that the Turkish Prime
Minister was in town…" he recounted, and went on to describe how
the political pressure brought to bear by his amendment allowed the
bill to be reviewed at a separate hearing. The Dedicated Genocide
Resolution passed the committee with a strong bipartisan vote, but
until the Speaker of the House allows it to come before Congress,
it goes no further.

Although the overall tone of the meeting was positive and upbeat,
some of the queries fielded by Schiff questioned his accountability
in the Iraq War [he voted to authorize the use of force based on
the intelligence reports of weapons of mass destruction but has
since changed his position] and on a peculiar note, his feelings
about the 1994 parole of Lyndon LaRouche (Schiff was not associated
with LaRouche’s conviction or parole, and turned the discussion to
globalization and economics).

Schiff is opposed to invading Iran, in favor of increasing funding
to schools and believes in immigration reform.

"I believe that the magnitude of the rallies got everyone’s attention,"
he said.

He favors the Kennedy-McCain Bill, which allows for immigrants living
in the United States to become legal through a six-year application
process the "Essential Worker Visa Program" that includes background
checks and documented gainful employment, among other requirements,
but does not believe that legislation will pass both the senate and
the house this year.

"In the past, the United States has been the beneficiary of the brain
drain of the rest of the world," the congressman said. He is concerned
that not only is the United States not cultivating scientists and
engineers, but that new immigration policies actively discourage the
best and brightest of other countries from emigrating.

He also spoke of U.S.-Chinese relations and the importance of
cultivating "not only free trade, but fair trade," citing examples of
how Chinese policies keep the entertainment industry from competing
on an even playing field.

Students looking for a political internship program will be pleased
to hear that there are unpaid positions available at his offices in
Pasadena and in Washington, D.C. It may be the perfect way to "get
into politics."

The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
August 26, 2006 Saturday
State Edition

History On This Day; Pg. 77

THIS DAY

1768: Captain James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour weigh anchor
at Plymouth, England, bound for Tahiti to observe the transit of
Venus and with secret orders to look for a great south land.

1883: The volcano on Krakatoa island, in what is now Indonesia,
erupts, creating a tidal wave that washes over neighbouring islands.

More than 36,000 people die.

1896: Armenian revolutionaries attack the Ottoman Bank in Istanbul,
sparking a massacre in which 6000 Armenians die in the city.

1900: At the Paris Olympics a Dutch rowing team uses a French boy
from the crowd as cox, then wins. The boy, about 7, disappears after
the medal ceremony, possibly the youngest Olympic champion.

1920: American women are allowed to vote, as the 19th Amendment of the
US Constitution is certified by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby.

1978: Cardinal Albino Luciani of Venice is elected Pope and takes
the name of John Paul I. He serves only 33 days before dying of a
heart attack.

1999: Federal Parliament passes a motion by Prime Minister John Howard
expressing "deep and sincere regret" for past injustices to Aborigines.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY RECEIVES NO INFORMATION ABOUT OPENING OF
VERIN LARS BORDER PASS BY RUSSIA

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian Foreign Ministry has
not received any information from the appropriate bodies of the
Russian Federation about the opening of the Verin Lars (Upper Lars)
border pass. NT was informed about it from the acting spokesman for
the RA MFA Vladimir Karapetian.

To recap, according to the August 24 issue of the daily "Azg", Russia
intends to open the Verin Lars border pass for 10 days. The same source
reported that Georgian mass media explained this intention of Russia
by "the circumstance of providing the Armenians who are on the on the
border with the opportunity to reach Armenia through Georgia". At
the same time, it was noted that as the Georgian newspaper "Akhali
Taoba" put it, "the Russian side’s decision to open the border pass
for Armenians was taken as an offence by the Georgian authorities
that refused to open the border pass from their side."

To recap, Russia closed the Verin Lars border pass during the first
ten days of July, explaining this step by the necessity to carry out
repairs. NT was informed on July 10 from the press service of the
RA Ministry of Transport and Communication that the border pass will
open no sooner than in a month.

