Author: Nahapetian Samvel

MADISON MUSIC PROJECT — SARA YERVAND
Kristian Knutsen

Isthmus Daily Page, WI
Oct 25 2006

Today’s highlighted Madison musician is Sara Yervand.

An increasingly visible and esteemed presence in jazz circles around
Madison and beyond, Sara Yervand is regularly described by listeners
as an accomplished jazz vocalist. She performs regularly at both club
gigs and jazz festivals throughout the year, including the Isthmus
Jazz Festival and Jazz at Five.

Yervand’s biographical self-description provide more details about
her music and its sources:

Sara Yervand (former Erzinkian) was born in Armenia, and began to
sing jazz, pop and Armenian folk music at the age of 15. She made
many stage performances in Armenia, European countries, including
Paris (live appearance on a TV show Sacree Soiree), Vienna (where
she lived for 3 years), Montreal, Zagreb (Yugoslavia) and others. Her
recordings with National Pop-Symphonic Orchestra of TV and Radio of
Armenia under direction of conductor and composer Yervand Yerznkyan
are outstanding. Sara Yervand and her son David moved to U.S. 10 years
ago where they started a life anew. She has a Masters in Musicology
and recently earned a MBA degree at Cardinal Stritch University. She
lives, works and sings jazz professionally in Madison, WI. She teaches
music and sings at Jazz Festivals and regional events.

The singer released Introducing Sara Yervand in 2005, a ten-track album
that featured the accompaniment of some of the city’s most seasoned
instrumentalists. The album was reviewed by Isthmus music writer Tom
Laskin, who wrote, "Yervand’s voice offer most of the excitement and
the surprises here in winning, often very playful performances that
at times seem drawn from an intimate club gig."

Another review from All About Jazz also favorably appraises the album.

Some of Yervand’s recordings are available for listening online.

Three are featured on her MySpace page: "It’s all right with…," "Love
for Sale," and "Lush Life." There’s much more information — including
music, photos and a list of past gigs — available at sarayervand.com.

There are many chances to listen to Yervand sing live over the
next couple of months. She performs regularly on Thursday evenings
at Fyfe’s Corner Bistro on East Washington Avenue; upcoming dates
include Oct. 26, Nov. 2, and Nov. 9. Guitarist Sly Raymond performed
with Yervand at Fyfe’s back in July, and gave high marks both for
the vocalist and the venue:

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of sharing their modest stage with
the superb local singer Sara Yervand. This girl knows her stuff,
and exudes the confidence of a real pro. I’ve played with so-called
Jazz Vocalists before, and there has usually been a major adjustment
on my part; but performing in a duo with Sara was as comfortable
as the duo gigs I’ve played with saxophonist Jason Goldsmith. Her
interpretation is like that of an instrumentalist. I look forward to
our next gig together.

Yervand is also making two appearances this weekend at the Olive
Lounge in the downtown Hilton by Monona Terrace. On Friday, Oct. 27,
she will be performing with Doug Brown, while on Saturday, Oct. 28
Yervand is appearing with Paul Hastil. There is no cover either
night. Yervand’s appearances through the end of the year will take
her to Cocoliquot and The Bar at the Concourse, after which summer
festival season will already be approaching.

ticle.php?article=4585

NEGATIVE BALANCE OF MIGRATION IN ARMENIA DURING 9 MONTHS OF 2006 GROWS 10% COMPARED WITH SAME PERIOD OF TIME OF PREVIOUS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Oct 25 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The negative balance of migration
in Armenia during the 9 months of 2006 made 37.3 thousand people
what is 3.4 thousand people or 10% more of the index of the same
period of time of the previous year. During the current year positive
balance of migration was fixed in June, July and September, making,
correspondingly, 7682, 6457 and 639 people. As the Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed by Gagik Yeganian, the Chief of the
Migration Agency of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration,
the negative balance of migration has reduced year by year since 2002,
and positive balance was fixed in 2004-2005. G.Yeganian also informed
that volumes of passengers’ flow grow year by year. The total volume
of passengers’ flow made 1396.6 thousand people in January-September
of the current year what made 145.5 thousand or 11.6% more compared
with the same period of time of the previous year.

WATCHDOG FINDS LACK OF PRESS FREEDOM IN ARMENIA
By Heghine Buniatian in Prague

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Oct 24 2006

Armenia continues to rank below most other countries of the world in
terms of the protection of press freedom, a Western media watchdog
group said on Tuesday, citing continuing attacks on local journalists
and widespread "self-censorship."

