Author: Madatian Greg

FOUNDER AND CURATOR OF MUSEUM OF JURASSIC TECHNOLOGY TO SPEAK AT CARLETON COLLEGE

Carleton College News, MN
Oct 5 2007

Photo: Micro-miniature by Hagop Sandaldjian

David Wilson, founder and curator of Southern California’s enigmatic
Museum of Jurassic Technology, will give a convocation address entitled
"The Eye of the Needle" on Friday, October 12 at 10:50 a.m.

in Carleton College’s Skinner Memorial Chapel. The event is free and
open to the public.

Wilson will speak primarily about the lifework of Armenian master
violinist and "micro-miniaturist" Hagop Sandaldjian (1931-1990),
currently featured as part of the museum’s eclectic collection.

Sandaldjian meticulously crafted specks of dust and fragments of human
hair into over 30 remarkable figurative sculptures contained in the
eyes of sewing needles. Working with custom tools under a microscope,
Sandaldjian learned to time his movements between the beats of his
heart, because the pulse in his fingertips could cause enough movement
to destroy the work, which took up to 14 months to complete. One of
the most notable works in the collection is a sculpture of Pope John
Paul II carved from a single strand of human hair and placed within
the eye of a needle.

Sandaldjian’s sculptures, like many of the items on display in the
Museum of Jurassic Technology, manage to stretch the borders of
both art and science. Located on the western edge of Los Angeles,
the Museum of Jurassic Technology declares in its mission statement
to provide "the academic community with a specialized repository of
relics and artifacts from the Lower Jurassic, with an emphasis on
those that demonstrate unusual or curious technological qualities."

Wilson’s goal, he explains, was to instill "a healthy
bewilderment…and to respect the open-mindedness of uncertainty. We
find ourselves very drawn to phenomena that hover on the border
of believability-we are interested in the sense of knowing," says
Wilson. "What does it mean to know something? What does it mean to
understand something? We have found phenomena that are on the very
cusps of understandability or believability."

A MacArthur Fellow, Wilson founded the museum with his wife in 1989
as a sort of "U-Haul trailer traveling exhibition." About five
years later they settled into their present location, and their
inventory has grown considerably. The museum boasts a collection of
both artistic and scientific exhibits assembled to inspire, amuse,
and educate. The permanent exhibit includes a display on the stink
ant of West Central Africa, a series of microscopic carvings on the
stones of fruit, and a presentation on a bat purportedly said to fly
through solid objects using x-rays instead of sound waves.

To learn more about Wilson and his museum, go to For
convocation information and disability accommodations, contact the
Carleton college relations office at (507) 646-4308.

?content=content&module=news&id=337295

CLAUDIA ROTH: PUNISHING DINK MURDERER JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.10.2007 15:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Capturing and punishing the teenager who shot
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink would only eliminate the
"tip of an iceberg," Claudia Roth, a German politician has said,
calling for a thorough investigation into the murder and removal of
the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), under which
Dink had faced trial for "insulting Turkishness."

Claudia Roth said her presence at the second hearing of the Dink murder
trial earlier this week was first of all "a matter of solidarity to
support his family and friends."

Beyond that, she said "it was a political signal. We have to show
that we will not forget what happened.

Europe is closely watching how the investigation proceeds and takes
this as a first test for the government to show how serious they
really take their promises."

Roth, co-chairperson of the German Alliance ’90/Green Party and
deputy chair of the German-Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Group,
was in Turkey to attend the trial and meet with Turkish leaders,
including President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, after the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) was
re-elected to power in the July 22 elections.

Roth is convinced that a "deep state" – referring to shadowy elements
of the state cooperating with criminal gangs in order to "protect
the interests of the state" – was involved in the crime, citing media
reports that showed police officials in Samast’s hometown of Trabzon
were aware of the crime long before it took place. "The ‘deep state’
is not just a conspiracy theory, but [it] really exists. Turkish
security institutions and judicial apparatuses need to be cleansed
of such elements by someone who will act in this task decisively and
adamantly," she said.

"Otherwise it will undermine this country one day."

According to the German politician, if there is any positive thing
about the Dink murder, it is that it showed removal of Article 301 of
the TCK is now a matter of urgency. Roth, after meeting with Prime
Minister Erdogan on Wednesday evening, said he told her Article 301
would be changed.

"Turkey has to understand that freedom of speech and press is one
of the most urgent preconditions for any democratic society and a
developing civility," she said, emphasizing that the government has
no excuse after its election victory on July 22 and the election of
Gul as president in August. "With the government majority and the
presidency in one hand, it is time now to prove the true will to bring
the necessary and essential reforms," she remarked, Zaman reports.