ANALYST OF "IRAVUNK" NEWASPAPER: IAC NEVER PRESENTED ACTIUAL REASONS
OF CRASH OF ARMENIAN –320 LINER

Yerevan, August 25. ArmInfo. The Interstate Aviation Committee has
never presented the actual reasons of crash of the Armenian A-320
liner, which was carrying out Yerevan-Sochi flight May 3, the Yerevan
"Iravunk" newspaper writes today. In the opinion of the material
author, the Committee experts tried to blame the Armenian pilots
with which the Head of "Armavia" Company, Mikhail Baghdasarov,
categorically disagrees. In one his interview, Baghdasarov said:
"It is very easy to blame the pilots as they had died and there is no
witness". Reading the IAC conclusion, one can make a conclusion that
the Armenian pilot started to make mistakes just from doing nothing.
What the IAC tries to represent us, is wrong", Baghdasarov said.

According to "Iravunk" newspaper, a rather strange and awful situation
forms. In fact, the main purpose of the crash reasons investigation
was not punishment of the guilty but clarification of the crash
reasons. So, several months later after the air crash, the "Armavia"
owner does not know if he is guilty or not and if yes, what is his
fault and what to do for what happened not to repeat again.

The IAC conclusion had to give answers to these questions, which did
not happen. Moreover, the investigation of the air crash reasons
is evidently transferred to the political field and not without
IAC participation. Possibly, the delayed investigation of the crash
reasons became a reason of the followed crashes of A-310 in Irkutsk
and TU-154 under Donetsk, the author of the material said.

BAKU PLOTTING ATTACK AGAINST ARMENIAN DIASPORA AND MEDIATORS
By Gayane Movsessian

Yerkir.am
August 18, 2006

Baku has discovered a new scapegoat for its diplomatic failures –
the Armenian Diaspora.

The activities of the Armenian Diaspora aimed at moral and material
support to the policies of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic have
been bothering Azerbaijan and Turkey for a long time. The latter have
been trying to oppress politically and economically the two Armenian
states for more than ten years.

There are very few people in Baku who do not talk about the
"omnipresent and omnipotent Armenian lobby". The Azeris have been
trying in vain to mobilize their nationals living abroad for the
benefit of the homeland.

At last, Ilham Aliyev decided to mobilize his diplomats against the
successors of those who survived the Turkish yataghan and escaped to
different parts of the world from the Western Armenia. At a meeting
with representatives of diplomatic missions in Baku Aliyev expressed
his concern that the international community’s sympathy lies with
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. He demanded that all Azeri diplomats
exert their best efforts to change the situation.

"We have to launch an information attack and reveal the true nature of
Armenia’s policies," Aliyev stated expressing his discontent with the
fact that the Azeri diplomacy fails to counter the activities of the
Armenian Diaspora and change the international community’s sympathy
towards Azerbaijan. "The international community sympathizes with
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh," Aliyev stated in a very nervous manner
and demanded that his diplomats do everything to change this situation.

One can easily make guesses as to how this will be achieved: the
Azeri propaganda machine will most likely increase the flow of lies
and dirt poured against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic in
an attempt to present Azerbaijan as "the unfortunate victim of the
Armenian aggression". Baku does not seem to care that Azerbaijan,
with its population of 7-8 million people, its oil reserves and
increasing wealth, sounds ridiculous because of its constant weeping
and complaints against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic and its
tendency of accusing everyone for its failures.

OSCE Minsk Group might become another target for activation of Azeri
diplomacy. At the same meeting with the Azeri diplomats a proposal was
made that USA, Russia and France chair the Minsk Group on a rotation
basis. Of course, the proposal was not made with the purpose of making
the negotiation process more efficient. On the contrary, the Azeri
diplomats are looking for a scapegoat to blame for the failures in
the Karabakh negotiation process. Official Baku believes USA, Russia
and France can be such scapegoats. It is interesting to know who will
be the first one?