The annual Worldwide Index of Press Freedom released by the Paris-based
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) rates 168 nations on indicators such
as censorship, intimidation and violence against journalists. Armenia
shares a lowly 101st place in the rankings with the southern African
state of Malawi, up from 100th rank it occupied last year.

The RSF director for Europe and the former Soviet Union, Elsa Vidal,
downplayed the slight change, saying that it does not indicate an
improvement of press freedom. She argued that the country has lost
12 places in the RSF rankings in the past three years.

Speaking to RFE/RL, Vidal said that Armenian journalists working for
private media continue to routinely exercise "self-censorship" and
that government censorship of state-owned broadcasters remains the
norm. She also cited fresh instances of violence and intimidation
of Armenian journalists reported during the period covered by the
latest RSF survey. "Two journalists have been threatened, and five
others attacked since September 2005," she said.

The most recent of those attacks occurred less than two months ago
when unknown men ambushed and beat up Hovannes Galajian, editor of
the opposition newspaper "Iravunk." It was strongly condemned by
leading Armenian media associations and human rights campaigners.

Armen Harutiunian, the state human rights ombudsman, warned last month
that violence against local reporters seems to becoming "systematic"
and poses a serious threat to freedom of expression. The New York-based
Committee to Protect Journalists added its voice to those concerns,
saying that the Armenian authorities "do little to apprehend and
prosecute the perpetrators."

Another New York-based group, Freedom House, branded the Armenian media
"not free" for a fourth consecutive year in its annual survey of press
freedom around the world that was released recently. The Freedom House
ratings of Armenia have markedly worsened since the April 2002 closure
of the country’s sole television station not loyal to the government.

CONDEMNING BLACK PR

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 20 2006

On October 23 the Orinats Yerkir Party released a message condemning
the black PR agains it. "Over the past month Lori Channel of Vanadzor,
Tsaig Channel of Gyumri, the channel of Martuni, and yesterday also
Hrazdan Channel broadcast reports denigrating the Orinats Yerkir Party
and the leader Arthur Baghdasaryan, carry out a black PR. In addition,
the same report is shown on different regional channels after meetings
with the members of the Orinats Yerkir Faction. All the channels
later refuse to tell the name of people who pay for these reports,"
runs the statement of the political party.

The Orinats Yerkir Party states that they are denied airtime and,
therefore, they cannot counteract to these illegal actions. "We
have learned that this has been launched by separate high-ranking
officials, who also instruct not to tell the names of people who buy
airtime. The Orinats Yerkir Party condemns the black PR against it
and urges the Attorney General to start investigation in accordance
with the law to find out the persons who denigrate the political
party and thousands of its members, and apply sanctions," runs the
statement of the Orinats Yerkir Party.

SYNOPSIS ARMENIA’S EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MOSCOW INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONIC TECHNICS
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
25/10/2006

Since this September Synopsis has been implementing a master course at
the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technics (MIET). Hovik Musaelian,
executive director of Synopsis Armenia, says that the program at the
Moscow Institute of Electronic Technics was a big event first of all
for Armenia. "This is fantastic to direct an educational program from
Armenia the sphere of microelectronics at Russia’s leading institute
that is situated in the center of the Russian Silicon Valley, in a
free IT zone," Mr. Musaelian says.

MIET was elected in a competition, criteria of which were set by the
Synopsis. "MIET is famous today as a forge that releases high-quality
specialists, and many companies, including Synopsis’s rivals, carry
out their projects there. The curious thing that is that this program
is being directed not by the Synopsis but from Armenia," Synopsis
Armenia’s executive director says. According to Mr. Musaelian,
the first 20 students of MIET have already embarked on educational
process. Synopsis Armenia has provided the students with its own
educational program.

Synopsis was introduced to Armenia in 2004. It acquired the offshoots
of 3 US companies – LEDA SYSTEMS, MONTEREY ARSET and HPL – and
united them.

It’s cooperation with the Yerevan Engineering University dates back
to 2001 and it further developed after Synopsis opened a branch
here. The number of students rose from 30 to 185. Synopsis also
cooperates with the Yerevan State University. "The educational
models of the Engineering University and the State University are
entirely different. The Engineering University entered the sphere
of production; a new inter-departmental chair was created at the
Synopsis’s office. The students are trained at the company, and having
done their bachelor and master degrees they receive a job offer, if,
of course, they are not drafted. Those are the best students of the
departments of cybernetics, computer engineering and radio-electronics
who are included in the university’s project from the second year of
their study," Hovik Musaelian said.

