Author: Karakhanian Suren

WHEN TIME COMES GEORGIA WILL DO ITS BEST FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION
Yerkir
20.03.2006 17:26
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Georgia sympathizes with the Armenian people who
survived the tragedy in 1915 that resulted in such great number of
victims, Georgian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
In his words, the recognition of the events as genocide is the
prerogative of the Georgian parliament and government. “We sympathize
with the sister nation but taking decisions of the kind we should
take into account the international situation.
When the time comes Georgia will do everything within the limits
of the possible for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the
international community including Georgia,” Gachechiladze noted.

Turkish minister to visit USA due to concerns over Iraq – daily
Yeni Safak website, Istanbul
17 Mar 06
Text of report by Duygu Guvenc: “Concerns about Iraq prompt Gul,
who was reluctant to visit the USA, to change his mind” published by
Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak website on 17 March
In addition to some other factors, a series of ups and downs observed
in Turkish-American relations have played a crucial role in the visit
to be paid by five members of the cabinet to the United States towards
the end of this month. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who had earlier
decided not to go to the United States, changed his mind because of
the recent developments in Iraq.
The five ministers will fly to the United States to attend the 25th
joint annual conference to be organized by the American-Turkish Council
(ATC), Turkish-American Business Council, and the American Friends of
Turkey between 26 and 29 March. In addition to Gul, State Minister
Kursat Tuzmen, Energy Minister Hilmi Guler, Agriculture Minister
Mehdi Eker, and Tourism Minister Atilla Koc will attend conference
sponsored by the ATC.
The decision about Gul’s visit to the United States was made following
lengthy assessments made by the Foreign Ministry. Gul also weighed up
the pros and cons of not going to the United States and his advisers
eventually asked the US side to arrange a meeting with US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice, which is expected to take place on 27 March.
The possibility of cancelling Gul’s visit to the United States was
earlier discussed in diplomatic circles. Foreign Ministry officials
analysed the rising influence of the neo-cons over the US State
Department and their argument that Turkey must pledge unconditional
support. Those evaluations made by the high-ranking officials of the
Ministry led to the conclusion that the United States was taking a
harder line towards Iran and that it would pursue a policy aimed at
escalating the crisis.
Taking account of Turkey’s reluctance to give unqualified support
for the US policy vis-a-vis Iran, reactions provoked by a visit paid
by a Hamas leader, and angry reactions expressed by some members of
the Jewish Diaspora in the United States, Foreign Ministry officials
assessed the merits of a decision to advise Gul not to go to the United
States. The postponement of Rice’s visit to Turkey, which was scheduled
to take place in January, was also taken into consideration. They,
however, later concluded that holding talks with the US side would
be necessary in a period marked by mounting concerns that a civil
war could start in Iraq and lead to its dismemberment.
Planned meetings
Turkey’s concerns about Iraq and especially Kirkuk also influenced
the decision that Gul should visit Washington.
Gul is also expected to tell the US side that they were still trying
to convince Iran to cooperate, emphasizing that Turkey was urging
Tehran to ensure transparency of its nuclear programme while taking
a cooperative approach. US sources, however, said that no proposal
concerning Iran would be made during the meeting between Rice and Gul.
Gul will also have meetings with the members of the Jewish lobby
in Washington. Meanwhile, Ankara will host Barry Jacobs, Turkey
Director of the American Jewish Committee on 20 March. In addition,
a delegation from the US Congress led by Senator John Warner will
visit Ankara next week. The stand to be taken by the Jewish Diaspora,
which was bothered by the Hamas leader’s visit to Turkey, regarding
a draft resolution about the Armenian allegations of genocide, which
will be tabled in the US Congress once again, will be regarded by
Ankara as an important factor.
In addition to his meeting with Rice, Gul will also have a meeting with
US National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley in order to emphasize his
concerns about Iraq. Turkey fears that a civil war may be impending
in Iraq and Gul will also reiterate Turkey’s expectations about the
PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party]. Rice is expected to raise the Hamas
leader’s visit to Turkey and Gul will tell her that the objective
of their meetings with the Hamas leader was not different then the
purpose of the United States’ calls.

