Author: Karakhanian Suren

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
March 19 2005
NATO SECRETARY GENERAL’S SPECIAL ENVOY VISITS UZBEKISTAN
[March 19, 2005, 15:45:59]
A delegation headed by special envoy of the NATO Secretary General on
Central Asia and Caucasus Robert Simons has visited Uzbekistan.
In the news conference on conclusions of the visit, Mr. Simons said:
`In meeting in the Ali Majlis, as well as with the heads of
ministries of foreign affairs and defense, discussed were questions
of expansion of co-op between NATO and Uzbekistan, NATO assistance to
the force structures, combat against terrorism, situation in
Afghanistan, transitions from the territory of the country of
numerous cargo to Afghanistan’.
At the news conference, R. Simons also dwelt on the conflicts in the
CIS space, including the problem of Nagorno Karabakh. He noted that
visiting the Caucasus region, he discussed with the President of
Azerbaijan and Armenia the ways of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, and the NATO, of course, is for peaceful resolution to the
said problem.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EXHIBITION “SURVIVAL THROUGH CREATIVITY” COMMEMORATES 90TH ANNIVERSARY
OF ARMENIANS’ GENOCIDE
YEREVAN, MARCH 17. ARMINFO. Maine Haley Farm Gallery will open
“Survival Through Creativity” exhibit featuring works by Berj Kailian
and Samuel Bak – two survivor artists of the Armenian Genocide and
Jewish Holocaust respectively. The exhibit commemorates the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the 60th anniversary of the
Jewish Holocaust.
Foster’s online reports, “Survival Through Creativity” reflects the
artists’ creative outlook toward life having endured, witnessed and
survived the atrocities of the 1915 Armenian Genocide perpetrated by
the Ottoman Turks and the WWII Jewish Holocaust by Hitler’s Nazi
Germany. Works of Samuel Bak are available in cooperation with the
artist and Pucker Gallery. Exhibit commemorates Armenian Genocide and
Jewish Holocaust with works of two survivor artists
Kailian was born in Armenia in 1914. Her extended family was one of
the last to be driven out. Her father, imprisoned and tortured was
later asked to dig his own grave and was buried alive by the Turkish
authorities. Only nine months old, Kailian was wrapped and tied to her
mother’s back and along with her three siblings began the forced
marches through Armenia. Through the arduous trip her siblings were
lost and are presumed dead. Kailian was wrapped in old newspapers to
be kept warm; she was given away three times but returned to her
mother to remain a survivor as they reached Yerevan, present-day
Armenia’s capital. Kailian’s mother worked for the Armenian Red Cross
and they lived with other wretched refugees in devastating conditions
until 1919 when they were sent funds by an uncle in the to travel to
America via Russia and Japan. Berj Kailian now lives in Weymouth,
Massachusetts and is perhaps the only Armenian-American woman artist
survivor of the Armenian Genocide.

PanArmenian News
March 17 2005
NKR DEFENSE MINISTRY PROVIDED EVIDENCE TO OSCE ON AZERI UNITS FIRING
UPON KARABAKH POSITIONS
17.03.2005 04:05
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE mission yesterday held an extra-planned
monitoring of the contact line between the Armed Forces of Nagorno
Karabakh and Azerbaijan in Martakert region. Incidents of March 7 and
9 took place right here through the Azeri party’s fault. These
entailed human causalities. In the course of the monitoring
representatives of the NKR Defense Ministry provided evidence to the
OSCE mission on Azeri units firing upon Karabakh positions, as well
as the results of the actions aimed at advancing Azeri positions at
the line of demarcation.

ARMECONOMBANK GIVES ARCA CARD-HOLDERS OPPORTUNITY TO PAY TAXI-FARE
YEREVAN, MARCH 15. ARMINFO. Armeconombank signed today agreements with
the representatives of “Citi-Cab”, “Ketrin” and “American Taxi”
taxi-services given passengers an opportunity to pay fare by the cards
of ARCA National Payment System. Armeconombank Deputy Executive
Director Arsen Katvalyan informed journalists that at the first stage
only card-holders of ArCA can fulfil cashless payment within the
three-month pilot project. All card-holders of Armenian Card,
including international MasterCards will be given this opportunity
after successful completion of the project.
Katvalyan stressed that this project costs nearly $15.000, $5.000 for
each taxi-service, including technical assistance and training for
services’ employees. He explained that the main POS-terminals will be
set in the dispatching offices of taxi-services and special connecting
facilities will be installed in cars itself.
He noted that number of bank’s card-holders totals 29.700 and they
expected it will amount to 30.000 late March. 92 POS-terminals and 7
cash dispensers are equipped by the bank at present and it is planned
to grow their number by 20 and 2 respectively. The new cash dispensers
will be set as early as in March.