Agos bilingual newspaper editor-in-chief, Hrant Dink was gunned outside
his newspaper office in Istanbul by 17-year-old Ogun Samast on 19
January 2007. After two court session four suspects were released. The
next session is due in 11 February 2008.

US UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS: WE HOPE THAT WE’LL BE ABLE TO GIVE AN IMPETUS TO THE PROGRESS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

ArmInfo Agency, Armenia
Oct 4 2007

ArmInfo. The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met the
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicolas Burns in
New York.

Burns’s meeting with Elmar Mammadyarov, held behind closed doors
lasted an hour, APA reports. The American Co-chairman of the OSCE
Minsk Group Matthew Bryza also participated in it. Commenting on his
meeting with the Azerbaijani FM, Nicolas Burns said that the necessity
of progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue was touched upon: "A little
while ago I met the Armenian FM. We’ll continue the discussions, and
we hope that we’ll be able to give an impetus to the progress in the
conflict settlement". He also noted that the discussion also covered
energy issues. According to him, Americans consider Azerbaijan one of
the most important regions in the world from the point of view of the
country’s extracting and transit possibilities. "To have success in
this sphere, we’ll help Azerbaijan in everything, which is within our
power. The country unites Central Asia and Caucasus with Europe. In
particular, much importance is given to the transmission project of
Azerbaijani gas to Europe. The US Government is against one country’s
domination in gas-supply to Europe. We want to see diversity in this
sphere. We plan to hold high-level discussions on this matter with
Azerbaijani Government", N.Burns said.

AZERBAIJAN TRIES TO PRESS PACE

ArmInfo Agency, Armenia
Oct 4 2007

ArmInfo. Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Ogtay Asadov visiting
Strasbourg, met PACE President Rene van der Linden. After the meeting,
both of them gave a press-conference.

As APA reports, Rene van der Linden recalled about his visit to the
South Caucasus this summer and informed about meetings with several
officials, including Ogtay Asadov. The latter told about opinions
exchange held on a number of issues. "I said that I am concerned over
absence of progress in the Karabakh conflict settlement issue. This
conflict negatively affects development of the region in general. The
question of Rene van der Linden on what he can do for the conflict
settlement is of interest for us. We think that not only PACE but
all the international organizations should assist in implementation
of decisions and resolutions they made, ad infinitum.

As you know, PACE resolution N1416 exists. Even if the international
organizations have no pressure mechanisms, they will be able to turn
the opposite side into an object of discussion and, thus, assist in
the conflict settlement".

Thus, O. Asadov made an attempt to press PACE, having recommended
it to turn Armenia into "an object of discussion". He also expressed
confidence that PACE, which recognizes the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan , will not save efforts for peaceful settlement of the
Karabakh conflict in line with the world standards, under which the
Azerbaijani representative means the standards which meet Azerbaijan’s
idea of fair settlement of the conflict.

CHAIRMAN OF PACE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NAGORNO KARABAKH: I MAY BE IN AZERBAIJAN ON 9 NOVEMBER

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2007

"I am anxious to see the work of my committee continue"

Lord Russell-Johnston interviewed by APA Europe bureau

– Did your meeting with speaker Asadov take place today? What was
discussed and what are outcomes of this meeting?

– Specific outcome. I explained to him that I was anxious to see the
work of my committee continue. That it was necessary to have some
guarantees of cooperation from both countries. And consequently I was
intending at least to write both to President Aliyev and president
Kocharian, and possibly also to see them both, to visit them both.

And if so happens that I may be in Baku on 9 November, but that is
not yet confirmed. That might be an occasion on which that might be
possible depending of course on the president’s schedule. I said to
speaker Asadov that I regretted the fact that the visits that have
been planed both by my committee and also by the cultural committee
had been cancel at a short notice. But I hope that the situation
could be reasonably resolved.

– We also heard that there was a meeting yesterday in the subcommittee
between the heads of the Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations. So
you met yesterday. And apparently the Armenia is interested in
issues that were discussed at this meeting, And also specifically
the Azerbaijani delegation is proposing to change the format of these
visits and meetings, meaning to go to the Nagorno Karabakh through the
Azerbaijani territory. If that at all could be called as a change of
the format of the work of the committee. What can you say about this?

