Author: Maghakian Mike

Europe’s new divisions
The Economist, UK
Nov 24 2004
Nov 24th 2004
>>From The Economist Global Agenda
Russia and the European Union will spend much of the next few years
sparring over the countries that lie between them~Wand much else
besides.
LEADERS from the European Union and Russia will come together for a
summit in The Hague on Thursday November 25th. Originally scheduled
for two weeks earlier, the meeting was postponed because the new
European Commission had not yet been approved. Those taking part this
week could be forgiven for wishing that it had taken place as planned
on November 11th, for relations between Brussels and Moscow,
difficult in recent months, have been strained still further by
Ukraine~Rs disputed presidential election. Russia~Rs president,
Vladimir Putin, was quick to congratulate the ~Swinner~T, Viktor
Yanukovich, who favours close ties with Moscow. The EU, in contrast,
has expressed concern that widespread fraud may have robbed the
pro-western challenger, Viktor Yushchenko, of the presidency (see
article).
The EU-Russia summit is supposed to forge closer ties on the basis of
four ~Scommon spaces~T: economics, justice and humanitarian issues,
education and research, and internal and external security. As the
spat over Ukraine shows, the last of these issues is the thorniest.
What the EU calls its ~Scommon neighbourhood~T with Russia, and what
Russia has dubbed its ~Snear abroad~T~WUkraine, Belarus and Moldova;
and, further east, the Caucasian republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Armenia~Whas become the cause of an almighty, unneighbourly row.
This is not the first time the EU and Russia have clashed over this
region. After Alexander Lukashenka ~Swon~T a recent election in
Belarus, and a referendum allowing him to stay on as president,
Moscow congratulated the dictator, while Brussels cried foul and
tightened its sanctions against his regime. But Ukraine is the key
battleground for influence between the EU and Russia. Bigger than
France, and with a population of almost 50m, it has long borders with
both the newly expanded Union and its former Soviet older brother.
That is why the war of words over Ukraine is being seen by some as
the biggest bust-up between the West and Russia since the Kosovo
conflict in 1999~Wperhaps even since the end of the cold war.
Russia has backed the eastward-looking Mr Yanukovich because it fears
losing Ukraine as a key ally, having already lost it as a Soviet
sibling. As Lilia Shevtsova, a Russia analyst, put it in an interview
with the Financial Times: ~SRussia still feels a phantom pain for the
loss of Ukraine~Elike a patient whose leg has been amputated.~T Moscow,
it seems, has had enough of watching its sphere of influence shrivel
since the Soviet Union~Rs collapse in 1991. One by one, its former
satellites have joined the NATO alliance, and earlier this year a
batch of them~Wincluding three former Soviet republics~Wjoined the EU.
Others, such as Romania and Bulgaria, will follow them before long.
The Union~Rs new members have toughened visa requirements for Russian
visitors and closed their borders to some Russian goods. All this has
made Russia feel vulnerable~Wand thus more prone to flex its muscles
in neighbouring countries.
Though Moscow worries about western influence in Ukraine, the
country~Rs chances of being invited to join the EU any time soon are
poor. The Union is keen to promote human rights and democracy there
(as well as in Belarus), but its Ukraine policy is muddled. This
reflects an internal split that has become more pronounced since the
former eastern-block countries joined in May.
The biggest of the new members, Poland, has long had close ties to
Ukraine (indeed, western Ukraine was briefly part of Poland after
being part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and some of it did not
rejoin Ukraine until 1945). The Poles have been lobbying hard for
Ukraine (and later Belarus) to be given a special relationship that
would lead eventually to EU membership. The longer the Union holds
out on these countries, the Poles say, the greater the chance they
will be lost for good.
But those EU countries that are geographically far removed from
Ukraine worry more about maintaining bilateral ties with Russia.
Moreover, they would rather focus on countries that are already lined
up for membership: not only the likes of Romania and Bulgaria but
also, further along, Turkey. They argue that the EU simply could not
absorb another big, poor country over the next decade or so. Hence,
despite all that Polish lobbying, there is no consensus on offering
Ukraine a date to start entry negotiations. Nor is there agreement on
starting talks with Georgia, whose ~Srose revolution~T of a year ago
installed a pro-western government, under Mikhail Saakashvili, that
would dearly love to be offered the chance to join the Brussels-based
club.
Those other battles
The fight over Ukraine comes at a time when relations between the EU
and Russia are already plumbing post-Soviet depths. It is true that
the two have forged strong economic ties: just over half of Russia~Rs
exports go to the enlarged Union, which in turn is heavily dependent
on Russian oil and gas. But, on a political level, trust has been
eroding. Brussels is worried that, as a European Commission policy
paper put it earlier this year, some Russian practices ~Srun counter
to universal and European values~T. It has problems with Russian
democracy, or rather the lack of it (the most recent parliamentary
and presidential elections were riddled with irregularities) and
worries that political reforms announced in the wake of the Beslan
siege represent a step back towards dictatorship. The new, central
European members of the EU are calling for a hard line against
Moscow: they want to see their former master challenged and
contained.
