Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

WILL THEY HOLD A SECOND STAGE?

A1+
[04:39 pm] 08 January, 2008

The opposition in Georgia denies Michael Sahakashvili’s victory. They
intruded into the office of the Central Electoral Commission headed by
Levan Gachechiladze, the united candidate of opposition and demanded
the resignation of the CEC chairman, accusing him of rigging. According
to the CEC, Sahakashvili has gathered 52 percent of votes, while the
opposition leader 41 percent of votes. Tonight the opposition will
hold a joint press conference.

Robert Kocharyan has already congratulated Michael Sahakashvili
with his victory. "I sincerely congratulate You with the victory
in the presidential elections. I am convinced that You will continue
stabilization, democratic and economic process development in Georgia",
says the congratulatory foreword.

PRESS RELEASE
University of Michigan
Armenian Studies Program
1080 S. University
Ste., 2603 SSWB
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106
Tel: (734) 763-0622
Fax: (734) 763-4918
Gloria Caudill – Administrator

Contact: Gloria Caudill, administrator
[email protected]

SCHOLAR OF LATE OTTOMAN PERIOD TO JOIN ARMENIAN STUDIES AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DURING WINTER SEMESTER

The Swiss scholar Hans-Lukas Kieser, a historian specializing in the
late Ottoman period, has been designated the first Manoogian Simone
Foundation Visiting Scholar, announced Prof. Gerard Libaridian,
Director of the Armenian Studies Program at the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Dr. Kieser, on the faculty of the University of Zurich, will be
joining the History Department faculty at the University of Michigan
for the Winter semester of the current academic year.  He will be
teaching two mini courses " ‘Missionary" America and the Near East
(19th-20th century)" and "Turkish and Kurdish Nationalisms, Late 19th
and 20th Centuries."

Professor Kieser is the author of "A Quest for Belonging. Anatolia
beyond Empire and Nation (19th-21st centuries)," to be released soon,
as well as three other volumes and numerous articles dealing with
Anatolia, Turkish-Armenian relations and Western-Ottoman relations. He
has lectured widely and conducted many workshops throughout
Europe. Dr. Kieser is considered one of the most respected scholars
whose research focuses on this difficult period. Dr. Kieser’s doctoral
dissertation (University of Basel, in German) was titled "Mission,
Ethnos and State in the Eastern Ottoman Provinces (1839-1923)."

The position of Visiting Scholar has been made possible by the recent
gift from the Manoogian Simone Foundation. In addition to teaching two
courses, Professor Kieser will also be delivering a number of lectures
to the University and larger communities during his stay from January
through April 2008.

"Professor Kieser is one of the most prolific and prominent scholars
who study the late Ottoman period," stated Prof. Libaridian. "His
contributions to the understanding of this important period have been
quite significant, especially in terms of his research into the
relations of the Ottoman state with non-Turkic peoples. His courses
will add a new dimension not only to the Armenian studies curriculum
but also to the already rich offerings of the departments of History
and Near Eastern Studies at our university. We are all delighted that
he has accepted our invitation."

,1-0@2-3382,36- 994998@51-995065,0.html

Nécrologie
Bernard Kessedjian
LE MONDE | 01.01.08 | 18h53  -  Mis à jour le 01.01.08 | 18h53

Ambassadeur de France près le Saint-Siège, Bernard Kessedjian est mort
mercredi 19 décembre 2007 à l’ge de 64 ans. Il était en fonctions Villa
Bonaparte depuis le mois de décembre 2005. Ce diplomate avait d’abord été
directeur de cabinet de Catherine Lalumière, secrétaire d’Etat aux affaires
européennes dans le gouvernement Fabius (1984-1986), puis de Roland Dumas,
ministre des affaires étrangères de François Mitterrand. Il fut ensuite
ambassadeur de France en Algérie (1992-1994), puis en Grèce (1995-2000),
chargé de mission auprès du ministre des affaires étrangères, Hubert Védrine
(2001), enfin représentant permanent de la France auprès de l’ONU à Genève
(2001-2005).

Atteint d’un cancer, l’ambassadeur avait dû quitter Rome, et c’est Pierre
Cochard, chargé d’affaires par intérim près le Saint-Siège, qui avait
accompagné Nicolas Sarkozy, jeudi 20 décembre, durant sa visite au pape. De
confession arménienne-catholique, Bernard Kessedjian était apprécié par la
diplomatie vaticane et touchait tous ceux qu’il rencontrait par son vif
intérêt pour l’Eglise et par son esprit d’ouverture et de tolérance.