– Well, it did represent a change of the format. As the understanding
was both by myself and also by Mr O’Hara at the cultural committee
that there would be an interview in Yerevan. And that was changed
very suddenly and quickly. And that was not a great problem for me,
because the meeting was the next week. But for Mr O’Hara it meant
everything be changed of the week-end with one-day notice. And that
was not really good.

– Would these format changes prevent the visit?

– As I said before I do not regard my committee as being concerned
to mediate on Nagorno Karabakh. The idea was that we would try and
improve contact and dialog particularly in the first place between
Azeri and Armenian parliamentarians; possibly hold seminars in Baku
and Yerevan. And to try to improve the relationship, but not, I mean
… The Nagorno Karabakh conflict will only in the end solved by
Kocharian and Aliyev.

– The last question. There will be a meeting of the PACE’s monitoring
committee on frozen conflicts in November in Berlin. We assume that
you were invited and if so, the question is as follows: Initially the
idea was to have Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations to discuss the
things, but yesterday apparently the Armenian delegation at the meeting
with PACE president proposed to have also the representatives of the
Armenian community of Nagarno Karabakh. So what do you think about it?

– I don’t want to cover that as I know nothing about it. But if I
may ask a couple of things: the Council of Europe said to me apart
from being very anxious to see a resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and in particular of the occupied territories with the
refugees. They are also concerned naturally about internal policies in
both Azerbaijan and Armenia. Azerbaijan is fortunate in having huge
economic growth. That should not lead it to neglect basic democratic
questions. Our main concern is about the political prisoners, some
of them are very old and sick. And also journalistic freedom. There
were seven journalists imprisoned recently. I just add that as a
postscript.

GEORGIAN STATE MINISTER FOR CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: I AM SURE THAT SOUTH OSSETIA CONFLICT IS ABOUT TO BE SOLVED

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 2 2007

We try to correct historical mistake by repatriating Ahiska Turks

David Bakradze, Georgian State Minister for Conflict Settlement
interviewed by APA

– How do you appreciate the activity of Mixed Control Commission
established for the settlement of Georgia-Ossetia conflict? Are
there real opportunities for the solution to Georgian-Abkhazian and
Georgian-Ossetian conflicts?

– Georgia does not restrict its activity to the Mixed Control
Commission, on the contrary Georgia is ready to closely participate
in the work of the commission. If this format is not effective, we do
not search artificial ways for the implementation of the format. The
main thing is to implement the agreements made by the Mixed Control
Commission in the past one year. If this commission is unable to
implement agreements, then it is difficult to say that it will play
any role in the settlement of the conflict. Very active economic
reformation processes are carried out in the region. Effective work
of the Mixed Control Commission depends on readiness of Skhinvali and
Russia and their participation in the work of the commission. If Russia
regards the commission seriously, we can speak of the settlement of
the conflict. I am sure that South Ossetia conflict is about to be
solved. As to Abkhazia conflict, the situation is tense there. We
are anxious about the recent events in Kodor gorge. As you know
separatist Abkhazia presented an ultimatum to Georgia and threatened
with military force. But it does not mean that we are afraid of these
threats. They have to know that we are ready to take adequate steps
on any aggressive act and military force. But Georgia supports the
solution to the conflict in the framework of political talks and
international organizations.

– May the recent events be called provocation?

– Bombing of facilities of economic importance in Upper Abkhazia in
March, Russian helicopters bombing’ local administrative building can
be regarded as provocation. Besides, we are very anxious about deploy
of Abkhazian military groupings and international military groupings
composed of Russian citizens from Northern Caucasus in the area and
change of Russian peacekeepers’ composition. Chechen grouping has
been added to the peacekeepers. Local people still remember savage
acts committed under leadership of Shamil Basayev 15 years ago.

Adding such military groupings to the peacekeepers is provocation
and has negative influence on the settlement of the conflict. As to
6 August event, this is aggressive act directed against territorial
integrity of Georgia. Russia’s aggression to the territorial
integrity of its neighbor is not the problem of Russian-Georgian
relations, this is the problem of European security. Mechanisms
should be established for preventing such incidents in future. It
is important for our security and security of countries neighboring
with Russia. It is not only the problem of Georgia, such incident can
occur in Azerbaijan tomorrow, in Ukraine the day after tomorrow and
other countries. We speak about the security of European Union (EU),
therefore international organizations like EU, OSCE should respond to
this issue. Russia should respect independence, territorial integrity
and sovereignty of Georgia. These are our main principles. We will not
establish any mutual relation with the state which does not respect
our principles.

– Georgia is increasing its military budget from year to year. Does
it mean that Georgia prepares itself for war?