Russia, for its part, complains about being left out in the cold. It
resents not being informed about EU positions~Won everything from
immigration to drug trafficking~Wuntil it is too late to influence
them, and wants new joint bodies that will give it a seat at the
table. It also wants Europe~Rs governments to be more sensitive to
Russia~Rs internal concerns: Russian officials fumed when the Dutch
foreign minister accused the authorities of botching the rescue
operation in Beslan. And there is anger that some in the EU portray
Russia~Rs interest in countries to its west, such as Ukraine, as
dangerous. Russian commentators have taken to talking about
~SRussophobia~T in Brussels.
The result is that Russia is once again driving hard bargains. It is
less interested in friendship than in commercial and diplomatic
gains. Thus, it brought smiles to faces in Brussels by ratifying the
Kyoto treaty on climate change recently, but it did so only after
securing EU backing for Russian membership of the World Trade
Organisation and a host of other economic goodies. Were Russia~Rs grip
on Ukraine now to be loosened by the EU, among others, it might only
be encouraged to fight its corner more vigorously in future, in both
politics and economics. Expect tetchiness all round in The Hague.

NKR President’s Visit To America
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
23 Nov 04
Within the framework of his visit to the USA for participating in
the November 25 telethon NKR president Arkady Ghukassian arrived
in Detroit on November 17. “If the highway ‘Goris -Stepanakert’ is
a road of life for Nagorni Karabakh, the road ‘North – South’ will
become the backbone of Artsakh,” said the president at the public
forum in Detroit with the participation of the Armenian community of
the city. The sum raised during the telethon is supposed to be spent
on finishing the construction of the road ‘North – South’ which will
connect almost all the regions of the republic. The president appealed
to the participants of the forum to take part in the telethon thereby
making their contribution to the social and economic development of
Artsakh. In Detroit as in New York during all the meetings of Arkady
Ghukassian they endorsed the NKR president’s line of democratization
of the public and political life in Nagorni Karabakh, building of a
civil society, reforms in the economy and revival of the cultural and
religious life of the country. The participants shared the opinion that
the successful democratic reforms in Artsakh encourage the Armenian
community in the USA to aid Artsakh more actively for its economic
development and settlement of present problems. Similar moods were
felt during the November 18 meeting of the president at Ann Arbor with
the students and professors of the University of Michigan. Briefly
introducing the history of the problem of Nagorni Karabakh, Arkady
Ghukassian emphasized that official Stepanakert is absolutely for
the peaceful regulation of the conflict with Azerbaijan which, as
different from the Karabakh side, tries to do it through force in spite
of its fiasco in the wide-scale military aggression against Karabakh
possessing several times less forces and munitions. “If Azerbaijan
were seriously bound for peace he would agree to direct talks with
Nagorni Karabakh,” stated Arkady Ghukassian. During the president’s
meeting with the pupils and teachers of the school after Alex and Mary
Manougian the necessity for closer relationships between the Artsakh
and USA Armenian secondary schools was pointed out. The president
thanked the family Manougian for their constant assistance to Artsakh.
Then he visited the museum on the campus, which bears the name of Alex
and Mary Manougian too. He got acquainted with the exhibits of the
museums, the exclusive collection of ancient Armenian manuscripts,
ancient objects used in household, carpets as well as works by great
Armenian artists Ivan Ayvazowsky, Martiros Sarian and others. On the
same evening a reception was held in the house of Martin and Diana
Shoushanian for the NKR president. The visit of NKR president to USA
is continuing.
AA.
23-11-2004

PA asks US pressure on Israel to withdraw
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Jerusalem Post
Nov 22 2004
Palestinian leaders on Monday asked for Washington’s help in holding
elections to choose a successor to Yasser Arafat and called for the
establishment of an independent Palestinian state in 2005.
The Palestinian demands were made during a meeting in Jericho between
outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell and a number of senior
Palestinian officials.
The Palestinian team was headed by PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu
Mazen) and included Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, acting Palestinian
Authority Chairman Rouhi Fattouh, Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath,
Minister of Negotiations Saeb Erekat and Finance Minister Salam Fayyad.
It was Powell’s first visit to the region in 18 months, and Palestinian
officials expressed hope it would lead to the resumption of normal
ties with Washington in the post-Arafat era.
“We hope this visit marks the beginning of a new chapter in our
relations,” said one official. “We’re aware that without the US we
would not be able to move ahead with the peace process.”
The official said Jericho was chosen for security reasons, expressing
hope that future meetings would be held in the Muakta compound in
Ramallah.
The 60-minute meeting focused on preparations for the chairmanship
of the PA, sated for January 9.