IN SEVENTH HEAVEN
By Joyce Rudolph, The Leader
Burbank Leader, CA
March 15 2006
Seven dance companies come together at the Alex Theatre to celebrate
their art.
Jamie Nichols has jumped to the next level in dance performance.
The Glendale native was artistic director of her own contemporary dance
company, Fast Feet, for 23 years, but after retiring the company,
she switched to the role of executive producer and will bring seven
companies together for the “Celebrate Dance 2006” March 25 at the
Alex Theatre.
Nichols has raised the funds to produce the show and has chosen
award-winning companies for the performance, which will become an
annual event, she said.
“It has always been my dream to produce other people’s work,” she said.
It’s much more than just creating a show or making money, Nichols
said, it’s seeing other people’s work come to fruition. She wants to
give dance companies the chance to perform premieres of their work
in a world-class venue that will entertain a diverse audience at an
affordable price so that all ages can attend.
“They all have created Los Angeles premieres for this event and two
of the companies are from San Francisco. That means, I’m not only
supporting companies from the Los Angeles area, but companies from
outside Los Angeles,” said Nichols, who now lives in Pasadena.
The Alex performance will feature such genres as ballet, jazz,
modern and contemporary dance exhibited by companies with varied
ethnic backgrounds, she said.
Spicing up the event with a Latin flavor is Backhausdance, a company
that won three Lester Horton Dance Awards in 2004. The Horton Awards
are the premier awards recognizing excellence in professional concert
dance in Southern California, Nichols said.
JazzAntiqua Dance & Music Ensemble, directed by Pat Taylor, celebrates
the African-American roots of the jazz tradition with visceral jazz
dance and the Djanbazian Dance Company, led by artistic director Anna
Djanbazian of Glendale, brings an Armenian touch to the event, while
blending ballet and modern skills with traditional dance, she said.
The Djanbazian Dance Company is based out of the Djanbazian Dance
Academy in La Crescenta, which draws students from Glendale, Burbank
and the foothills, Djanbazian said.
It won four Horton Awards in 2004, Nichols said.
“I adore Anna’s work,” she said. “Her work has a beauty and lightness
that’s stunning.”
For the Alex performance, Djanbazian has choreographed the dance
“Ser,” which means love. It is based a work of contemporary Armenian
poet Grish Davadian, Djanbazian said.
“This dance is about the love of an innocent boy and girl,” she said.
“Without knowing each other, they are wishing to find love. They
go to a sacred place in the village, in the garden of a monastery,
and pray for love. They see each other and hold each other’s hand
and that sparks love in their hearts.”
Arsineh Ananian, 19, of Glendale who has been with the company for
14 years, will dance the female lead, she said.
“She’s a very strong dancer, very emotional and energetic,” Djanbazian
said.
Arsen Serobian of Hollywood is dancing the male lead. He is not
with the company but he and Djanbazian have worked together in other
performances twice before, she said.
“He is a wonderful guy and a very emotional dancer,” she said.
“The most important thing is, we understand each other very well. A
performer must have a direct connection with you. It’s easy to work
with him.”
Nichols is also enthusiastic about seeing Serobian perform.
Formerly with the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, Serobian also studied
acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood,
Nichols said.
He does both professionally, and the acting helps his dancing ability,
she added.
Serobian received the Horton Award for Outstanding Achievement
Performance Male in 2004 with the Djanbazian Dance Company, she said.
“I think the beauty of Arsen’s performance is not just his technical
ability, but his tremendous ability to embody the characters that he
dances,” Nichols said.
story/40514p-60510c.html

AN UNHYGIENIC SITUATION IN AKHALKALAK
A1+
01:32 pm 16 March, 2006
The Sanitary Department of Akhalkalak was dismissed according to the
order of the Health Ministry of Georgia.
15 people became unemployed as a result of this and the hygienic
situation of the region came out of control, as the above-mentioned
Department is the only service dealing with hygienic problems.
Though the Ministry gave a sanitary laboratory to the Social Health
Centre today it doesn’t work because of the staff reduction.
According to the news of the “A- Info” Agency the posibilities of
withstanding the epidemies are doomed to null.