– The main cause of our increasing budget is to ensure our security.

We are participating in the composition of all peacekeeping
contingents. Georgia wants to increase the composition of peacekeeping
contingent in Afghanistan. Georgia has already had professional army
provided with high salary, meeting NATO standards.

The other cause of strengthening army is its integration to NATO. We
have already passed several stages successfully. Negotiations are
being carried out on Georgia’s becoming the member of the organization
at present. I can assure you that Georgia is ready to enter NATO
and fulfill all the commitments. Head of US military forces in Iraq
addressing the Congress called Georgian peacekeepers the effective
military staff. We are pride of it.

– A group of journalists from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia visited
Samskhe-Javakhetiya region last week. Armenians demanded autonomy
and giving state status to Armenian language while meeting with the
local population in the framework of the visit. Can these demands
create new conflict in Georgia?

– This region was Georgia’s problem, so that Russian forces stirred up
everything here. Military bases belonging to Russia were deployed there
and the region was separated form Georgia economically and economics
there was in bad condition. The authority could not take care of the
population, because foreign forces had spoiled everything. It was said
that stability in the region will be disturbed if Russian military
bases are removed from the region. But we took a lot of measures for
preventing such cases within three years. Our several counterparts
in Russia did their best for creating conflict, but this plan did
not occur. The condition is stable in the region at present.

– Georgia has commitment of European Union for the repatriation of
Ahiska Turks deported from their native lands. Can this commitment
cause new conflict?

– We are independent and took this commitment of EU realizing
great responsibility as a sovereign state. We give them chance for
sending back people harmed during Soviet period. We did not aim to
violate human rights and establish new conflict zone while making
this decision. We are only trying to correct historical mistake. I
believe that this turning point will not create any conflict.

ARMENIAN DELEGATION HOLDS MEETING AT PACE

Panorama.am
13:12 02/10/2007

The Armenian delegation spearheaded by the Chairman of State and
Legal Affairs Standing Committee of the National Assembly (NA)
Davit Harutunyan has had several meetings within the framework of
Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) session which runs
in Strasbourg from October 1 to 5.

NA public relations department informs that during the meeting
with Council of Europe Secretary General Tarry Davis the Armenian
delegation has attracted attention to the fact that Azerbaijan has
been continuously booming to failure the fact-finding missions of CoE,
PACE and other international structures to study the situation of Jugha
medieval cemetery cross stones by imposing preconditions before their
visits. During the meeting, the parties reflected on issues relating
to deeper cooperation between CoE and Republic of Armenia within the
framework of assistance programs.

At the initiative of Lord Rassel-Jonston who is the chairman of
standing committee at PACE, a trilateral meeting was held with the
leaders of the Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations on implementation
of PACE Resolution 1416. The focus of the meeting was the question of
expediency of the interim committee’s further work since the visit of
the committee failed only because Azerbaijan suggested a precondition
for passing to Nagorno Karabakh through the territory of Azerbaijan.

AT LEAST THEY HAD A PLAN
By Adrian Walker, Globe Columnist

Boston Globe, MA
Oct 2 2007

The people who don’t think memorials should be part of the Rose
Kennedy Greenway suddenly have a lot to fend off.

The longstanding plan for a memorial to victims of the Armenian
genocide has been joined by suggestions that room be made for victims
of the tragedy in Darfur and by a Boston Peace and Heritage Park,
proposed by the Turkish-American Cultural Society of New England.

Caught in the middle of the dueling memorials is Peter Meade, longtime
mover and shaker and chairman of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway
Conservancy board. Meade has never cared for the idea of an Armenian
memorial.

The Armenian Heritage Foundation has been pushing for a memorial
for at least seven years, raising close to $3 million in support of
the idea. The group envisions parkland with a sculpture that would
discreetly pay homage to the Armenians who were massacred in and
around 1915.

Despite an informal decision years ago that the Greenway would
not contain any memorials for at least the first five years of its
existence, the Armenian group went through a planning process and
won designation to build the park. That decision should stand, even
if the conservancy doesn’t like it.

At one level, I can understand the notion that the Greenway was
intended for other purposes. Like many major cities, Boston has its
share of memorials.

However, this process, or lack thereof, has been indefensible from the
beginning. The fact that the no-memorial policy is not even binding
is emblematic of the back-room negotiations that have plagued the
Greenway.

Meade told me yesterday that he is not opposed to the Armenian memorial
in particular. His beef, he said, is with memorials on the Greenway,
period.