Erekat told The Jerusalem Post after the meeting that he was encouraged
by Washington’s position vis a vis the elections. “The position
of the US Administration is encouraging because it is determined
to enable the Palestinians to hold free and democratic elections,”
he added. “The US is also determined to revive the peace process.”
Erekat said the PA was still waiting for Israel’s formal approval to
allow Jerusalem’s Arab residents to participate in the elections. He
said five voting centers would be opened at the Armenian Quarter in
the Old City, Salah Eddin Street, A-Tur (Mount of Olives), Shufat
and Bet Hanina.
Qurei expressed fear during the meeting that Israel’s planned
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip was part of a ploy designed to thwart
the road map plan for peace in the Middle East. He said the withdrawal
should be coordinated with the PA in advance.
“At the meeting with Powell we also discussed various issues, such as
the need to remove Israeli army checkpoints and release Palestinians
prisoners from Israeli jail,” he said. “The American side listened
to our demands and reacted positively.”
Describing the meeting as “vital and positive,” Shaath urged the US to
put pressure on Israel to withdraw its troops to their pre-September
28, 2000 positions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to facilitate the
voting process.
“We also discussed the need to halt settlement construction and the
building of the separation wall,” he added.
Shaath emphasized the importance of abiding by the 2005 deadline set
by the road map to establish a Palestinian state.
Powell, who also visited the offices of the Palestinian Central
Elections Committee in Jericho, said Washington is prepared to assist
the Palestinians in holding the elections.
“I think this moment of opportunity should not be lost,” he said.
“What I’ve heard today is that the Palestinians are committed to
reform. I think we can make a pretty good case that this is the time
to assist the Palestinians as they go forward.”
He said his talks with the Palestinian leaders also dealt with security
issues and funds needed for a well-organized election.
Abbas and Qurei later went to the PA’s central prison in Jericho,
where they met with Ahmed Saadat, Secretary-General of the Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who is accused of masterminding
the assassination of Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze’evi, and Fuad Shobaki,
a senior Arafat aide implicated in the attempt to smuggle the Karine
A weapons ship in 2001.
In Gaza City, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar lashed out at the US, accusing
it of being biased to Israel. “We must warn against US policy in
the Middle East,” he said. “The US has an agenda that is different
from ours. Their intentions will be tested according to the extent
of pressure they put on Israel. We fear that Powell’s visit is aimed
at covering up for future Israeli crimes.”
Zahar also rejected any attempt to disarm Hamas, saying his movement
would not give up the armed struggle against Israel. He pledged,
however, to work with the PA to hold the elections on time.

Turkey: welcome to Europe
Le Monde diplomatique
November 2004
By Ignacio Ramonet
The debate about Turkey’s impending membership of the European Union –
planned for 2015 – has been characterised by overblown rhetoric and lack
of finesse. Framed in terms of the “clash of civilisations”, it
testifies to the identity crisis of western societies when faced with
Islam. It also reveals the anti-Islamic sentiment lurking in almost
every sector of the political classes.
Some have advanced “technical” arguments against Turkish entry,
reckoning that Europe will instinctively reject the membership of a
large country with a Muslim majority. They argue that Turkey should be
disqualified because of its geography, since much of the country is in
Asia Minor. This is absurd. French Guyana in Latin America and Réunion
in the middle of the Indian Ocean are both part of the European Union.
We should remember that the Aegean coast of Turkey, the location of
ancient Troy, was the east wing of ancient Greece, the cradle of
European civilisation. (We wonder what “technical” arguments will be put
forward to prevent the membership of two other countries with Muslim
majorities, Bosnia and Albania, whose geographic place in Europe is
undeniable.)
Others invoke history. The European commissioner Frits Bolkestein
recently went so far as to say that if Turkey is admitted to the EU “the
liberation of Vienna [after the siege by the Turks] in 1683 will have
been in vain” (1). (During that siege the Viennese, known for their
excellent bakeries, had to ration flour; they made small bread rolls
shaped like the crescent moon symbol of the Ottoman empire. Most people
think of these familiar pastries – croissants – as typically French.)
The Ottoman empire, as successor to the Byzantine empire, had ambitions
to dominate the Mediterranean and Europe, a project that was shattered
several times, especially at the Battle of Lepanto in 1521. But such
ambitions do not mean that Turkey is anti-European by nature. Other
countries – notably Spain, France and Germany – also cherished projects
for subjugating the continent, and nobody would suggest that they are
not truly European.
Like the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires, which vanished from
history, and the colonial empires, which were all dismembered,
overextended military campaigns wore out the Ottoman empire by the
beginning of the 20th century (which is why it was called “the sick man
of Europe”). Having lost its possessions in the Balkans and the Arab
world, the new Turkey founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk embarked
resolutely on Europeanisation.
No country has ever agreed to sacrifice so many fundamental aspects of
its culture in order to affirm its European identity. Modern Turkey went
so far as to abandon its old Arabic alphabet, replacing it with Roman
letters; Turks were obliged to abandon traditional dress and wear
western clothing; and, in the name of an official secularism inspired by
a law passed in France in 1905, Islam ceased to be the state religion.