Article paru dans l’édition du 02.01.08.

"AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE STEPS IN DIRECTION OF SETTLING UNFAVOURABLE
SITUATION EXISTING IN SPHERE OF MASS MEDIA," YEREVAN PRESS CLUB AND TIM
DECLARE

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The Yerevan Press Club and the TIM
research center call to the authorities of Armenia for not looking for
the reason for the criticism voiced in their address by international
organizations in the monitoring of mass media. This was said in the
December 26 joint statement of the Yerevan Press Club and the TIM
research center. It is mentioned that the monitoring reflects the
unfavourable situation existing in the sphere of mass media, for the
settlement of which the authorities should take steps.

According to the authors of the statement, during the meeting with
Peter Semneby, the European Union Special Representative for South
Caucasus, Serge Sargsian, the Prime Minister of the Republic of
Armenia, estimated the information, which "European officials" take as
basis, about the state of the Armenian mass media on the eve of the
2008 presidential elections as not objective and suggested "renting a
specialized organization", which will conduct a complete monitoring,
observing both electronic and printed mass media.

The Yerevan Press Club and the TIM research center propose European
structures to conduct an expert examination of the results and
technology of the monitoring being conducted by them within the
observation frameworks of the presidential elections of the Republic of
Armenia, as well as to conduct a parallel monitoring of mass media by
the authorized international organization of the structures observing
the elections.

By limiting themselves to the monitoring of mass media at this stage,
the TIM and Yerevan Press Club have been led by the circumstance,
according to which media being broadcast, in difference to the printed
ones, bear certain obligations for the impartiality of coverage in
front of society by using public resource (frequency). The activities
of the broadcast mass media are taken out a patent and are controlled
by a special regulating body, that is to say, by the National
Commission of Television and Radio, whereas, patent and special
regulation of printed media are not envisaged by the legislation.

"The work conducted by the TV and Radio companies during the elections,
and the level of their objectivity directly characterize to what extent
the state performs the political obligations assumed by itself in front
of its international parters. It should be assumed that this very
circumstance was the basis of the opinion of Peter Semneby, the
European Union Special Representative for South Caucasus, worthy of the
regular discontented interpretation of the official Yerevan concerning
the obligation of the authorities for the pre-electoral key of mass
media," is mentioned in the statement of the Yerevan Press Club and TIM
research center.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Israel will help Turkey to watch over Kurds
28.12.2007 16:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Israeli defense contractors plan to
deliver to Turkey within weeks 10 unmanned aircraft
that will be used, among other things, in
intelligence-gathering operations against Kurdish
rebels, an Israeli official familiar with the deal
said Thursday.

As part of the $190 million (134 million) deal with
the Turkish Air Force, signed several years ago,
Israeli crews will provide training and technical
support for the Heron systems, the official said. A
malfunction in a camera system manufactured for the
drones by a Turkish subcontractor has held up
delivery, but the problems are expected to be worked
out soon, he said.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because
he wasn’t authorized to discuss the deal with the
media. State-run Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. is
lead contractor for the project, which also includes
Israel’s Elbit Systems Ltd. and Turkey’s Aselsan.

The IAI wouldn’t comment on whether Israeli crews
would be involved in Turkish operations against the
Kurds.

Today, azerbaijan
Dec 26 2007

Special Envoy of Jordan King: "Jordan supports the settlement of
Nagorno-Garabagh conflict on basis of territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan"

26 December 2007 [18:36] – Today.Az

Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister Safar Abiyev received special envoy of
Jordan King for Middle Asia and Azerbaijan Abdulla Vureykat.

According to the press service for Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry,
the meeting participants discussed relations between the two
countries.

The special envoy of the Jordan king announced that his country
supports the settlement of Nagorno-Garabagh conflict on basis of
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The sides also discussed current military and political situation in
the region and prospects of military cooperation between Azerbaijan
and Jordan.

/Day.Az/

URL:

PERINCEK TO APPEAL SWISS RULING AT EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS COURT

Hurriyet, Turkey
Dec 23 2007

After a Swiss court found him guilty of racial discrimination for
denying Armenian Genocide, Turkish Workers’ Party leader Doðu Perincek
declared that he would lodge an appeal with the European Court of
Human Rights.

"I am going to place the 90 kilograms of documents proving that
Armenian Genocide is an international lie in front of the ECHR. This
ruling is the last example of the blind racism and racial hatred of
Turkish people that is rising once again in Europe," Perincek told
reporters at a press conference held at the Workers’ Party Istanbul
office.