JOHN EVANS CONTINUES TO EXERCISE HONOR AND PRIVELEGE OF U.S. AMBASSADOR
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.03.2006 01:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ John Evans is our Ambassador and he continues to
exercise that honor and privilege Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman of
the U.S. Department of State said when commenting on the report
of his recall due of his speech on Armenian Genocide. As it was
reported earlier, ANCA’s letter addressed to Secretary Rice earlier
this week said in part, “the prospect that a U.S. envoy’s posting –
and possibly his career – has been cut short due to his honest and
accurate description of a genocide is profoundly offensive to American
values and U.S. standing abroad – particularly in light of President
Bush’s call for moral clarity in the conduct of our international
affairs.” Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Co-Chairman of the Armenian
Issues Caucus, also expressed his extreme disappointment to Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice over reports that the U.S.
Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, is being forced from
office based upon truthful and forthright statements last year about
the Armenian Genocide. To remind, speaking last year to an Armenian
American gathering at the University of California at Berkeley,
Amb. Evans said, “I will today call it the Armenian Genocide… I
informed myself in depth about it. I think we, the U.S. government,
owe you, our fellow citizens, a more frank and honest way of discussing
this problem. Today, as someone who has studied it… there’s no doubt
in my mind [as to] what happened . . . I think it is unbecoming of us,
as Americans, to play word games here. I believe in calling things by
their name.” Referring to the Armenian Genocide as “the first genocide
of the 20th century,” he said: “I pledge to you, we are going to do a
better job at addressing this issue.” Amb. Evans also disclosed that
he had consulted with a legal advisor at the State Department who
had confirmed that the events of 1915 were “genocide by definition.”

KENYA: KEEP POLITICS OUT OF MATTERS ON SECURITY – PAPER
The Standard website, Nairobi
15 Mar 06
Text of editorial entitled “Keep politics out of matters on security”
published by Kenyan newspaper The Standard website on 15 March
Two days have passed since the two Armenian “brothers” at the centre
of a political and national security storm pompously announced their
presence in the country. During this time, neither the minister for
national security, the commissioner of police nor director of CID
[Criminal Investigation Department] – the three men in-charge of our
security – has spoken.
Instead, there have been allegations and counter-allegations,
degenerating a very delicate matter of national concern into shadow
boxing between the government and opposition leaders.
Such indifference and inertia is unnerving and worrying. Kenyans would
like to know the Kenya Airports Authority officer who staged managed
the “arrival” of the foreigners at the Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport on Monday [13 March] morning and cleared them to use the
VIP lounge, and the motivation for the unprocedural action. It is
also important for the government to explain why the “brothers” were
driven to the airport in a GK car with escort, and who authorized it.
These are critical questions that must be answered if only to clear
the government of complicity. It is not enough for State House to
warn politicians against dragging the institution into the muck, the
government has the resources to get to the root of the problem. The
current confusion is destabilizing our crucial sectors and it is not
in the interest of the government and the country for the paralysis
to continue.
Most of our institutions have collapsed due to political interference
and it would be improper for authorities to play poker with the core
of our sovereignty and nationhood.

STATEMENT BY OSCE ON RESULTS OF WASHINGTON CONSULTATIONS OF MG CO-CHAIRS TO BE PUBLICIZED IN VENA
Author: E.Husseynov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
March 9 2006
The headquarters of OSCE will publicize the statement on the results
of the Washington consultations of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
soon, the Office of OSCE Minsk Group co-chair Steven Mann, the Special
Representative for Conflicts in Eurasia of the U.S. State Department,
told Trend.
According to Office, the consultations of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs on peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
took place in Washington from 7 to 8 March.
The consultations finished without adoption of statement by mediators.
Besides Mann, attending the consultations were Yuriy Merzlyakov
(Russia), Bernar Facie (France), as well as Anjey Kaspshik, the
personal representative of acting chairman of OSCE.

Armenia raises domestic gas prices
Mediamax news agency
10 Mar 06

Yerevan, 10 March: Beginning from 10 April 2006, the population of
Armenia will pay 90 drams [20 cents] for 1 cu.m. of gas instead of the
previous 59 drams [0.1 dollars].
Today, the public service coordinating commission set new tariff rates
for natural gas, Mediamax reports.
Beginning from 10 April, industrial consumers (using over 10.000
cu.m. a month) will pay 146.51 dollars for 1,000 cu.m., instead of the
previous 79 dollars.
The population (with the volume of consumption not exceeding 10,000
cu.m. a month) will pay 90 drams for 1 cu.m. of gas instead of the
previous 59 drams.
On 28 February, ArmRosGazprom company appealed to the public service
coordinating commission asking them to review gas tariffs due to the
increase in Russian natural gas prices beginning from 1 April 2006
from 56 dollars to 110 dollars for 1,000 cu.m.
ArmRosGazprom proposed raising the tariffs from 59 to 108 drams for 1
cu.m. for the population and from 79 dollars to 145 dollars for 1,000
cu.m. for the industrial consumers.
[Mediamax news agency, Yerevan, in Russian 1040 gmt 10 Mar 06 quoted
the chairman of the Union of Consumers of Armenia, Armen Pogosyan, as
saying that the decision to raise the tariffs was “socially
unacceptable”.]