Throughout the 20th century Turkey continually consolidated its European
character. In the early 1950s it joined Nato and later the Council of
Europe. By 1963 General de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer had recognised
its suitability as a candidate for membership of Europe. A customs
treaty was signed in 1995. Once the European Council meetings in
Helsinki (1999) and Copenhagen (2002) had confirmed that Turkey could
apply for membership (2), Ankara embarked on silent revolution to fulfil
the necessary criteria.
Turkey has made progress in enacting democratic reforms. The state
security courts are about to be dismantled; the death penalty has been
abolished; juridical tolerance of crimes of honour against women is no
longer allowed; a proposed law for criminalising adultery has been
abandoned. In Kurdish territories the state of emergency has been
lifted; teaching in the Kurdish language is now permitted; a
Kurdish-language TV channel has been set up; and four former MPs
imprisoned for political activity have been released.
There is still much to be done on civil liberties and basic human
rights. Turkey also needs to recognise formally the genocide of the
Armenians in 1915. And an amnesty will be required for ex-fighters of
the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to release more than 3,000 of its
imprisoned activists, including its leader, Abdullah Öcalan.
But the prospect of EU membership has already reinforced Turkey’s
democratisation, secularism and respect for human rights. For the other
major countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s membership will
provide a concrete message of hope, peace, prosperity and democracy.
NOTES
(1) Financial Times, 8 September 2004.
(2) Under the proposed timetable, negotiations will begin in 2006 and
conclude in 2015.
Translated by Ed Emery

CNN.com
Nov 17 2004
Group leaders Romania held to draw

YEREVAN, Armenia — Group One leaders Romania, beset by injuries and
suspensions, have been held to a surprise 1-1 draw by Armenia in
their World Cup qualifier.
A second-half equalizer from Krylya Sovietov Samara defender Karen
Dokhoyan handed hosts Armenia their first point in the group.
Shakhtar Donetsk forward Ciprian Marica fired Romania into a 29th
minute lead after being put clean through.
Armenia keeper Edela Bete got a hand to Marica’s low shot but could
not keep the ball out.
Armenia upped their game after the break and were rewarded when
Dokhhoyan’s curling shot from a narrow angle flew in on 63 minutes.
Romania lead with 10 points from five games but could be overhauled
later on Wednesday if the Netherlands, as expected, win in Andorra.
Substitute Vratislav Lokvenc and Jan Koller hit late goals as the
Czech Republic grabbed a 2-0 win against Macedonia in their Group One
tie.
The Czechs, who lost striker Milan Baros to an early injury, had
struggled to break down a well-organized side beaten by Andorra in
their last game.
Lokvenc’s appearance as a 76th minute substitute to partner Koller
changed the course of the match.
VfL Bochum’s Lokvenc headed home Karel Poborsky’s cross three minutes
from time to break the home side’s resistance.
Koller then sealed victory in the last minute with a header from
Marek Jankulovski’s cross.
“We were very patient and we were rewarded with two goals,” said
Czech coach Karel Brueckner.
Mutu to appeal
Meanwhile, banned Romanian striker Adrian Mutu has lodged an appeal
over his sacking by Chelsea last month after a positive drugs test.
The Premier League will now set up a hearing at which both Mutu,
suspended for seven months until May by the Football Association for
cocaine use, and Chelsea can make their case.
If either party is unhappy with the verdict reached by the Premier
League following a hearing, they can make a final appeal to the
Football League Appeals Committee.
Chelsea, who sacked Mutu for “gross misconduct,” have suggested they
want to recoup some of the loss they made on the international,
signed from Parma last year for nearly £16 million ($29.74 million).
“Chelsea is actively considering all options in relation to any
financial loss as a result of this case,” the Premier League leaders
said when they sacked Mutu.
Mutu has been allowed by FIFA to train with his former club Dinamo
Bucharest while serving his suspension, which FIFA has extended
worldwide.

Le Monde, France
15 novembre 2004
La police néerlandaise annonce le démantèlement d’un camp
d’entraînement de guérilla kurde
Le coup de filet dans le sud-est des Pays-Bas a abouti à
l’arrestation de trente-huit personnes impliquées dans la formation
de groupes armés destinés à être envoyés en Arménie
par Jean-Pierre Stroobants
Les opérations antiterroristes se succèdent à un rythme accéléré aux
Pays-Bas depuis l’assassinat, le 2 novembre, du cinéaste Theo Van
Gogh. Vendredi 12 novembre, la police a lancé de nouvelles
investigations qui ont abouti, à Liempde, dans le sud-est du pays, au
démantèlement de ce qui serait un camp d’entraînement du Congrès du
peuple du Kurdistan (Kongra-Gel), une émanation de l’ex-PKK, le parti
illégal des Kurdes de Turquie. Vingt-neuf personnes ont été
appréhendées dans le cadre d’une enquête qui aurait démarré il y a un
an et ne serait pas, selon le porte-parole du parquet national,
directement liée aux opérations de démantèlement de réseaux
islamistes. D’autres perquisitions ont conduit à neuf arrestations.