Another model is being applied at the Yerevan State University; here
the production comes to the University. Appropriate infrastructures
were created at the University, classrooms were repaired and equipped
with new technological packages. Currently Synopsis has 30 students at
the YSU, 30 more will join in February. Yet, the Synopsis prefers the
first model when the students work in an environment of integration
into the production, education and science. Synopsis also cooperates
with the American University of Armenia with an aim to acquire IT
management skills for its students.

PARIS HOPES FOR OSKANIAN-MAMMADYAROV MEETING TO LEAD TO PROGRESS IN KARABAKH ISSUE

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.10.2006 13:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri President Ilham Aliyev will pay a state visit
to France in January 2007, the French MFA reported upon completion
of the talks between French FM Philippe Douste-Blazy and his Azeri
counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov. Economic relations between the two
countries are raising and French enterprises pay much attention to
the Azeri market.

Past year the bilateral trade turnover increased three times, making
some 500 million Euros. Philippe Douste-Blazy hoped for the impending
meeting of Armenian and Azeri FMs to promote progress on the way of
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, reports ITAR-TASS.

GDP GROWS BY 12.5% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-September 2006,
Armenia’s GDP made 1 trlillion 720 billion 63 million drams
(about 4 billion USD), exceeding by 12.5% the respective index
of last year. According to the RA National Statistical Service,
GDP index-deflator made 105.1%. The industrial production made 468
bln 10.6 mln drams, declining by 1.6% on the same pertiod of last
year, that without diamond production – 465 bln 902.8 mln drams,
growing by 1.5%. The gross agricultural output made 370 bln 568 mln
drams, remaining unchanged compared with January-September 2005,
and construction volume amounted to 393 bln 803 mln drams, growing
by 39.6%. In January-September 2006, Armenia’s foreign trade made
2 bln 208.2 mln USD or by 12.1% more than in the same period of last
year. The same indices without diamond trade made 1 bln 861 mln USD and
19.5%. Exports made 699.4 mln USD, declining by 0.9%, exports without
diamonds – 522.4 mln USD, growing by 3.4%. Imports made 1 bln 508.7 mln
USD, growing by 19.4%, imports without diamonds – 1 bln 338.6 mln USD,
grwoing by 27.3%. Retail trade amounted to 536 bln 273.5 mln drams, or
by 10.9% more than in the same period of last year, while services –
to 338 bln 472.5 mln drams, or by 22% more. The consumer price index
made up 102% in January-September 2006 on the same months of 2005,
the index of prices of manufacturers’ production – 97.2%. The average
monthly nominal salary in January-September 2006 made 61.320 thousand
drams, growing by 22.1% on the same months of last year.

The same indices with respect to employees of budgetary institutions
made 42.684 thousand drams and 22.6%, with respect to employees of
non-budgetary institutions – 75.074 thousand drams and 20.5%. Monetary
incomes of the population made 1 trillion 142 billion 572.2 million
drams, growing by 19.8%, monetary expenditures – 1 trillion 114
billion 915.6 million drams, growing by 20.3%.

The average exchange rate of the Armenian dram against the US dollar
was 430.04 drams in January-September 2006 compared with 457.69 drams
in January-December of last year.

MOSCOW AND YEREVAN DISCUSS CHANGING THE BUSINESS LINE OF ARMENIAN ENTERPRISES PASSED TO RUSSIA

ARMINFO News Agency
October 17, 2006 Tuesday

Today, at a press-conference on the results of the session of the
Armenian-Russian interparliamentary commission for cooperation, Vice
Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Vahan Hovhannisyan said that at the
moment, Yerevan and Moscow are discussing the issue of changing the
business line of the Armenian enterprises passed to Russia against
the state dept of Armenia. In his turn, Russian co-chairman of the
commission, member of the Federation Council Nikolay Ryzhkov said that
the launch of the Armenian enterprises will be discussed at the next
session of the commission to be held in Moscow at the beginning of
March. He established the fact that such a profitable enterprise as
"Mars", unfortunately, operates not so efficiently.

Ryzhkov added that the forthcoming session in Moscow will also discuss
the issue of bilateral scientific and technical cooperation.