PRESS RELEASE
UCLA AEF Chair in Armenian History
Contact: Prof. Richard Hovannisian
Tel: 310-825-3375
Email: [email protected]
Dr. George Kooshian, Visiting Movel Professor at UCLA
UCLA–Dr. George B. Kooshian, Jr. has been appointed as Visiting
Movel Professor at UCLA for the Spring Quarter. A specialist on
Armenian immigration, Dr. Kooshian will teach a course on the history
of the Armenian community in California from its earliest settlers to
the present. Professor Richard Hovannisian, AEF Chair in Modern
Armenian History at UCLA, stated: “The Armenian community of
California has a rich and colorful history, which unfortunately
remains virtually unknown to great waves of recent Armenian
immigrants. The course Dr. Kooshian has been invited to teach will
certainly help to fill this void.”
George Kooshian was born and reared Pasadena, California, attended
Pasadena public schools and Pasadena City College. He graduated from
Seattle Pacific College with a degree in Latin. After two years in
the Army, he entered graduate school at UCLA and received an M.A. in
Linguistics and a Certificate in the teaching of English as a Second
Language. Dr. Kooshian then entered the Armenian History program and
studied under Professor Hovannisian. He was granted the Ph.D. in
2002. His interest in the American-Armenian community of his birth led
him to write his dissertation on “The Armenian Immigrant Community of
California, 1880–1935.” This work was based primarily on original
accounts in California Armenian-language newspapers and other sources.
For many years Dr. Kooshian has taught English as a Second Language,
American History and Government, Citizenship, and other subjects to
adults in the Los Angeles Unified School District. He has also taught
at the University of La Verne and the American Armenian International
College, and has served as a teaching assistant at UCLA. He recently
delivered papers on the history of the Armenian immigrant community of
Pasadena in New York and San Francisco and is currently preparing the
stirring autobiography of his father for publication. Dr. Kooshian is
a member of the Society for Armenian Studies, the Middle East Studies
Association, and the National Education Association. He has been
active as a volunteer in the Pasadena Unified School District and in
the Armenian Church, where he has served as a teacher, clerk, and
lector.
In announcing the appointment, Dr. Hovannisian stated: “I am deeply
gratified to Nora and the late Bob Movel for establishing the Movel
Fund at UCLA to support the Armenian Studies program through
fellowships and post-doctoral lectureships. The Fund allows us to
bring innovative courses and special events to campus and to assist
promising graduate students.”
Dr. Kooshian has placed information about the course on the Internet
at <;, together with the course syllabus and many readings available for download, including the complete text of his dissertation and The Web of Hope, his father's autobiography. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanArmenian News
March 15 2005
ARMENIAN SAPPERS READY TO GO TO LEBANON IN CASE OF DEFENSE MINISTER
COMMAND
15.03.2005 06:45
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In case of availability of a command of the
Armenian Defense Minister Armenian sappers are ready to leave for
Lebanon, stated Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia, lieutenant
general Artur Aghabekian when commenting on the request by Lebanese
Ambassador to Armenia on sending a group of sappers to Lebanon
addressed at the meeting with Armenian Defense Minister Serge
Sargsian. In A. Aghabekian’s words, the Armenian center for training
sappers meeting international standards. Armenian sappers have well
removed mines in Armenian regions of Tavush and Syunik and
participate in a peace-keeping mission in Iraq at present.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
March 15 2005
Armenia posts twofold increase in mobile subscribers
RBC, 15.03.2005, Erevan 15:59:08.As of January 1, 2005, the
number of subscribers to mobile services reached 203,309 compared to
111,118 at the beginning of 2003, the press department of ArmenTel
reported. In 2004, ArmenTel’s revenue from providing mobile
communications services advanced 46 percent to EUR27.483m. This
increase is due to the company focusing on the development of mobile
communications services. In 2004 the company allocated 41.6 percent
more funds for investments in the development of mobile
communications, which rose to EUR17.364m.

PanArmenian News
March 14 2005
KARABAKH DEFENSE MINISTRY REFUTED REPORT OF AZERI MEDIA ON SKIRMISH
ALLEGEDLY TAKEN PLACE LAST NIGHT
14.03.2005 08:02
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Karabakh Defense Ministry refuted report of the
Azeri media on a skirmish allegedly taken place last night at the
contact line near Aghdam, Arminfo news agency reports. When
commenting of the reports spread by TURAN Azeri news agency, a
representative of the Karabakh Defense Ministry stated it as
recurrent provocation of the Azeri mass media.