Divers équipements et des armes ont été saisis. Selon un membre du
parquet, les militants kurdes s’entraînaient avant d’être envoyés en
Arménie.
Divisé en plusieurs factions, Kongra-Gel – que Washington, Istanbul
et l’Union européenne assimilent à une organisation terroriste – a
officiellement renoncé au séparatisme, mais certaines de ses branches
ont ranimé le conflit dans le sud-est de l’Anatolie. La Turquie a
reproché aux Pays-Bas leur indulgence à l’égard de l’ex-PKK dont une
dirigeante présumée, Nuriye Kesbir, réclamée par Ankara, n’a pas été
extradée, un tribunal de La Haye jugeant que la Turquie violait les
droits de l’homme. Selon la justice, Mme Kesbir risquait d’être
torturée si elle était remise à la justice turque.
Jusqu’ici, les services néerlandais considéraient quant à eux que les
groupes kurdes ne se livraient qu’à des actions pacifiques aux
Pays-Bas. Vendredi, les autorités affirmaient que ce sont des
techniques de guérilla et des entraînements au combat physique qui
étaient enseignés à Liempde.
LACUNES POLICIÈRES
Cet épisode renforce un climat d’inquiétude, et souvent
d’incompréhension, qui règne dans un pays où les rapports entre les
différentes communautés se sont fortement détériorés depuis
l’assassinat de Theo Van Gogh par le militant islamiste Mohammed
Bouyeri. Quelque 40 % des Néerlandais estiment, selon un sondage,
qu’il sera impossible d’intégrer les musulmans.
C’est sans doute pour tenter de donner un signe d’apaisement que la
reine Beatrix s’est rendue, vendredi 12 novembre, dans un centre où
vivent de jeunes Marocains, à Amsterdam. Pressée par des responsables
politiques de lancer un appel au calme, la reine a préféré participer
à une discussion au cours de laquelle ont été évoqués le risque de
confusion entre islam, islamisme et terrorisme, et la nécessité de
s’attaquer aux causes de la radicalisation de certains immigrés.
Sur le plan politique, pour ne pas ajouter à la confusion, les
députés n’ont pas mis en cause le ministre de l’intérieur à l’issue
d’un débat consacré à l’affaire Van Gogh. De l’avis unanime, y
compris dans son parti – le VVD, libéral – Johan Remkes n’a pourtant
fourni aucune explication convaincante quant aux lacunes des services
de police et, surtout, de renseignement. Il se confirme, en effet,
que depuis l’été 2004, des informations permettaient de conclure
qu’une cellule islamiste préparait un attentat. D’autre part, des
menaces avaient été adressées à Theo Van Gogh, à Ayaan Hirsi Ali, la
députée d’origine somalienne qui avait, avec lui, dénoncé les
mariages forcés et l’islam fondamentaliste, ou encore à Geert
Wilders, un dissident du parti libéral qui a fondé une nouvelle
formation de droite. A aucun moment, les responsables de la lutte
antiterroriste ne sont apparemment parvenus à établir un lien entre
ces diverses informations.
M. Remkes, vivement critiqué par le président de son propre groupe
parlementaire, n’a pu expliquer pourquoi il n’avait été tenu compte
ni des menaces pesant sur Theo Van Gogh ni des éléments apparemment
accablants sur son meurtrier, Mohammed Bouyeri. Ce dernier avait été
dénoncé par certains informateurs mais les services de renseignement
ont décidé d’arrêter les écoutes de son téléphone. Connu de la
justice, Bouyeri donnait aussi asile à différents islamistes, ce qui
était connu des services. L’un de ses complices avait déjà été arrêté
en 2003.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Globe and Mail, Canada
Nov 15 2004
Cymbal company drums up A-list clientele

Craftsmanship, epic family history keep musicians flocking to N.B.
factory
By GORDON PITTS

MEDUCTIC, N.B. — Neil Peart, iconic drummer for the Canadian rock
group Rush, set out on a pilgrimage last fall.
He flew from Los Angeles to Montreal, where he picked up his
motorcycle and headed east. Hours later, he roared up to a red metal
building on the Saint John River in rural New Brunswick.
Mr. Peart spent a day touring cymbal-maker Sabian Ltd., and the
result has been a design and marketing collaboration. Sabian now
manufactures Mr. Peart’s line of Paragon cymbals, priced from about
$300 to $500 a unit.
“It’s selling very well,” said Sabian owner Robert Zildjian,
81-year-old heir to a family craft tradition that has journeyed from
17th-century Turkey to modern New Brunswick.