For this purpose a temporary commission will be created to work
out specific programs on cooperation. As regards today’s session,
Ryzhkov said that the meeting passed in an ingenuous atmosphere, and
the sides sometimes asked not so pleasant questions to one another. It
is quite natural as they come here to solve problems, he said.

Hovhannisyan added that the session discussed the issue of timely
notification of the two countries’ parliaments about the Armenian
and Russian economic laws and decisions as they affect the activity
of the economic entities of the countries. Otherwise the economic
entities are the last to learn about these decisions and they find
themselves in a difficult situation. To prove this, he brought the
example of closing of the "Upper Lars" check-point by Russia. As a
result, Armenian cargoes had to stay on the Russian-Georgian border
for several months. Hovhannisyan said that Armenian economic entities
would be able to find alternative markets for our commodities if Russia
had informed Armenia about the closing of the "Upper Lars" timely.

ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736
E-mail: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: George Shirinian

DATE: October, 16 2006
Tel: 416-250-9807

Zoryan Awarded Encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II for 25 years
of Service

Toronto, Canada- His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians,
has awarded the Zoryan Institute an Encyclical "in recognition of 25
years of service to the Armenian people." Honouring the Institute on
this occasion, the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada organized
a banquet held on October 7, 2006 in the Great Hall of Hart House at
the University of Toronto.

The Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Berge Papazian, graciously opened the
celebration by highlighting the uniqueness of Zoryan’s work and
the admiration that Armenians worldwide have for the Institute’s
achievements.

He added that this was manifested by "the participation of all 18
Toronto region Armenian organizations – Churches, cultural groups
and political parties, a testament of their genuine support."

Mr. Ara Boyajian, the Diocese Council Treasurer and one of lead
organizers of the evening, explained the rationale for this initiative
by saying there is "only one organization with a unique mission,
only one organization not duplicating the good work of others,
doing behind-the-scenes academic work open to all, in the pursuit
of universal human rights." He commended "Zoryan for its unwavering
dedication and its uncompromising stand towards national and global
issues, and its relentless efforts to increase awareness on issues of
genocide prevention and human rights violations." His remarks were
followed by Mr. Jack Stepanian, Chair of the Diocese Council, who
presented an informative overview of Zoryan’s activities, publications
and achievements over the past twenty-five years, which drew sustained
applause from the audience.

In expressing his appreciation for Zoryan’s universal approach,
His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Primate of Canada, said to
the audience, "My friends, is it not God’s amazing grace that you,
as the descendants of a massacred race, have grown ever strong to the
extent that now you are not only discussing your own pain but more
importantly, through the Zoryan Institute, are standing up to defend
and help prevent similar crimes occurring today to our fellow man,
regardless of his race, colour, or religion? This is what we have
become as a people." He then presented the official Encyclical from
His Holiness Karekin II, which was received by Zoryan’s Director
of Genocide Research, Professor Vakahan Dadrian, and President,
Mr. K.M. Greg Sarkissian.

The Chairman of Zoryan’s Academic Board, Professor Roger W. Smith,
was unable to attend, but he sent his regards saying that "It has
been my great pleasure to be associated with Zoryan for over twenty
years. Zoryan has been an inspiration and encouragement for me and
many others to pursue research on genocide.. Its focus is on the
Armenian Community, but its concern is for the human rights of all."

Professor Dadrian took the opportunity to state that "as someone
who has spent a half-century in the academic world, I think that we
desperately need to move from description of events of the tragedy
of genocide to analytical studies of the Armenian Genocide. This. is
the reason why I am affiliated with the Zoryan Institute. (It) is the
only institution that is intent on exploring the Armenian Genocide in
a scientific frame of reference. Zoryan needs encouragement, but above
all complete tangible support." He "thinks the Armenian community,
in the Diaspora in particular, should come to terms with the acute
need of (Armenian Genocide) studies that have gravity and seriousness
in order for the Armenian Genocide to achieve its durability as a
major event in modern history."

In acknowledging the honour bestowed by the Diocese, Mr. Sarkissian
stressed that "no single person can claim recognition for this
honour.it goes to all the many, many people who have helped make
the Institute what it is today, including the founders, academic
specialists, strategists, financial supporters and hundreds of
volunteers worldwide, who believe in the concept of the Zoryan
Institute and contribute to it realization."

One such specialist, Professor Stephen Feinstein, Director of the
University of Minnesota’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies,
one of Zoryan’s academic partners, observed that "the result of our
relationship with the Zoryan Institute over the last six years has
been the training of more than 200 teachers and advanced students in
the history and methodologies of genocide and human rights. But it
is important to remember that neither private nor public universities
will fund these programs on their own.