–Boundary_(ID_4gz7rh7CPXZfyuDeJ tg8sg)–

Hayots Ashkharh, Armenia
Dec 22 2007

TER-PETROSYAN IS PROBABLY A FAR-SIGHTED PERSON

But he doesn’t see what’s going on in front of his eyes

Interview with EDUARD ANTINYAN, Head of `Democracy, Prosperity,
Security’ NGO

`Mr. Antinyan, as a voter and a citizen of Armenia, you addressed
your questionnaire to one of the presidential candidates. Do you
anticipate any answer?’
`I believe any candidate pretending to the post of President must
first of all convince the voter that he attaches importance to the
vote cast by each one. If a candidate intends to be accountable to
the people, he must assure them that he appreciates the opinion of
each voter and is interested that the vote cast in his favor never be
sold. Knowing the value and not the price of the votes, a candidate
must be ready to answer all the questions.
Being entitled to incorruptible vote, I addressed questions to the
candidate who returns to the political arena after 10 years of
silence but communicates with the people only at demostrations. What
I want to know is whether he will treat the participants of the
demonstrations and protest rallies the same way as he did in
1995-1996, in case he become the country’s leader again.
Answering the question of a citizen like me, he will have answered
the questions of hundreds and thousands of other citizens who are
going to vote tomorrow. During the demonstrations, when one speaks
and the others hear, no answer is given to the questions; there is no
feedback from the people.’
`Perhaps the candidate you mean does not even have any demand for
such a feedback and just wants to make his words heard?’
`If it is so, if he is going to avoid mutual communication with
the people and direct talks with the journalists, he cannot be a
state official. The thing is that, any person holding a state office,
including the country’s top official, is bound by legislation to
answer the questions addressed to him within a certain time period.
If à presidential candidate is not ready to follow such schedule, he
cannot possibly officiate and perform his duties effectively even if
he has an intermediary service.
Pretending to receive answers to my questions, I struggle for the
status of a citizen. The answer will help me to make the right
decision tomorrow. If everybody receives the answer to his/her
questions and make a balanced choice, we will have an accomplished
civil society.’
`You have addressed six questions to Mr. Ter-Petrosyan with the
purpose of finding out certain episodes of the time when he was in
power. Why do you need it?’
`To continue holding his office, the then President, who is
pretending to accept the same post once again, was ready to sacrifice
800-1000 citizens, according to the well-known video material. I
decided to address these questions to him when the handwriting
attributed to Vazgen Manoukyan was circulated in the press again. It
already became evident that this was not written by the NDU leader.
But the thing is that, speaking about the presidential candidate in
this style cannot be effective. As a citizen, I addressed these
questions to the ex-President in an attempt to encourage him not to
decrease the level of a political debate.
When he tries to debase the prestige of his battle-friend and
political co-thinker with whom he went to prison, headed a movement
and came to power, talks to him in the language of compromise and
assessments characteristic of Gables, every citizen has the right to
be interested whether the events described in the `handwriting’ took
place in the period when this person was in office. This was just a
warning.
I am happy that exactly a day later one of L. Ter-Petrosyan’s
supporters published his opinion in the press and considered
publication of the `handwriting’ impermissible. I think the questions
have reached their addressee.’
`Do you anticipate any answer?’
`There has been no answer so far. I anticipate that in case the
answer is given, it should be made public. If I were the only person
interested in it, I wouldn’t have asked my questions through the
press. The person, who is ready to go out to the street tomorrow to
protect his citizens’ rights, must understand that in 1996 the same
people wanted to remove him from power with the help of tanks.’
`Mr. Antinyan, with the first question you remind LTP that if the
participants of the protest hadn’t gone to the National Assembly in
1996 and got to the Presidential Residence instead, the instruction
by which he demanded that the force structures shoot at the people
would have been carried out. Do you think he has forgotten it?’
`If he really gave the force structures such an instruction, the
people must know it. It must also be clear whether the force
structures were making such a step on their own, when he was the
Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The voter must clearly know
who pretends to the post of presidency again. If Mr. Ter-Petrosyan
didn’t have such pretensions, this page of history could be
considered closed. If he hadn’t stuck to the past and tried to
justify and proofread it, there would be no need to remind him of the
past.
Each person is the master of his/her honor. The first President
shouldn’t have wasted the people’s deference to him. L. Ter-Petrosyan
is probably a far-sighted person, but he doesn’t see what’s going on
in front of his eyes. If he is unable to see the big troubles he is
facing, he’d better avoid talking about the minor problems of others.
It was he who sank from the level of the first President to the level
of electricians and drivers.’
`By asking the second question you are trying to receive the
assessment on the tenure of Vano Siradeghyan who was the Minister of
Interior under the rule of LTP. Do you doubt that many people support
the ex-President because they have received a promise of guaranteeing
Vano’s return?’
`Let’s keep in mind that the Minister of Defense was Vazgen
Sargsyan. When the ancient Greeks said `Say either good things or
nothing about the deceased’, I don’t think they meant the people who
left some trace in history. Vazgen Sargsyan had a political
biography, and we must speak about him as long as we remember him. If
there are some people who do not want his deeds to be estimated, they
think that he hasn’t left any political capital behind, and they are
not his successors.
Vano Siradegyan was the person who was telling about the 1996
events in `Arshalouys Gate’, the video material I mentioned. It was
he who disclosed the fact that L. Ter-Petrosyan had issued an
instruction to sacrifice 800-1000 citizens. And during the
demonstrations the first President orders applauses in advance,
before giving his name. So he must explain why it was necessary to
maintain power at the price of 800-1000 citizens’ lives, and why a
year and a half later it became possible to resign from power upon
hearing the very first demand.

