Author: Karakhanian Suren

TO D.C. ON FOOT
Georgetown University The Georgetown Voice, DC
Nov 16 2006
Georgetown’s STAND and Armenian Student organization joined George
Washington University students Nov. 5 to welcome six Armenian-American
students who walked from Los Angeles to D.C. to call attention to
the genocide in Darfur.
The students’ march began on June 27 and ended Nov. 1. After their
arrival at GW, the University hosted a discussion forum on genocide
with Journey for Humanity, the genocide-awareness organization that
sponsored the students.
“Walking is symbolic of genocide,” Edward Majian, one of the marchers,
told the GW Hatchet. “We are walking in an attempt to be in solidarity
with those people,” he said, referring to Darfur victims as well as
those of past genocides.
On its web site, Journey for Humanity kept an online report and
diary of the six students, in which they reflected not only on Darfur
genocide but on the more obscure Armenian genocide of 1915-1923.
-16/news/news-hits

ARMENIA PLANS TO OCCUPY ABKHAZIA? GEORGIAN INTELLIGENTSIA ACCUSES ARMENIANS OF GENOCIDE OF GEORGIANS
Regnum, Russia
Nov 16 2006
APA news agency (Baku) reports that 60 representatives of the
Georgian intelligentsia have demanded that Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili recognize the genocide committed by Armenians in Georgia.
They say that in 1993, the “Bagramyan” military unit, together with
Abkhazians, fought against the Georgian army and killed Georgians
living in Abkhazia: “Before the Czar, Russia populated Georgian
Javakheti with Armenians, there had been no single Armenian in that
region. However, today Javakheti is mentioned as part of Armenia.
Having ‘crippled’ the Georgian monuments in the territory of Javakheti,
the Armenians are not trying to convince everybody that they are
Armenian. All this is being done systematically, and so, must be
recognized as a genocide against the Georgian nation.”
Member of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia in exile Akaky Gasviani
supports this initiative and points out that the Armenians have a big
role in the “occupation” of Georgian lands and the establishment of
the separatist regime in Abkhazia.
The Golos Armenii daily publishes the abridged version of the article
“What Is Armenia Plotting Against Georgia,” published in the Aisi
daily (Georgia) (#36, Oct 3-9 2006). Golos Armenii says that the
article tells how Armenians populated Abkhazia and Ajaria and what
the atrocities the “Bagramyan” battalion committed during the war
against the Georgians. “Journalist Gogneli quotes “some expert on
Armenian problems” as saying: “If anybody thinks that the Russians
will appropriate Abkhazia, he is mistaken. Should they – God forbid –
recognize Abkhazia as an independent, the Armenians will occupy this
region in just one year. Today, they are silent and are just waiting
for a good opportunity. But as soon as it happens, they will rise and
appropriate this Georgian region. Today, they are trying to occupy
Abkhazia’s sea coast – they are actively working in this direction.
Then, they will ‘take care of’ Javakheti” and, finally, they will
get access to the sea. This is a part of their “Great Armenia”
plan. So, we, the Georgians, must be vigilant and wise. I wonder if
our leadership is thinking about it?”
The Azg daily says that, neither in the Georgian mass media nor via
its own sources in Georgia, has it managed to find anything that could
prove the information of the Georgian daily. Asked by Azg to comment
on the statement, Ambassador of Georgia to Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze
said that he knows nothing about such a statement and, even if it was
made, he, first of all, wants to know the names of its authors. “In
any case, this is not the position of the Georgian Government.”

