Author: Khoyetsian Rose

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
May 22 2006

What! Ten points for Armenia?
21 May 2006, Sunday
JTW Ankara

This week was such a mess and yesterday night was the crème of the
whole week. Eurovision song contest 2006 was a near-tragedy for
Turkey. Honestly, it was a tragedy. But there is a good news and a
bad one. Good news is we just gave 4 points to Greece and they gave a
miserable 3 points to us. That means we are still enemies, so my
columnist career can survive.

Bad news is, and it is really bad, we gave 10 points to Armenia. Read
it: Turkey has given 10 points to Armenia. What is happening? You
lazy Turkish viewers, learn something from the holy Armenians, don’t
you! No points to Turkey. That is the enemy spirit. Well done boys!

So how come Turks have given 10 points to their troublemaker
neighbors? Before analyzing that, I will try to find out the reasons.

First theory is, there are lots of Armenians living in Turkey, but
there are no Turks living in Armenia. In the past, two Turks to save
Armenian allegations have visited Armenia. One of them attacked, the
other one jailed. Actually they were secret Turkish agents to
manipulate the voting in Armenia. Our grand national strategy was to
accommodate them in Yerivan and let them vote for Turkey during this
year’s Eurovision final. But our plan has been disrupted by clever
and drunk Armenians.

Second one is, Armenian cell phone users can use Turkish mobile
operators, but Turkish cell phone users can not use Armenian
operators. Hmm, I have no idea about this theory, but this is the
beauty of being a journalist. If you have a reliable source, it
becomes news, if you do not have, it becomes newsiction
(news+fiction)

The third and the least likely one is, we love Armenians but they
hate us. Actually this is the opposite. Armenians need their
compassionate love for Turks to unite in the Diasporas or to
brainwash their kids with their unilateral view of the history. But
we do not need Armenians for defining our national identity. But,
they love us such that they build monuments around the world with
both our nations name on it: `Armenians & Turks’…. Not reaaally a
love…. we only have problems with the verbs on these monuments!

So, what made Turks vote for Armenia! If this was a question in the
Turkish secondary schools entrance exam, the likely answers will be :
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 1st and 3rd, none of them, all of them. The answer is
none of them.

Before writing some more nonsense about the Armenian entry, I would
like to say a few words about our song. `Superstar’, the Turkish
entry, was not really bad. But it was missing what Sebnem Paker and
Sertab Erener’s songs achieved. And that is something about Turkish
culture!. I do not expect doner&kebap and baklava there, but at least
there should be something related to Turkish music culture. We have a
rich culture and we should have made the best out of it.

Now back to subject. This year’s Armenian song and last year’s Greek
song were having more Anatolian sounds than the Turkish songs of
these years. Last year, the Greek song was popular in Turkey even
months after the Eurovision final. Don’t get surprised, if Armenian
song repeats that.

Nevertheless, there may be a political voting effect as well. In the
last three years (or more) Turkey has given at least one of its big
points to Orthodox world. The other one has gone to culturally close
friends. (Like Bosnia this year-12 points). But the
Anatolian-familiar sound was the dominant effect, I guess.

It is this familiar sound and Turkish people’s good intention -which
I lack because I was sleeping during the contest- that awarded 10
points to Armenia. Now reverse the previous sentence and it explains
the 0 points that Armenia generously gave to Turkey.

As a result, I am proud of my fellow citizens and not very proud but
fine with the Turkish song. Turks has something that most of the
world needs now. As (lazy) Turkish viewers demonstrated last night,
Turks have the positive attitude and constructive efforts that is
nearly extinct in this world. Maybe Turks are not good song writers
or performers, but still Turkish people have better intentions to
build a peaceful future for the next generations. That is what I was
proud of, this morning.

AMERICAN STYLE THE MISTERY OF OPTIMISM
Tigran Avetisian

Aravot.am
18 May 06

The US State Secretary representative Mathew Brayza speaking on
the possibilities of the NK conflict settlement in his speech in
the Congress on 16 of May declared that the parties were close to
the agreement than it was in the past. “The US positively marks the
possibilities of reaching agreement between Armenia and Russia”,
the American diplomat stressed mentioning time limits of that
optimism. That is “next some weeks”, during of which by the State
Department official’s words “the governments of both countries must
be brave and overcome discrepancies”.

