Author: Nanijanian Alex

LEV SPIVAK: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DISCUSSION IN KNESSET IS A FACT THAT SHOULD BE ACCEPTED

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.06.2008 17:40 GMT+04:00

Discussion of the Armenian Genocide in the Knesset is a fact that
should be accepted, according to Lev Spivak, director general of
Israel-Azerbaijan international association.

"I am confident that the bill will be voted down and will nevertheless
put forth again and again. Majority of the Israeli people, including
politicians are indifferent about the issue, to be more precise, they
are not aware of it. Israeli press paid some attention to the bill
because the discussion of t was accompanied by a scandal. But the
story is not over yet. Sooner or later the issue will be discussed
by Knesset’s committee on foreign policy and defense. It means that
it can be put on vote again," he said, 1news.az reports.

ARMENIA APPRECIATES THE ROLE OF BSEC IN REGIONAL AS WELL AS THE WORLD ECONOMIC LIFE AND IT WILL REDOUBLE EFFORTS TO KEEP THIS ORGANIZATION ALIVE FOREVER
Mariam Levina

ArmInfo
2008-06-25 11:34:00

Interview of ArmInfo News Agency and newspaper ‘Capital’ with H. E.

Mr. Gegham Gharibjanian, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of
the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) Organization Day

– What do you think is a true value of the BSEC as a regional
organization and how is it integrated in the world economic relations
in the view of new global challenges?

The Black Sea Economic Cooperation, one of the influential and
representative organizations in the region, was launched in 1992
as an initiative bearing a specific responsibility for promoting
multilateral mutually beneficial economic cooperation and securing
stability and prosperity in the Black Sea region. The BSEC conception
has been to comprise those who are bound up with the Black Sea and
have standing political and economic interests even when sometimes
policies and approaches essentially differ.

The Organization, that tries to address the most substantive
challenges of regional economic cooperation and contributes to its
project-oriented agenda, is also called for developing the common
principles of regional cooperation as part of the integration process
in Europe and a higher degree of integration into the world economy.

I will not be mistaken if say that the BSEC-EU interaction in
particular after the milestone meeting in Kiev on February 14, is of
potential importance to the future of a result-oriented cooperation
in the Black Sea region as it has a greater impact to address the
real needs of the region.

The BSEC has become a major instrument in the process
of intensification of the Black Sea strategies and plays
an important role in its development and formation of shared
values and interests. Addressing the challenges which BSEC Member
States encounter, and the difficulties affecting the multilateral
process, the Organization’s strategy should concentrate on the
comparative advantages of regional cooperation, the priority sectors,
infrastructures and investments and the strategic significance of
the region in the context of the wider European economy.

– What are the priorities of the BSEC economic agenda?

>From the very beginning, as it was provided for in the BSEC Chapter,
the Organization was aimed at fostering cooperation among the
member-states in the major economic fields – energy, transport,
agriculture and agro-industry, health care, environmental protection,
tourism, science and technology, communications, trade, collaboration
among customs authorities, combating organized crime etc.

Gradually, along with the mentioned priorities, the new ones, such as
good governance and institutional renewal, development of small and
medium entrepreneurship, emergency assistance, combating international
terrorism and others have emerged in the Black Sea region and found
their place on the BSEC agenda.

– What kind of joint programs does the BSEC carry out with other
international organizations?

There is a number of international organizations the BSEC collaborates
to in different formats. With some of them it signed Memoranda of
Understanding (UN, EU, CIS).

I would mention just one of the initiatives – Black Sea Trade and
Investment Program – which is executed by the UNDP. The Program
is aimed at promoting investment and trade links within the BSEC
region. It creates the capacity within the Black Sea business support
institutions to take advantage of intra-regional trade and investment
expansion opportunity. The beneficiaries of the Program are small
and medium-sized enterprises and business support organizations of
the BSEC member states.

As you know, one of the last presentations of the Program was organized
in Yerevan on April 3rd this year with the efforts of the Armenian
Development Agency.

– As you mentioned, the BSEC is a project-oriented organization. How
can a member state make use of the BSEC funds for project
implementation?