TURKISH BUSINESS OFFICIAL SLAMS FRENCH BILL ON “GENOCIDE”
Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Nov 16 2006
Paris, 16 November: “The bill approved by the French National
Assembly over the so-called Armenian genocide, is contrary to freedom
of expression,” said Pekin Baran, deputy chairman of the Turkish
Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD), on Thursday
[16 November].
The conference hosted by Paris-based Montaigne Institute on “Europe:
Which values, which borders?” became stage of an ardent argument
between Baran and Patrik Deveciyan, French MP of Armenian origin.
During the conference, Deveciyan claimed that Turkey could not be a
member of the EU since the EU did not approve nationalist feelings.
He said that the bill was submitted to the French national assembly
to prevent demonstrations like the one against Armenian monument in
Lyon in the past.
In response, Baran stressed that the freedom of expression was one of
the most important values of the Union, but France seriously violated
that value by approving such a bill.
Pointing out to political and economic contributions of Turkey to the
EU in future, Baran stressed: “Turkey’s EU membership is essential
for a powerful Europe in the globalizing world.”

ANKARA RENOUVELLE A EREVAN SON OFFRE POUR LA CREATION D’UN COMITE D’HISTORIENS
Agence France Presse
16 novembre 2006 jeudi 6:23 PM GMT
La Turquie a renouvele jeudi a l’Armenie son offre pour la mise en
place d’un comite mixte d’historiens des deux pays charges de faire
la lumière sur les massacres d’Armeniens sous l’Empire ottoman qui
empechent les deux pays d’avoir des relations normales.
“Nous pensons que ce comite sera un mecanisme très benefique pour la
normalisation des relations entre les deux pays”, precise un communique
du ministère des Affaires etrangères.
La Turquie a propose l’an dernier la mise en place de ce comite mais
elle a ete refusee par Erevan.
Cependant, souligne le document, malgre le refus des autorites
armeniennes de donner suite a la proposition d’Ankara, “des
responsables des deux pays se sont rencontres trois fois depuis avril
2005 pour discuter de cette affaire”.
“S’il est cree, ce comite permettra d’applanir les differences
d’interpretations concernant les evenements de 1915 et contribuera
a la normalisation des relations”, ajoute le texte.
La Turquie n’entretient pas des relations diplomatiques avec l’Armenie
voisine en raison du profond differend sur les evenements qui se sont
deroules dans les dernières annees de l’Empire ottoman en declin,
de 1915 a 1917.
La frontière entre les deux pays est fermee.
Les massacres et deportations d’Armeniens dans l’Empire ottoman ont
fait plus de 1,5 million de morts, selon les Armeniens, 250.000 a
500.000 selon la Turquie, qui recuse categoriquement la notion de
genocide reconnue notamment par la France, le Canada et le Parlement
europeen.
–Boundary_(ID_xmwErOmecRi8y+ 1oVf/HBg)–