Let’s record a thing; a lot of declarations of different American
officials make us change the classic meanings of some words and
expressions. The most descriptive is perhaps ”optimism”. That quality
resides at Americans and we should argue that they don’t loose their
optimism even in the most difficult situations of the life and they
always smile. It is righter; according to a lot of psychologists
optimistic mood helps to bear the difficulties. Anyway we can’t ignore
that from time to time publicly expressing ”optimism” means a/ that
word has changed its meaning and is used by other meaning, b/ there
are serious reasons for optimism about which we aren’t informed enough.

The possibility of the first version isn’t so big. So we have to
examine the second version. But in that case we face to another
American quality, pragmatism. A thing, which isn’t combined with
optimism. Or maybe Brayza combines it.

–Boundary_(ID_BRcBtp0E9Ix0hY03Cmnn9g)–

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO SOUTH CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA TO COME TO ARMENIA ON MAY 22
Author: A. Mammadov

TREND, Azerbaijan
May 19 2006

On May 22 NATO Secretary General`s Special Representative to South
Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons to pay a two-day visit
to Armenia.

As “APKA” Agency was informed at the Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia today,
meetings with Armenia`s President Robert Kocharyan and Prime Minister
Adranik Markaryan, the Armenian Parliament Vice Speaker Tigran
Torosyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan and other ones
are envisaged during the visit.

UNFAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS HINDER THE SEARCH WORKS IN THE BLACK SEA

ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 16:07

Unfavorable weather conditions hinder the search works at the site of
crash of the A-320 plane, the operative staff of technical assistance
informs.

Strong wind started at night. It made hard for the RT-1000 deepwater
devise to operate at the bottom of the sea. However, attempts are
made to continue the search works.

Advancement
The newsletter of fundraising and philantropy at Boston University
06/spring/armenia/index.html
Spring 2006

Lessons in Modern Armenia
BU Alumnus’s Bequest Will Fund New Courses

He may have had a Ph.D. in English from Boston University, and have taught
English for some fifty years, but Charles Kenosian’s early days as a scholar
weren’t promising: he failed kindergarten. That really wasn’t his fault –
when he started school, he spoke only Armenian. After being held back, and
clearly learning a second language very quickly, he got a double promotion.
“He was a smart guy,” says his sister, Elisabeth Kenosian.

Kenosian had an abiding interest in his heritage, and it bothered him that
many Americans knew so little about Armenia’s history and heritage.
Kenosian, who died in January 2005, was upset that many of his students and
even some professors at Salem (Massachusetts) State College were so ignorant
about the country. “He heard an awful lot of students who thought Armenians
are Muslims,” Elisabeth reports, especially ironic because Armenia was the
first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion, in the year 301,
and has been the bastion of Christianity in that region for over 1700 years.

Kenosian’s desire that Americans – especially young people – gain a greater
understanding of Armenia will be taking the form of new courses in modern
Armenian history and literature at the College and Graduate School of Arts
and Sciences, thanks to a generous bequest from Kenosian through the Charles
and Elisabeth Kenosian Endowment Fund. Armenia’s ancient history is the
subject of programs at other universities, but the new courses are intended
to focus on events since the 1800s, when Armenia was part of the Ottoman
empire, through to its current status as a republic.

“Among the special relationships that the deanship opened for me was to have
known Charles Kenosian, a dedicated teacher and man of dignity and
distinction,” says Jeffrey Henderson, dean of Arts and Sciences. “He was a
regular supporter of arts and sciences at BU, and his generous bequest will
make a special addition to the College and Graduate School’s course
offerings directed toward an important culture in an increasingly important
part of the world.”

Kenosian wanted his legacy to “go to an academic source,” says Elisabeth,
“and BU was where his close ties were, and where he began his teaching
career.”

—
Taylor McNeil
Editor
Bostonia
Boston University
10 Lenox Street
Brookline, MA 02446

617-353-7350 (v)
617-353-6488 (f)
[email protected]

PROGRAMS OF 572 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 6 RURAL COMMUNITIES OF TAVUSH MARZ WITH WORLD BANK FINANCING

Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006

IJEVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. A program on development of rural
enterprises and small commercial agriculture has been operating in
Tavush marz since early 2006. Pavel Tsutsulian, Coordinator of the
Tavush marz assistance team, told NT correspondent that work of the
total amount of 572 thousand USD will be carried out this year in
6 rural communities of the marz: Choratan, Verin Karmiraghbyur,
Norashen, Berkaber, Barekamavan and Archis. Under the program,
11 pieces of equipment and a bus will be purchased, as well as gas
supply services will be provided for the village of Archis. 6 pieces
of agricultural machinery will be acquired for Barekamavan, 3 – for
Norashen, 4 – for Verin Karmiraghbyur, and 2 pieces of machinery
– for Choratan. A 1-km drinking water pipe and a 3.5-km drinking
water network will be constructed in the village of Berkaber. A 8-km
drinking water network will be built in Norashen, and a 4-km one – in
Verin Karmiraghbyur. Milk purchase sites will be opened for Norashen,
Choratan and Verin Karmiraghbyur communities.