Mr. Peart is among the legions of percussionists who have, over four
decades, made the trek to the sleepy village of Meductic, N.B. They
come to see Sabian’s metal-working process and thrill to its epic
history of warring brothers, family dislocation, and a cast of
characters that range from the sultan of Turkey to the sultans of
swing, jazz drummers Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich.
Sabian’s day-to-day operations are handled by Dan Barker, the
company’s 55-year-old president, but Mr. Zildjian happily admits that
he interferes. “I’m a pain in the neck at times. I like to see what
is going on because Sabian is my child.” (Mr. Zildjian and his wife,
Willie, also have three flesh-and-blood offspring, Sally, Bill and
Andy– thus the name Sa-bi-an.)
The company is bouncing back from a downbeat year in 2003, when the
SARS epidemic and U.S. nervousness over war and terrorism toned down
sales of musical instruments, leading to level revenues at Sabian
after years of double-digit growth. This year, Sabian says it is
beating out a growth rhythm again.
After the death of his father, Avedis, in 1979, Mr. Zildjian split
bitterly with his older brother, Armand, who controlled the family’s
cymbal company in Norwell, Mass.
In the split, Robert was able to take some assets from Avedis
Zildjian Co., including its small Canadian plant in Meductic, which
became Sabian. Twenty-two years later, the Sabian and Zildjian
companies are battling for the loyalty of the world’s percussionists,
with a combined 60 to 70 per cent of the quality cymbal market.
The Sabian people say they make more units, more than 900,000 a year,
but the Zildjian company generates more revenue.
“Sabian and Zildjian compete vigorously,” said former Sabian
executive David McAllister, who now runs Latin Percussion, a U.S.
distributor of musical instruments. Because the overall market has
grown, both companies have been able to prosper, he said.
Robert Zildjian, still hurt by the split with his now-deceased
brother, says his 140-employee company is more profitable than its
rival, based on annual sales of $30-million to $35-million. He has no
contact with Craigie Zildjian, Armand’s daughter, who now runs the
family firm, although he did speak to Armand before his death two
years ago.
That feud seems far removed from the peaceful village of frame houses
that Sabian now calls home.
The plant buildings are a percussionist’s paradise as the cymbals
pass through the metal-working process, based on the secret Zildjian
method for combining copper and tin.
Cymbals are hammered, often by hand, into subtle hills and valleys of
sound. For a drummer, the relationship can be intensely personal,
said Mr. Barker, himself a former bubble-gum-rock drummer from
Weymouth, Mass.
The final production area involves testing and packaging, where a
couple of workers bang away on performance sets, creating jazzy riffs
that sound more fitting for a smoky basement in Greenwich Village
than a modern factory.
The Sabian website lists an all-star lineup of professional users,
including Phil Collins, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and
musicians who support country crooner Lyle Lovett, cellist Yo-Yo Ma,
and an army of marching bands.
The Zildjian saga contains obvious parallels to the breakup of the
McCain brothers, founders of the McCain Foods Ltd. French fry empire
in nearby Florenceville, N.B. Mr. Zildjian jokes that if only
brothers Harrison and Wallace McCain had come down to see him, he
might have saved them some lawyers’ bills.
The Zildjian clash had its origins in Constantinople in 1623 when
Robert Zildjian’s Armenian ancestor, an alchemist named Avedis, was
appointed cymbal-maker to the Turkish sultan. In the early 20th
century, a later Avedis Zildjian, fleeing Turkish oppression of
Armenians and linked to a plot against the Turkish ruler, escaped to
the United States.
He brought the old family business to Massachusetts in the late
1920s, only to be greeted by the Depression. He was saved by jazz,
and relationships with drummers such as Mr. Krupa and Mr. Rich. Then,
in 1964, Beatlemania hit and cymbal crashes became part of a rock ‘n’
rollers’ repertoire.
Avedis’s death left sons Armand and Robert at odds. But Robert knew
New Brunswick, having fished and hunted in the Miramichi.
In the 1960s, he had opened the family’s Meductic plant to get around
British Commonwealth duties. The plant made money, he liked the
people, and he took it in the settlement.
Along the way, he found Mr. Barker, a former manager with the Avedis
Zildjian Co., who had been a casualty of the family split.
Mr. Barker was running a music store and import company, with limited
financial success, when Sabian took him in and moved him to Meductic
in 1985.
Today, 90 per cent of Sabian’s output is exported with 40 per cent
going to the United States. The rising value of the Canadian dollar
has hit profits and sales, at a time of big price hikes in copper and
tin.
Mr. Zildjian, now a Canadian citizen, said the first response will be
to raise U.S. prices. “It’s just a thing that has to be done,” he
said.
He does not foresee a large shift of production to the United States,
although Sabian has a distribution centre in Maine. “The only thing
we’d ever shift there is cheap beginner stuff to compete with the
Chinese and Taiwanese. That means nothing to Canada or even nothing
to Sabian.”