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE REMAINS URGENT PROBLEM IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 13 2006
Although many people connected the problem of the NKR presidential
election with the adoption of the draft constitution by the parliament,
the meeting of parliament on November 1 did not bring about anything
important. The members of parliament approved the draft constitution,
which will be put to popular voting. The rumors about the relation
between the decision of the parliament and the upcoming presidential
election have diminished. The country is going to hold a referendum and
find out the attitude of the citizens of NKR towards the constitution.
It is possible that more people have realized that one decision or
another of President Arkady Ghukasyan on his further political career
has little relation to the Constitution. Moreover, in his October
11 statement President Ghukasyan explained his decision by other
circumstances than the adoption.
Certainly, the general political problems also have importance, both
home and international. Despite deep doubts about the statement of
President Ghukasyan (most people detect symptoms of preparations for
a third term in the actions of his team), some aides are asserting the
president’s unlikelihood to run a third term. Moreover, the discussion
about the new president is said to be underway among his aides.
One way or another, both the government and the society are facing the
necessity to discuss the problem of electing a new president of NKR. In
this connection, Nagorno Karabakh is specific. The usual practice of
waiting until the next president is named will not work here. First,
NKR is a small country and everyone knows in person the figures around
the president. And in this connection, President Ghukasyan cannot be
proud at all. He has been heard speak about the difficulty of naming
the next president.
Of course, this does not mean that there are no candidates
in Karabakh. Most probably, there are no candidates around the
president. The names of the Secretary of State Security Bako Sahakyan
and Speaker Ashot Ghulyan mentioned recently hardly mean anything to
the society. And if the public is not delighted about these persons
who have a negative image, other high-ranking officials around the
president, as the results of polls suggest, are not perceived by the
society as new leaders of NKR.
This circumstance shows that the figures, who are not seen beside
President Ghukasyan, will most probably have a greater chance to
be named. These are not only figures from the opposition but also
government officials, who belong to the so-called reformist branch
of the government. This state of things appears natural, considering
another specific feature of the political life in NKR.
Here there is no gap between the government system and the society
unlike other post-Soviet states. In other words, the visible opposition
of forces is between the top officials and pro-government members of
parliament on one side and the society with the majority of public
officials on the other. This circumstance undoubtedly acquires a
political meaning. The example was the election of the mayor of
Stepanakert in 2004 when the candidate of the opposition Edward
Aghabekyan was supported by not only the society but also most
public officials, which helped the candidate of the opposition win
the election.
It is not accidental that presently the attention of the society
focuses on the deputy minister of foreign affairs Masis Mayilyan. The
loyalty of even the radical opposition and the mass media to this
figure is already evident. If the events develop similarly, it is
possible that naming a new president of Nagorno Karabakh will be
based on a scheme of an expansive consensus among the society of NKR.
This is an interesting phenomenon against the background of the
underdeveloped party systems of such states like NKR, and the social
and economic reality typical of the rule of the same regime lasting
for a decade.
It is clear that the traditional influence of the government and
political forces of Armenia will also be observed in the upcoming
presidential race in Nagorno Karabakh. However, with the current
state of indefiniteness in Armenia this influence will hardly have
a deciding role. There can be a sudden shift in this influence only
in case of an inadequate behavior of President Ghukasyan, for the
rumors about the third term in NKR is widely perceived in Armenia
as an effort to create as a precedent for Armenia. In the context of
the upcoming elections in Armenia the idea of this precedent arouses
a strong nihilistic approach not only among the opposition but also
the potential presidential candidates in Armenia.

NKR PARLIAMENT SPEAKER CONGRATULATED DEMOCRATS ON VICTORY IN ELECTIONS TO THE U. S. CONGRESS
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 13 2006
In connection with Nancy Pelosi’s election as the U. S. House Chair
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Parliament Speaker Ashot Gulian sent
her a congratulatory message.
According to the information DE FACTO received at the NKR Parliament’s
Press Service, the message runs, in part, that the Democrats’
victory in the Congress elections “testifies to the American nation’s
belief in your ability to overcome inner and outer challenges the
U. S. people face”.
The message also underscores, “the U. S. play an important role in
the Nagorno-Karabakh, rendering moral assistance to our democratic
movement, essential humanitarian aid targeted at overcoming the
Azerbaijani aggressions’ destroying consequences and actively working
within the OSCE Minsk group frames to resolve the ongoing conflict”.
Ashot Gulian voiced confidence that the U. S. Congress would go on
protecting freedom and democracy and promoting the Nagorno-Karabakh’s
strengthening and development.

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Nov 11 2006
PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA IS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT SETTLEMENT
`I am not optimistic about the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue,’ said the president of Armenia Robert Kocharian during the
meeting with the Armenian community of Kazakhstan in Astana, reports
Armenpress. `I considered the year 2006 as a year of opportunities
because there were no elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan, and we
made efforts to negotiate with the Azerbaijani president. It was a
failure.’ The president of Armenia said the foreign ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan are meeting in November, and if the results
are reassuring, Robert Kocharian will meet with the president of
Azerbaijan in late November in Minsk. Robert Kocharian said the
recent meetings are not reassuring. `The impression is that no
progress was achieved this year,’ said the president of Armenia.