YOUNG ORINATS YERKIR PARTY MEMBER ABOUT THE OLD MEMBERS

Panorama.am
15:24 16/05/06

Orinats Yerkir young members presented a symbol of a broken chair with
a paper with $ sign and several ?? stick on it with black ribbon. The
chair symbolizes the people who left Orinats Yerkir. The young members
assure that no rat movement is present among their lines. According to
youth department head of OY Samvel Faramanyan, no person has left the
party from their department. Moreoever, 500 new members joined. Tigran
Lazarian, department member, said that morality has not developed
within politics.

Young OY members have called extraordinary assemblies several times to
discuss the present situation. They issued a statement approving their
leader’s steps and rendering their support to him. Speaking on those
who left the party they write “such people are sometimes loved but are
never forgiven. We are sure that their steps are not only reflection
of being non-principle but also put en end to any human morality.”

STATEMENT OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC

Lragir.am
16 May 06

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
These days, tragic events took place in Shoushi 18 years ago which
played a significant role in the further escalation and increase of
the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict: on May 16-17, 1988, the leadership
of the Azerbaijani SSR via its emissaries and local Azerbaijani
authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Shoushi region started the
deportation of the Armenian population of the town of Shoushi. These
actions which became possible due to the impunity of the Armenian
pogroms organized the same year in the town of Sumgayit pursued the
aim to extirpate the Armenian element in Nagorno Karabakh.

Absence of adequate estimate, first of all, of the USSR leadership
to these actions which, according to international-legal norms were
an act of ethnic cleanings, allowed the Azerbaijani SSR authorities
to realize pogroms and deportation of the Armenian population of
the republic in 1988-91s (Khanlar, Kutkashen, Vartashen, Shamkhor
regions, the town of Mingechaur, etc. – November-December of 1988,
Kirovabad – November 1989, Baku – January 1990, “Kolco” operation –
April-June 1991) which actually created preconditions for the following
full-scale aggression against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

The NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs focuses the attention of the
international community to the fact that the militaristic rhetoric and
charging of the atmosphere of xenophobia in the Azerbaijani society is
the continuation of the policy conducted by the Azerbaijani authorities
and calls to give a worthy evaluation to these events and recognize
the international-legal responsibility of the Azerbaijani Republic
for mass violation of the basic rights of the Armenian population of
the former Azerbaijani SSR and unleashing of aggressive war against
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, which will have immense significance
for strengthening the security and peace in the region and will allow
to approach the final solution of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

CONSTRUCTION OF INCOMPLETED APARTMENT BUILDINGS RESUMES IN TALIN

Noyan Tapan
May 15 2006

TALIN, MAY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. This year 12 families will move to new
apartments in the city of Talin of Aragatsotn marz. Arzuman Arzumanian,
the head of Karashintrans LLC, a company doing the construction
work, told NT correspondent about it. He said that in 2005, the last
remaining apartments were provided to 6 families. According to Talin
Mayor’s Office, there will be no incompleted apartment buildings
in Talin in the next 5 years – construction of such buildings will
be finished by that time. The construction of incompleted apartment
buildings in Talin has been resumed under the program on development
of Aragatsotn marz.

OSKANIAN: ANY OSCE MG PROPOSALS HAVE BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SIDES

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.05.2006 13:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian did not rule out the
possibility of a Kocharian-Aliyev meeting, noting that much depend on
the outcomes of the meeting of Armenian and Azeri FMs and mediator’s
coming visit to the region.

Oskanian said the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are scheduled to visit the
region in late May. The Armenian FM said the mediators have presented
some new ideas to parties to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and these
will be discussed at his meeting with Azeri FM Elmar Mammadyarov
in Strasbourg this week within the session of the Council of Europe
Committee of Ministers.

Any proposals have both positive and negative sides and all disputed
issues should be solved in the course of talks. We will try to make
our stands maximally close,” the Armenian FM said, noting that much
will depend on the response of the Azeri party to the new proposals
of the mediators, Mediamax reports.