There is a Project Development Fund operating within the framework
of the BSEC. The Fund, that provides financial support to eligible
proposals and projects, was established for the purpose of facilitating
the elaboration and promotion of projects with a focus on regional
cooperation and major economic development in the BSEC area.

The Fund operates on the principle of voluntary contributions from the
BSEC member-states, related bodies, observers and third parties. The
amount of contribution is 30.000 USD or Euros. Only entities from
those member-states who made a contribution may have priority to
benefit from the Fund.

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank is another financial
institution operating within the framework of the BSEC. The Bank is
established by the BSEC Member States and supports regional economic
cooperation by providing project financing and supporting public
and private enterprises in its member countries. In recent years,
the BSTB invested 2.1 million Euros in the "Beer of Yerevan" CJSC,
23 million USD in the "RusAl Armenia" CJSC and 3 million USD in the
ACBA (Credit Agricole Bank Closed Joint Stock Company).

Due to the efforts of the Government of Greece a new financial
institution, the Hellenic Development Fund, has been established
recently. The BSEC has been included in the Official Development
Assistance Programs of the OECD which allows the Organization promoting
through the Fund economic cooperation and development projects in
the region.

– What challenges are currently being faced by the BSEC as an
organization for regional economic cooperation?

The fundamental principles of the BSEC, which is determined to promote
a lasting and closer cooperation among the states of the Black Sea
region and to enhance the mutually advantageous economic cooperation,
are provided for in the BSEC Charter’s Preamble and secured in a
number of provisions of other statutory papers of the Organization
adopted by the member-states.

At the meantime, the delegations of some member-states to the BSEC
Organization have been applying continuous efforts to raise global
and regional political issues of a sensitive nature including those
of international conflicts and to include the politically motivated
formulations in the respective documents.

This approach is inconsistent with fundamental provisions of
statutory documents of the BSEC and tends to shift the forum into
one of deadlocked and time-wasting discussions on unsettled political
conflicts and, accordingly, could not be acceptable for the most of
BSEC member-states who feel the fate of the BSEC keenly.

Besides, referring to the recent letter dated April 30 of the Turkish
Foreign Minister addressed to the BSEC Ministers of Foreign Affairs, it
is to be noted that despite the unsettled issues existing in bilateral
relations between our countries, we share the former’s deep concern on
new interim as well as international challenges addressing durability
of our organization. Indeed, the organization is wasting its precious
time also on non-effective and pointless procedural issues, instead
of fostering the necessary practical measures to maintain reformation
processes within the organization.

– What are the main priorities of the Republic of Armenia in the
BSEC and how do you envisage our country’s prospects within the
organization?

Armenia is one of the founder-countries of the BSEC. We have the BSEC
representation in Istanbul.

There is a representative of the Republic of Armenia in the
BSEC Permanent International Secretariat who is responsible for
international economic policy and BSEC-EU cooperation – one of the
key operational sector of the organization. A representative of the
Armenian Foreign Ministry is a board-member of a number of the BSEC
related bodies.

As for the main priority areas, I would single out the following root
issues for Armenia within the framework of BSEC cooperation: transport
and energy, agriculture, science, technology and communications,
education, environment and tourism, public administration, cooperation
in emergency assistance and combating crime etc. We have joined
to almost all agreements signed in these areas, particularly on
transport and energy cooperation. The Republic of Armenia is currently
a country-coordinator for energy cooperation.

Since this coming November our country is assuming the six-month
Chairmanship in the BSEC. This is a privilege and great
responsibility. The Armenian Government and public institutions
involved have already set about the preparation activities and
proceeding to be thoroughly prepared for duly implementation of their
duties during the forthcoming Chairmanship-in-Office.

We, as a BSEC member-state and the next Chairman of the organization,
are confident that the BSEC is playing a significant role in the
regional as well as the world economic and social life, so we will
redouble our efforts to withstand the world global challenges to keep
this organization alive forever.