The National Assembly to develop its own concept
By Karine Mangassarian
Yerkir/arm
11 March 05
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations is
planning to organize a series of parliamentary hearings titled
`Nagorno-Karabagh Issue: Ways of Settlement’.
Head of the Committee Armen Rustamian says the hearings are aimed at
defining the potential and mechanisms of parliamentary diplomacy,
contributing to the solution of the Karabagh problem, clarifying the
role of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic in the process of
conflict settlement as well as bringing together and systematizing the
approaches and positions of the Armenian side with the purpose of
presenting those approaches in the context of possible developments
connected with the conflict settlement process.
All the political forces represented in the National Assembly will
participate in the hearings including all of the political forces in
the opposition camp. The Committee has sent invitation letters to the
experts in Nagorno Karabagh Republic involved in the negotiation
process. It should be noted that a wide range of experts have been
invited including international experts.
Representatives of international organizations where the Karabagh
problem is discussed at the parliamentary level will also participate
in the hearings. These organizations include the Council of Europe,
OSCE, UNO, NATO and others.
Representatives of the OSCE Minsk Group member countries will also
participate in the hearings. It is possible that the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs will also participate in the hearings. Armen Rustamian
informed that the list of questions to be discussed during the
hearings has been sent to the participants.
The questions are classified into three groups. First, Rustamian
believes, is that an attempt must be made to clarify the nature of the
Karabagh problem, the reasons for its emergence, the process of its
development, its consequences and the current situation from the
perspective of the problem’s political, historical, legal aspects,
humanitarian law and its international perception. In this context,
the legal value and significance of various documents adopted by
international organizations will be discussed. The arguments put
forwardby the Azeri side will be discussed and comprehensively
evaluated.
The hearings aim at finding the key to the solution of the
problem. Several possible options have been outlined in this
respect. 1) conflict settlementvs. solution of the problem, 2)
stage-by-stage, package or incremental strategy vs. a mixed one, 3)
advantages and disadvantages of the so-called `territories in exchange
for status’ and `territories in exchange for peace’ approaches.
As to the negotiation process, the rights and obligations of the sides
will be discussed, the proposals made by them will be comparatively
analyzed, the possible consequences for conflict prolongation and
probability of restart of war will be assessed and the efficiency of
the mediation missions will be evaluated.
By the end of the parliamentary hearings the Committee will publish
the hearing materials. The Committee is planning to publish a
collection of the presentations made at the hearings. `Based on this,
the Committee will summarize the hearings and will come up with a
conclusion.
We hope that this conclusion will become the document based on which
the parliamentary diplomacy will be coordinated. In other words, we
expect it to become the main element in our concept of pursuing the
solution of the Nagorno Karabagh problem,’ Rustamian noted.
Answering the question whether it is possible that this final document
might become a concept for our Foreign Affairs Ministry, Rustamian
noted that recommendations based on this concept will be presented to
various agencies including the executive agencies in Armenia and
Nagorno Karabagh Republic which will also be participating in the
hearings.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Messenger, Georgia
March 14 2005
Armenia, Georgia praise expanding trade, energy
In Armenia, Georgian PM discusses trade links, energy and Russian
bases in Georgia
By Christina Tashkevich
Zurab Noghaideli
The development of economic relations between Armenia and Georgia
topped the agenda during Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli’s two-day
visit to Yerevan on March 10-12.
Noghaideli and Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met on March 11 to
talk about cooperation in the energy sector and the expansion of
trade links.
News agency Ria Novosti reports that Kocharyan expressed his
satisfaction at the meeting with Noghaideli that the
Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on economic relations
will continue its activities headed by the prime ministers of the two
countries.
“Armenian-Georgian relations have always included a wide spectrum of
issues of mutual interests,” he said. The commission will meet next
in Yerevan.
The sides positively assessed the increase in trade turnover between
the countries last year, which according to Armenian Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan rose by 51.1 percent.
The National Department of Statistics of Armenia reports that trade
turnover between Armenia and Georgia equaled USD 78 million in 2004
compared to USD 51 million in 2003.
The two countries hope to further increase trade, however, and
Noghaideli made a report to his Armenian colleagues about the
completion of the construction of the road between Sadakhlo on the
Georgia-Armenia border and Marneuli. The sides also discussed the
construction of a new border checkpoint in Sadakhlo.
The prime minister was upbeat about energy cooperation between the
two countries, telling journalists that for the first time in recent
years the Armenian energy ministry of energy had not made claims
against the Georgian side.
“For the first time we discussed not past problems but issues of
future cooperation between Georgia and Armenia,” he enthused.
One issue of discussion during the prime minister’s visit to Armenia
was the construction of a gas pipeline linking Iran with Europe via
Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine.
Construction of the Iranian-Armenian segment of the pipeline has
already started, while the two countries are currently in
negotiations with Ukraine and Georgia. One issue likely to hold up
the project is the exorbitant cost: the prime minister of Armenia
said the total cost of the pipeline was estimated at USD 180 billion.
Noghaideli and Kocharyan also discussed the existing conflicts in the
region and their resolution, and the Georgian PM told journalists in
Yerevan that he was confident an agreement would be reached between
Moscow and Tbilisi in regard to the withdrawal of Russian bases on
Georgian soil.
“In the nearest future we will agree with the Russian side on the
withdrawal of Russian military bases,” he said in Yerevan airport
before returning to Tbilisi.
News agency Regnum reports Noghaideli as saying he did not discuss
this matter with the Armenian side, although Armenian Prime Minister
Margaryan noted that the issue was important to Yerevan because of
the predominantly Armenian population living close to the base in
Akhalkalaki.
“The only thing which is important for us is the provision of jobs
and resolution of social problems facing the Armenians living in
Javakheti,” he said, adding however that Armenia does not plan to
interfere in Georgia’s internal affairs regarding the issue of
Russian military bases in Georgia.