HAROUTYUN GEVORKYAN

PRESS RELEASE
Contacts
Armenian Genocide Exhibit and event questions:
Christie Hardiman, Public Relations Coordinator
Armenian Library and Museum of America
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 617-926-2562, ext. 4
Fax: 617-926-0175
Website:

Holocaust exhibit questions:
Susie Davidson, Journalist and Author
Phone: 617-566-7557
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>

Watertown, MA–January 20, 2008-Armenian Library and Museum of America
(ALMA) will be hosting a joint Holocaust – Armenian Genocide exhibit on
Sunday, January 20, 2008 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. ALMA is located in the
heart of the Watertown Square (65 Main Street, Watertown MA.) The goal
of the event is to further enhance the bond between two peoples who have
each suffered horrific crimes against humanity, as they continue to
recognize common ground and share a hope for a better future.

The Holocaust exhibit will include photos, video, and valuables formerly
belonging to inmates at Auschwitz that have been recently unveiled by
92-year-old Holocaust survivor and Brighton resident Meyer Hack. As a
laundry worker, Hack retrieved these pieces from inmates’ clothing when
the latter were removed from them. Miraculously, he hid them from the
Nazis throughout his years in the camps. These artifacts have not been
publicly displayed yet, and after this event, they will be installed at
the Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem in Jerusalem in a special ceremony.

The Armenian Genocide exhibit, "In Memoriam" the only permanent exhibit
on Armenian Genocide in the United States, is a memorial to the most
tragic of all events in Armenia’s 3,000 year-old history. The exhibit
pays tribute to more than 1.5 million victims of the first Genocide of
the 20th century. ALMA’s exhibit is intended to help the visitor "feel"
the Genocide as well as "learn" about it by conveying the horror of
those deaths along with statistics and other accounts in text and
photographs. The Armenian Genocide exhibit will be accompanied by
additional photographs from Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives.
Among these will be photographs of concentration camps taken by an
Armenian WWII photographer from Belmont.

Mr. Meyer Hack, Holocaust survivor and resident of Brighton and Mr.
Kevork Norian, an Armenian Genocide survivor and resident of Arlington,
will be the keynote speakers of the event. Introductions will be done by
WBZ radio talk host Jordan Rich. In addition to the exhibit and Mr.
Hack’s and Mr. Norian’s personal stories, the event will include ethnic
music by Armenian and Jewish performers Martin Haroutunian, Ara
Sarkissian, Cantor Robbie Solomon, Glenn Dickson and Grant Smith, poetry
recitals, as well as religious invocations by Armenian clergy and Rabbi
Moshe Waldoks, from Temple Beth Zion in Brookline.

Honored guests of the event include State Senator Edward M. Augustus
Jr., State Rep. Ruth B. Balser, State Rep. William N. Brownsberger,
State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry, State Senator Anthony D. Galluccio,
State Rep. Peter J. Koutoujian, State Rep. Alice H. Peisch, State Rep.
Frank I. Smizik, State Rep. Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., State Senator Marian
Walsh, State Rep. Alice K. Wolf, WWII veteran and Dachau liberator
Cranston "Chan" Rogers.