KIRO MANOYAN: ARMENIA SHOULD STOP AZERBAIJAN’S WAR MACHINE

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.06.2008 15:09 GMT+04:00

There will be no progress in Karabakh talks before presidential
elections in Azerbaijan and United States, according to Kiro Manoyan,
ARF Dashnaktsutyun Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Director.

"Azerbaijan will not demonstrate political will.

Besides, the United States, one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
countries, is on the threshold of presidential election too. It makes
no sense to expect progress unless new administration is formed," Mr.

Manoyan said.

"It’s natural however that the mediators will work for continuation
of talks irrelative of election processes," he added.

Armenia should put an end to Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements,
according to him.

"The February presidential election damaged Armenia’s international
image. Meanwhile possible violations in Azerbaijan will be overlooked
due to the country’s oil resources. But it doesn’t mean that the
Karabakh problem will be resolved in favor of Azerbaijan," Mr.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HOSTS ARMENIAN COUNTERPART

Xinhua, China

June 24 2008

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday hailed relations with
Armenia and pledged to further bilateral ties during talks with his
visiting counterpart of the Caucasus state.

Relations between Moscow and Yerevan are those "of partners andallies,"
Medvedev told Armenian President Serzh Sargsian who is in Moscow for
a three-day visit, Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Medvedev suggested to talk about "the broadest spectrum of questions"
during the meeting and hopes that it "will be productive and will
be commensurate with the level of partnership and allied relations
between the Russian Federation and Armenia."

Sargsian expressed confidence that bilateral ties will develop
along the road of mutual understanding and strategic partnership in
accordance with bilateral treaties, Itar-Tass said.

Russia and Armenia called for an early solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and pledged to take coordinate steps to ensure security in
the South Caucasus, said a joint statement issued after the leader’s
talks in the Kremlin.

Armed conflict broke out in the early 1990s between Azerbaijan and
Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region’s status after it declared
independence, which was not recognized by the international community.

Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in northwest Azerbaijan, was populated
mostly by ethnic Armenians.

A Russian-brokered ceasefire halted the fighting in 1994, but the
dispute remains unresolved.

The presidents also spoke highly of cooperation in such sectors as
oil and gas, transport and communications, mining and processing
industries, as well as in the innovation sphere, Interfax reported.

The visit is expected to boost trade and economic relations, as
bilateral trade has surpassed 800 million U.S. dollars last year,
Russian officials said.

Armenia, with a population of three million, recorded 13-percent
economic growth in 2007 and foreign trade reached 3.8 billion
U.S. dollars, according to official statistics.

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JAZZ MUSICIANS: MOTIAN, PAUL (STEPHEN PAUL)

Jazz.com, TX
June 23 2008

Paul Motian is an American jazz drummer who splits his time evenly and
effectively between the postwar styles of bebop, post-bop, cool jazz
and free jazz. Whether transfiguring the piano trio with Bill Evans,
performing in Keith Jarrett’s "American Quartet," or leading his own
groups, Motian’s combination of traditional swing roots and clever
unpredictability have made him one of the most consistently active
and prolific drummers in modern jazz.

Stephen Paul Motian (his pronunciation: MO-shun) was born to Armenian
parents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 25, 1931. At the age
of two, his family relocated to Providence, Rhode Island, where he
lived until he entered the Navy in 1950.

His earliest musical imprints include the distinctive combination of
Arabic and Turkish music played in his home, as well as widespread
popularity of the New Orleans revival and early swing bands he heard
on the radio.

His first interest in an instrument was in the guitar, as he liked
the cowboys in the movies who often slung guitars as well as guns, he
soon discovered the drums and began his life-long commitment to jazz.

Motian began studying drums both in school and in private lessons in
Providence, and he starting gigging while still in high school. With
the Korean War in full effect in 1950, Motian decided to enter
the Navy, and enrolled in the Navy School of Music. Uninspired,
he subsequently sailed around the world for over two years with the
Seventh Fleet.

Upon his discharge, Motian moved to New York City to start a career
as a freelance drummer. Before long, he knew where all of the best
late-night jam sessions were, and when Art Taylor failed to show up
to play with Thelonious Monk one night, Motian sat in.