Panorama.am
13:57 10/11/06

CHOIR SPEGHANY CELEBRATES 10TH YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT
Choir Speghany is celebrating 10th year of its
establishment. Sarina Avtandilyan, art head of the
choir, said it is established only for children of
freedom fighters who perished during Karabakh war. `In
1996 when the choir was established, we hoped that it
will become a second family for the children and the
music will become balsam (speghany). That is why the
choir is named Speghany and our hopes were realized,’
she said.
In 2007 the choir will take part in European festival
of young ensembles in Bazel (Switzerland). Besides,
the group will participate in the contest in Germany.
In 2003, Speghany released its first CD included
Armenian spiritual music. In 2004 it won a second
prize in Aretso (Italy) and received the title of
laureate of international contest. /Panorama.am/

A1+
ARAM ASATRYAN HAS NOT BEEN POISONED
[02:11 pm] 10 November, 2006
Aram Asatryan’s requiem will take place today at
06:00 p.m. in his house in Echmiadzin. The relatives
and fans of the singer can bid him the final farewell
tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. in the culture hall after
Komitas in Echmiadzin. The funeral will take place at
03:00 p.m. in the Zvartnots cemetery tomorrow.
By the way, special buses will leave for Echmiadzin
free of charge for all those who want to participate
in the funeral. Tomorrow since 9:30 a.m. the buses
will be standing near the Opera house entrance.
According to the gossips, Aram Asatryan did not die a
natural death. People say he has been poisoned. We
tried to find out the truth from his press secretary.
`It is excluded. He ate and drank whatever other
people ate and drank. Besides, all the people there
were relatives and friends. There weren’t any
strangers whom we could suspect’, Hrachuhi Yeranosyan
mentioned.
According to the press secretary, pathologoanatomic
examination confirmed that Aram Asatryan had a heart
attack.

PRESS RELEASE
Alpha Epsilon Omega
Armenian Educational Relief Fund
P.O. Box 1662
Glendale, CA 91209
CONTACT: Alexander Abramyan
Phone: (818) 497-0125
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: aerf.alphaepsilonomega.org
September 09, 2006
Headline: Alpha Epsilon Omega’s Armenian Educational Relief Fund
Successfully Completes its Inaugural Project in Armenia
Alpha Epsilon Omega (AEÙ), announces the successful completion of the
Armenian Educational Relief Fund’s (AERF) inaugural project. Led by
AEÙ Brother and AERF Chairman, Alex Abramyan, AERF’s inaugural project
focused on providing much-needed supplies to Kindergarten #7 in
Armavir, Armenia.
In early 2006, Brothers of AEÙ kick started an initiative to assist
educational efforts in Armenia. The Brotherhood sought to make a
personal connection with educational efforts in the homeland and
directly donate supplies where they are most needed. Through personal
contacts and communication with local officials, Kindergarten #7 in
Armavir city was selected as the first project.
Fundraising activity from all six chapters of AEÙ enabled AERF to
raise more than $5,000 for the effort. During June-July 2006, several
Brothers traveled to Armenia to coordinate the effort. Additionally,
to further aid the local Armenian economy, AERF arranged for and
purchased all of the donated goods from suppliers in Armenia. Items
such as beds, bed sheets, desks, tables, chairs, toys, and electronic
appliances – essential items for the proper operation of the
Kindergarten – were purchased locally and delivered directly to the
Kindergarten.
Furthermore, Brothers hosted a field trip for the students at the zoo
in Yerevan City. The funds were also used to provide graduating
kindergarten students with new backpacks filled with essential school
supplies and toys to give them a head start in their academic life.
“We feel that the donations will motivate the young students to
succeed by allowing them to spend their youth in a secure and
comfortable environment. The donations were meant to encourage
students and provide them with the proper tools for a successful start
at their academic career. I’m very proud of our accomplishments in
this small school and hope that our contributions will one day promote
greater educational efforts all over Armenia,” said Alex Abramyan.
Further details about AERF’s work in Armenia, including video footage
of the Brothers interviewed on Armenian TV and information for
prospective donors is available at the AERF website,