Teaching and research about the Armenian Genocide does not come
free. To maintain scholarship and memory, not only funding but
endowments are necessary, so the past remains in the present."

He was followed by Professor Yair Auron, who remarked that "I first
met Zoryan at the genocide conference in Yerevan in 1995. There were
lectures not only about the Armenian Genocide, but also about other
genocides. It was there I realized that there are a people whose
genocide, though unfortunately not recognized, have the openness to
deal with other genocides. Why couldn’t we do that in Israel? The
legacy of the Holocaust and the Genocide, for me, is the sanctity and
equity of all human lives, be they Jewish, German, Armenian, Turkish,
Tutsi, Roma-Gypsy or Palestinian. It seems to me that in the Zoryan
Institute, I have found people who share these views."

Next to speak was Professor Taner Akcam. He told the receptive audience
that "Facing the truth about our history is an essential ingredient
for the establishment of human rights and democracy in Turkey, where
Genocide recognition is the most critical part of that process.. After
90 years of denial, there is a total lack of knowledge. This denial,
which is contrary to the interests of the Turkish people, must be
broken. This could happen if Turkish society is empowered with the
knowledge it is now so eagerly seeking.Original and authoritative
documents about what happened in 1915 must be collected, translated,
edited, published and made available to Turkish society.. Zoryan is
at the forefront of this field on all levels.

That is why my Center at the University of Minnesota and I cooperate
with Zoryan."

Upon concluding dinner, Zoryan’s Executive Director, George Shirinian,
commented "that Zoryan’s work is for all of us, scholar and lay
person, Armenian and non-Armenian, old and young alike. Its work is
often focused on the past, but its goal is our future. Our programs
are designed to help develop the next generation of thinkers, and I
ask everyone present to join us in investing in our youth to carry
the torch of the Smiths, Dadrians, Akcams, Aurons and others for the
betterment of our world."

During the cutting of the birthday cake, one such youth, Zoryan staff
member, Torrey Swan, who also turned twenty-five this year, said that
"Since I have been at Zoryan, I have been amazed to see the real
work that it takes for the academic resources I took for granted as a
university student to become available. As a Canadian in the largest
city in Canada, the most multicultural city in the world, I truly
feel at home in an organization like Zoryan, which is dedicated to the
universal preservation of human rights and the prevention of genocide."

IGOR MURADIAN CONSIDERS THAT RA LEADERSHIP TRIES TO CONCEAL JAVAKHK PROBLEM TO PLEASE WESTERN COMMUNITY

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 17 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. "NATO, expert community of Europe
and U.S. very throughly study the situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti. A
task has been set – not to permit problem’s internationalization and
to suppress it. And Armenia has some commitments towards the western
community, which strives for considering the events to please the
Georgian authorities." Political scientist Igor Muradian declared
this at the October 17 press conference at the National Press Club
organized within the framework of the program titled "Actual Subject,"
commenting upon the situation formed currently in Samtskhe-Javakheti.

In the political scientist’s opinion, the Armenian leadership tries to
conceal the problems in this Georgian region populated with Armenians,
to please the western community. Announcing that he has no document
about possible Armenian-Georgian secret agreement, I.Muradian meanwhile
said that it would not take much time to reach such kind of agreement,
as this could also be an oral one.

As for the issue, what steps can yield good results, I.Muradian said
that we should not permit to conceal the Javakhk problem. Whereas,
in his words, currently the Armenian authorities have a single goal,
to hold "on the surface," as power crisis, in fact, emerged in Armenia.

As regards real possibility of Georgia’s joining NATO in the near
future, in I.Muradian’s words, the events between Russia and Georgia
delayed the prospect of Georgia’s joining NATO for even more.

Besides, in his words, this issue will not be solved, until the
problem of Ukraine’s joining NATO is solved and the issue of the
Black Sea is determined.

Returning to the subject of the recent local self-government elections
in Samtskhe-Javakheti, I.Muradian declared that there is no doubt that
the United Javakhk won the elections. As for the arrest of Vahagn
Chakhalian, member of Board of the United Javakhk democratic bloc
by Armenian law enforcement bodies, I.Muradian declared that the
initiators of this force pressure are intimidated and do not know
how to come out of the formed situation. He called for releasing
V.Chakhalian.