"I think an Armenian Holocaust Memorial is an important idea and a
good idea, and if the world had admitted the Armenian genocide, we’d
all be better off," Meade said. "The question is where it ought to go,
and I think that’s an open question."

That position strikes Armenians as disingenuous. "The Armenian Heritage
Park represents, in our estimation, an opportunity to be part of the
fabric of the city, part of the fabric of Massachusetts," said Anthony
Barsamian of the Armenian Assembly of America, a lobbying group.

State Representative Rachel Kaprielian, a Watertown Democrat,
insisted that the proposed park falls within the guidelines for the
Greenway. "It’s not a memorial; it’s a park," she said. "Unless you
look closely, you won’t even see what’s on the plaque."

This dispute has echoes of the recent battle between the Armenian
community and the Anti-Defamation League over the ADL’s reluctance
to embrace the term genocide to describe the massacre of Armenians
by Turks. The Armenian community won that round handily.

The decision on what will be allowed on the Greenway seems headed
for the desk of state Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen. He has
not taken a position, though the Turnpike Authority has supported
the Armenian Heritage Park thus far. Many have complained, though,
that their decisions were made in the absence of a real public process.

No one I know wants to see the Greenway covered with memorials. It
was never meant to be the Washington Mall. But the Armenian group
has pursued its goals with determination and vision for years, in the
face of a process that could charitably be called chaotic. Even now,
no one can say when, or exactly how, this is all to be resolved.

I say going through the process, such as it was, coming up with the
only real and viable plan for the parcel, and raising the money to make
it happen should count for something. If that means the conservancy
has to live with one idea it doesn’t like, so be it.

Ultimately, it is public land, not Meade’s backyard.

Meade sounded as if his fondest wish is for the whole controversy to
end. When I asked him when a final decision would be made, he quipped:
"Someone told me Aug. 15. I forgot to ask which year."

Northern News Services , Canada
Sept 30 2007

Armenians to celebrate teacher

Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 28, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE – If you are an Armenian teacher working in Yellowknife
stop reading this right now.

Hmayak Mikayelyan is throwing a surprise party this Sunday for a
woman who has been teaching Armenian children their language and the
culture.

"It’s very important that our kids know their language and where
they’re from," said Mikayelyan.

The celebration is a way to say thanks to the teacher who volunteers
her time on behalf of almost 100 Armenians who have made Yellowknife
their home.

Traditionally in Armenia, which shares borders with Turkey, Georgia,
Azerbaijan and Iran, the second week of October is a national holiday
that honours teachers.

However he wasn’t able to get a venue for then, so he’s decided to
celebrate it early in the Calvary Community Church basement.

"Every Saturday and Sunday she’s teaching our kids. Parents are
working all week so they’re tired."

This is the third celebration that Mikayelyan has organized.

One was to celebrate New Years in 2006, and before that to mark
Armenian genocide day on April 24, 2005.

Sunday will be a busy day for Mikayelvan. At 1:45 p.m. he’s slated to
perform at International Music Day at Squatterz.

Following that he said he’ll be rushing to the church to get things
ready for the 3 p.m. party.

There will be speeches and poetry readings by the children.

If you know the woman, don’t tell her. And while the party will be
primarily Armenian, Mikayelyan said that everyone is welcome.

photo: Hmayak Mikayelyan is an Armenian in Yellowknife who is also a
musician. He will be performing Sunday at International Music Day and
afterwards will host a party for a teacher of Armenian children. –
NNSL file photo
pers/sep28_07ar.html

ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Sept 29 2007

Karabakh conflict resolution one of priorities of the OSCE Spanish
Chairmanship
29.09.2007 13:20

The OSCE is well-placed to contribute to the coordinated responses
needed to tackle today’s security challenges, the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos,
told the UN Security Council in a speech yesterday.

"Thanks to the OSCE concept of multi-dimensional and co-operative
security and the varied instruments it has developed, the OSCE is
well-placed to assist in the implementation of relevant UN Security
Council resolutions," he said.

"The UN and the OSCE are joined together by their determination to
strengthen a rules-based international order based on the respect for
human rights and on co-operation in matters relating to security
among states and their societies."

Mr. Moratinos underlined the Spanish Chairmanship’s priority to
address the region’s unresolved disputes, including the
Georgian-Ossetian, Nagorno-Karabakh and Transdniestrian conflicts,
and the importance of continuing negotiations.

"It will not be enough to have signatures on official documents and
treaties; we need to work to overcome distrust and to build platforms
for dialogue and understanding. Future peace requires action today in
conflict zones, including the commitment of civil societies," the
Minister said.