IT’S NECESSARY TO CHANGE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF WOMEN’S ROLE
Interview conducted by Naira Poghossian
Yerkir/arm
March 10, 2006
A conference titled “The Role of Women in the Process of Creation
of Civil Society” will be held in Yerevan this week. The conference
is organized by ARF’ s Committee of Armenian Women. Marlene Haas
representing the Socialist International will also attend the
conference. We asked representative of the Committee of Armenian
Women Maria Titizian to comment on the issues to be discussed at the
conference and the role of women in Armenia.
Q: What is the purpose of the conference?
A: The conference will deal with the role and activities of women. We
view women’s participation in the process of creation of civil
society from three perspectives: women in public administration,
women in party politics and women in NGOs. Representatives of these
three sectors will present their reports at the conference. We are
sure our discussions will lead to efficient cooperation.
Q: Representative of Socialist International Marlene Haas will attend
the conference. How is ARF collaborating with this organization?
A: Marlene Haas will speak about the cooperation of political parties
and NGOs in the framework of protection of women’s rights. ARF has
been a full member of Socialist International since 1907. However,
the membership was suspended in 1950’s since this organization’s
requirement is that the member parties should be operating in the
country of their origin which was not the case with ARF. In 2003
ARF rejoined the Socialist International, before that it had an
observer’s status. As a member of the women’s organization of the
Socialist International I have participated in all meetings since
2002. In this period close cooperation has been established with the
women representatives of political parties in European countries. Such
cooperation is an excellent opportunity for exchange of experience. We
hope we will be able to invite several representatives of the Socialist
International to participate in a similar conference in Armenia next
year since such dialogue is very important in terms of finding new
ways of empowerment of women.
Q: Why do you think women play an important role in politics?
A: Experience shows that welfare oriented reforms prevail in countries
where women participate in public administration, decision making and
legislative processes. Moreover, in such countries political tensions
are mitigated easier. The laws in Armenia don’t discriminate against
women in any way. At the same time women don’t participate in high
level decision making in our country, there are no women ministers
and not very many women are in the parliament.
Women are more involved in mid-level decision making. And it’s not
only the men’s negative attitude towards women in politics that
shapes this situation: women themselves do not trust other women –
you can see this during parliamentary elections.
Q: How do you think political parties are handling this issue?
A: Of course the 25% quota for the number of women candidates is
ensured in party lists. But the problem is that women are usually
listed in the middle or the end of the lists while it is practically
impossible to get so many votes in the elections. You can see the same
situation within the political parties. I think it’s time to change
this approach, and change it not by words but by specific actions to
prove the important role women can play in politics.
Q: What can you say about public perception of women’s role?
A: Women have always played an important role in the history of
Armenia.
Women were worshiped as mothers, were respected and loved; they
always had a high social status. The situation changed several times
when Armenia lost its independent statehood and then went to another
extreme in the Soviet period when even illiterate women could become
deputies. Unfortunately, our society fails to accept the fact that
even if women get involved in politics they still can be caring mothers
and wives. Political posts do not diminish your womanhood. Believe me,
combining this two is much more pleasant. Meanwhile, in our society a
woman is perceived either as a mother or as some other creature. This
is a very wrong perception that should be eliminated. In our context
I think the obligatory quotas for parliamentary elections are very
important to ensure that men do not form the absolute majority in the
parliament and in the government. This will be part of our activities.
Q: What is the role of the media in empowering women?
A: Empowering women in the process of creation of civil society is
directly linked with the media. I am sure that if women’s issues are
adequately covered in the media the public perception will change
because empowerment of women does not depend on a country’s being
poor or rich, progressive or underdeveloped.

NUMBER OF BIRTHS IN KOTAYK MARZ REDUCED IN 2005
Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006
HRAZDAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. 3106 births were fixed in the marz
of Kotayk in 2005 what is by 68 less than the index of the previous
year was. This is provided by the reduction of births in the regions
of Hrazdan and Nairi.
According to data of January 2006, 263 births were fixed in the marz
what is more by 28 than the index of the same period of the previous
year was. 22 cases of death of children of 0-1 years old were fixed
in the marz of Kotayk the last year, what is lower than middle index
the republic is. In the marz separate maternity hospitals function
in Abovyan and Hrazdan, delivery rooms function in Charentsavan,
Yeghvard and Garni. The technical basis of the mentioned medical
institutions is provided with new equipment year by year. Particularly,
modern medical equipment of about 450 thousand evros was given to
the maternity hopital of Hrazdan recently by the grant allocated by
the Government of Japan.