Mr. Zildjian has recently experienced some medical problems, and even
landed in hospital after a bad reaction to heart medication while at
his Bermuda home. (He also has residences in Meductic and Maine.)
Having gone through a harsh sibling battle, he has plotted his own
succession. Ownership will be split equally among his children, but
Andy, who runs the company’s U.S. operations, will ultimately call
the shots. “If it all boils down to a mess, Andy has the final say.”
He says Andy has the people skills, and older brother Bill, who
handles artist relations, goes along with that. Sally does not work
in the company day-to-day.
Although he regularly gets feelers to sell, Mr. Zildjian said Sabian
has a strong future going solo in the growing percussion market. Not
that he’s satisfied with his market position against the old family
company. “In five years, we have to be the No. 1 cymbal of choice,
not just with pros, but beginners.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

An Amaras Art Alliance program
Hovanness Badalian Music Fund
P.O.Box 733,
Watertown, MA 02471
Phone: 617-331-0426
Email: [email protected]
For immediate release
November 11, 2004
Contact person:
Tatoul Badalian, Program Director
The first annual banquet of the Hovanness Badalian Music Fund (HBMF)
will be held on December 4, 2004 at the Hellenic Cultural Center,
Watertown, MA. H. E. Arman Kirakossian, Armeniaâ~@~Ys ambassador to US,
will be in attendance and composer Konstantin Petrosian of Providence,
RI will be the MC. Among the highlights of the evening: first US
appearance of young and talented folk singer Artur Anushavanian;
soprano Nune Karapetian performing with pianist Nune Hakopian and
recognizing Bostonâ~@~Ys own Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble with an
Appreciation Award.
HBMF was established in early 2004 to celebrate the life of the
singer who made songs such as Hayastani Karmir Ginin, Yes Im Anoosh
Hayastani and Mayres Mahes Chimana famous. The goal of the Fund is
to provide merit-based scholarships, worldwide, to children enrolled
in Armenian music education programs. The Fund will also provide
assistance to individuals and organizations that create material and
training programs for children.
Beloved singer Hovanness Badalian played a significant role in
educating Armenian children and young adults. Through his songs he
spread the spirit of the Armenian culture around the world, helping
bond the Diaspora and Armenia. Upon his passing in 2001 composer
Vardan Ajemian said, â~@~We lost a great artist. He was the father
of Armenian folk songs. We lost a very honest man. I am shocked.â~@~]
In October of this year Armenia celebrated Badalianâ~@~Ys 80th birthday
at the National Opera in Yerevan with the participation of prominent
artists including his daughter, opera singer Nuneh Badalian. Fifty
of his students led by pedagogue Arsen Grigorian came on stage
singing together and watching the great Maestro sing â~@~Yes Im
Anoush Hayastaniâ~@~] on the screen, representing not only the past,
but inspiring hope for the future. â~@~Badalianâ~@~Ys dedication and
unrelenting work will always be an enduring reminder to his devotion
to his art and ultimately to his people,â~@~] said Aram Gharabegian,
Artistic director and conductor of the National Chamber Orchestra of
Armenia, and a key organizer of the event.
HBMF is organized under the charter of Amaras Art Alliance, a not for
profit organization. For the past ten years Amaras has been an active
member of the Boston, MA cultural scene, presenting jazz concerts,
solo performances, art exhibits and organizing student trips to
Armenia. Amaras has co-organized major events such as the multi-venue
celebration of composer Aram Khachaturianâ~@~Ys Centennial in 2003.
The December 4th banquet promises to be a memorable event for all those
who love Hovanness. For information and to make a contribution to the
Fund please call 617 331-0426, send an email to [email protected]_
(mailto:[email protected]) or write to HBMF, P O Box 733,
Watertown, MA 02471. HBMF programs will be available on the Fundâ~@~Ys
website to be launched in early 2005.
–Boundary_(ID_0f+Wsd1XCyaVDN6WKMjxhA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Russian envoy advises Armenia to prioritize national interests
Mediamax news agency
10 Nov 04
Yerevan, 10 November: The ambassador of the Russian Federation to
Armenia, Anatoliy Dryukov, considers that “the level of relations
reached between Armenia and Russia can be described as very high”.
Anatoliy Dryukov voiced this opinion today at a meeting with professors
and teachers of Yerevan’s Grachya Acharyan University.
Commenting on the presence of pro-Western and pro-Russian moods in
Armenia, the Russian ambassador said that “if Armenia prioritizes its
national interests, then the vector of relations will remain correct”.
At present, Armenia and Russia are facing the task of maintaining
and expanding relations that have shaped between the countries for
centuries, Dryukov said. He said that several negative points in
bilateral relations “are of no significance” and “are temporary
in nature”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Toronto Star
November 6, 2004 Saturday
Eastern Turkey is the focus of a spring itinerary
by Catherine George, Toronto Star
There is a well-trodden tourist path through the ancient towns and
cities of western Turkey, but eastern Turkey is relatively
undeveloped as far as tourism goes, obviously because the eastern
region of the country is closer to the conflicts of the Middle East.