The event is sponsored by the following organizations:

* The Armenian Library and Museum of America
* The Armenian National Committee of America
* The Armenian Assembly of America
* Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives
* The Holocaust Center, Boston North
* Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Clark
University, Worcester
* Facing History and Ourselves, Brookline

Armenian and Kosher refreshments will be served at the event which is
free and open to the public. It will be alcohol-free, all ages, and
handicapped-accessible. There is on-street parking as well as a large
municipal parking lot behind the building. ALMA is very close to the
Mass. Turnpike Exit 17 and is on the route of many MBTA buses
( <; ). For more information please
contact Christie Hardiman at ALMA (617.926.2562 ext. 4) or Susie
Davidson (617-566-7557) or visit

###

About the Organizers

Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA)

Founded in 1971, ALMA’s mission is to present and preserve the culture,
history, art and contributions of the Armenian people to Americans and
Armenians alike. Since its inception, ALMA’s collection has grown to
over 26,000 books and 20,000 artifacts, making it perhaps the largest
and most diverse holding of Armenian cultural artifacts outside of
Armenia. As a repository for heirlooms, the collection now represents a
major resource not only for Armenian studies research, but as well as
for preservation and illustration of the Armenian heritage. In 1988,
ALMA acquired a 30,000 square foot facility in Watertown, MA – one of
North America’s oldest and most active Armenian communities. The
facility includes exhibition galleries, Library, administrative offices,
function hall, climate-controlled vaults and conservation lab.

ALMA is the only independent Armenian Museum in the Diaspora funded
solely through contributions of individual supporters. An active Board
of Trustees and volunteer base augments the museum’s staff. Museum’s
active schedule of changing exhibits includes the use of the library
primarily by researchers and interested general public seeking research
materials on Armenians. In addition, the museum sponsors lecture and
presentation program on related topics.

Hours: Friday and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
and Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission: Free admission
for ALMA Members; $2 for students; $5 for non-members; Children 12 and
under are free. Driving Directions: Take route 95 to 128 to 90 (Mass
Pike East) towards Watertown. Take exit 17-Watertown/Newton. Go North
1 mile towards Watertown Square. As you cross the small bridge, get
into the 2 left lanes. Turn left onto Main Street. Turn right onto
Church Street, and then turn right into the municipal parking lot. MBTA
Buses: 71, 70/70A, 57, 52, 59, 502, 504. Please visit
<; for schedules and maps.

Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives

Founded in 1975 by Ruth Thomasian, Project SAVE Armenian Photograph
Archives is dedicated to saving the photographic heritage of the
worldwide Armenian community. The Archives collects, documents, and
preserves photographs of all subjects and time periods relating to
Armenian people, their culture, and their country. Documenting the work
of Armenian photographers is of special interest. With collections of
more than 25,000 images, Project SAVE Archives promotes Armenian culture
and history by making its photographs available for public use. Learn
more about the archives at
<outbind://86/www.projectsa ve.org> or call 617-923-4542.

Armenian National Committee of America

The Armenian National Committee is a grassroots Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANC actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues

Armenian Assembly of America

The Armenian Assembly, established in 1972, is a Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

SINCE JANUARY 1, 2008 APPLICATION FEES FOR NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS TO MAKE 131 DOLLARS, INSTEAD OF CURRENT 100 DOLLARS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 19 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Since January 1, 2008 the
application fee for a U.S. non-immigrant visa will increase by 31
dollars and will make 131 U.S. dollars. This statement was made by
Robin Busse, the Consul of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, at the press
conference held on December 19. According to him, this increase,
which is made throughout the world, will allow the U.S. Department of
State and the U.S. Embassies to recover the costs, which are being
spent on security and other enhancements to the non-immigrant visa
application process.

Robin Brusse mentioned that according to the researches implemented
in 2004, the sum spent on the processing of the visa exceeds the
defined 100 dollars.

According to him, all these costs have so far been provided by the
U.S. Department of State. However, at present, 10 fingerprints from
each applicant are collected in connection with security, which are
reviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for which additional
costs are charged.

According to Robin Busse, since September 11, 2001 the application
fees have increased twice, the last time in 2002.

It was also mentioned that the applicants, who paid the prior 100
dollars application fee before January 1 will be processed without
paying an additional cost only if they are scheduled and appear for a
visa interview before January 31. And the applicants, who will appear
for visa interviews after January 31, must pay the difference, that
is 31 dollars. They can pay this difference of 31 dollars on the day
of their interview at the consular section of the U.S. Embassy.