Also, eastern Turkey isn’t developed enough to handle mass tourism –
hotels and restaurants are small and unable to accommodate the larger
groups that many tour operators cater to.
However, it is possible to join a group of 10 people on a 24-day
spring tour from Ankara, themed “Ancient Kingdoms.” Departure is May
26 and land cost is $6,000 per person, double, including 23 nights
accommodation, most meals, transportation by coach and ferry,
entrance fees and tolls. Airfare to Ankara costs extra. An extension
in Istanbul can be arranged.
Sightseeing in Ankara includes a visit to the mausoleum of Ataturk,
founder of modern Turkey and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
plus an optional tour to Gordion (700 BCE), the city of Midas. Next,
the Hittite capital of Hattusas and the old Ottoman town of Amasya on
the Yesilirmak River.
Day five includes a drive along the Black Sea coast to the legendary
city of Trabzon and village of Macka for an overnight stop.
Excursions take in Sumela Monastery, a major religious centre of the
Byzantines; the frescoes of Aya Sofia; Rize, tea capital of Turkey;
Aydir, famous for its hot springs.
Then it’s south through the mountains to Erzurum with its mosques and
monuments of the Selcuk Turks; the frontier town of Kars; the ruins
of Ani, ancient capital of Armenia, destroyed by the Mongols. The
tour continues along the eastern border of Turkey and Iran, around
Mount Ararat, site of Noah’s Ark.
Mid-journey, you arrive at the city of Van for a two-night stay where
you explore the Castle of Van, with its Urarturian tombs, and the
ancient city of Cavustepe (1000 BCE); the medieval Kurdish Castle of
Hosap with free time to explore the markets and bazaars of the major
carpet centre.
The next portion of the tour takes in the holy island of Akdamar, a
major Armenian religious centre; the valley of the Tigris River and
the ancient city of Diyarbakir, its walls built by Constantine; the
desert city of Mardin with its 5th-century monastery; the town of
Sanli Urfa in Mesopotamia, birthplace of Abraham; the Biblical city
of Harran near the Syrian border, one of the oldest settlements in
the world.
The final part of the tour takes you north to the Euphrates River and
the monuments at Nemut Dag, the modern city of Gaziantep, and Antioch
(Antakya), with its museum and the cave church of St. Peter, the
place where the term “Christian” was first coined. Participants then
continue to Adana, via the Hittite ruin of Karatepe, to catch a
flight to Istanbul with a day to explore the city known as “Gateway
to the East.”
The tour is being run by The Ald Partnership, 805 – 188 Spadina Ave.,
Toronto, Ont. M5T 3A4. Call 416-703-8800, e-mail aldpar @
sympatico.ca. You can also book with Toronto-based Clarke-Way Travel
at 416-364-0903, extension 299, or toll-free 1-800-282-1905. E-mail
Gloria @ cwtclarkeway.com.
GALAPAGOS 2005: The wildlife in the Galapagos islands off Ecuador,
the islands that Charles Darwin made famous, are the focus of a tour
May 5-22 next year. It also includes visits to the Ecuadorian
capital, Quito, the Andes region and the Ecuadorian Amazon. Cost is
$4,980 per person, double, including return airfare.
Another tour is being arranged to Machu Picchu June 8-23. It costs
$4,890 for each of two and includes sightseeing in Lima and Cuzco.
Information: 905-887-5055 or e-mail alohah @ idirect.com. Bookings:
Main Street Travel & Cruises, 43 Main St. N., Markham, Ont., phone
905-471-0056.
HOGWART’S EXPRESS: Alnwick Castle and Gardens, the magical castle of
Harry Potter fame and filming sites from both The Sorcerer’s Stone
and The Chamber of Secrets are among the highlights of a new Rail
Europe one-day unescorted tour.
The rail trip, from King’s Cross Station in London, to Alnmouth takes
just over an hour.
Alnwick Castle, the setting for the films based on J.K. Rowling’s
novels is a rebuilt Norman castle set in a rose and ornamental
garden. Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves and Mary Queen of Scots were
also filmed at the site.
Tours are offered at 8: 30 a.m. daily, except Sundays, now through
Dec. 31. It includes roundtrip rail fare, bus transfer from Alnmouth
rail station to Alnwick Castle and the film site.
Prices are for first and standard class and start at $206 for adults,
$103 for children aged 5-15, under 5 go free. Reservations are
required at least 24 hours prior to departure.
Contact travel agents or Rail Europe at 1-800-361-7245 or log on to
Catherine George is the Star’s associate travel editor. cgeorge @
thestar.ca
Travel
GRAPHIC: Catherine George photo The mausoleum of Ataturk, founder of
modern Turkey, in Ankara, is among the first monuments visited on a
tour that includes the seldom-visited region of eastern Turkey.