In 1955, Paul Motian met post-bop pianist Bill Evans, and Motian began
what became a decade-long tenure with the pianist. With bassists Chuck
Israels, Gary Peacock, and Scott LaFaro, the Evans recordings of the
late 1950s and early 1960s revolutionized the art of the piano trio.

LaFaro and Motian interacted more loosely and freely than most
bassists and drummers in piano trio formats, leading to an open,
breathing sound and three-way collective improvisation that set the
standard for the modern piano trio.

Notable recordings from Motian’s work with Evans include Portrait in
Jazz and Explorations, which includes"Elsa",and this live version of
"Waltz for Debby."

Throughout the 1960s, Motian was extremely busy as a freelancer,
and recorded with Lennie Tristano, Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Zoot Sims,
Martial Solal, and Eddie Costa, among others.

In the late 1960s, Motian moved from Evans’s trio to join the group
led by pianist Keith Jarrett. Dubbed the "American Quartet," Jarrett,
Motian, bassist Charlie Haden and tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman
released some of Jarrett’s most well-regarded material, including
Birth, Life Between the Exit Signs, Expectations, and Death and
the Flower.

In 1975, Motian recorded the album Mysteries, which includes
"Mysteries" and "Everything That Lives Laments.".

In 1972, Motian began his career as a bandleader and composer with the
ECM recording Conception Vessel. His relationship with ECM lasted for
twelve years, and yielded some of Motian’s most revered solo material,
from Psalm and The Story of Maryam to 1984’s It Should’ve Happened
a Long Time Ago.

It Should’ve Happened a Long Time Ago was the first record to
feature tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano and guitarist Bill Frisell. This
exploratory bassless trio has released many records, and continues
to perform regularly at New York City’s Village Vanguard, as it did
on this performance of "Yallah."

Since leaving Jarrett in 1978, Motian has balanced his time as a
composer, sideman, and bandleader, recording for ECM, Soul Note, JMT,
and most recently, Winter and Winter records.

In recent years, Motian has recorded with Paul Bley, Charlie Haden,
Carla Bley, Mose Allison, and Enrico Pieranunzi, and continues to gig
with Lovano and Frisell as a trio. He is also active in another band of
his own creation, The Electric Bebop Band. A cradle for young New York
City-based tenor saxophone and guitar talent, this group has included
Chris Potter, Joshua Redman, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. The Electric Bebop
Band plays energetic, electrified versions of bop standards.

Motian has also released records to honor some of his great musical
counterparts and influences. In 1990, Motian released Bill Evans:
Tribute to the Great Post-Bop Pianist, and Play Monk and Powell
appeared in 1999, and over the past decade and a half, he has released
four volumes of a series called On Broadway, performing tunes by
his favorite theatrical songwriters with Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano,
and Charlie Haden. Volume One of this series includes the tune "Liza."

Motian is still active on the bandstand in New York City, having
completed a run at the Blue Note with Bill Frisell and Ron Carter in
December of 2007, and playing on no less than five albums released
that year. To get a sense of Motian’s current style, check out "Mumbo
Jumbo"on the 2006 ECM release, Garden of Eden.

Ultimately, it is Motian’s unique combination of musical achievements
that warrants his reputation as a jazz master. From his sensitive and
artful playing with Evans to his often intense playing with Jarrett
and Haden, and his multilayered, freer original work with Frisell
and Lovano, few drummers have ever attempted, much less achieved,
to switch gears as consistently and creatively as Motian has.

Creating a timeline of Motian’s musical career gives a jazz fan a
sense of the development of the music since 1950 – combinations of
traditional trios, electric quintets, cool influences, bop influences,
and free influences, all executed with a solid connection to the
history of jazz.

A Note on Motian’s Drumming Style:

The startlingly unique nature of Motian’s drumming has provided him
with a constant "in-demand" status for over fifty years. His brush
technique is impeccable, as evidenced on many of the trio recordings
with Bill Evans. When he picks up sticks, musicians and audiences
alike are never quite sure what to expect. His often sounds like a
minimalist, leaving out essential portions of the swing groove in
order to poke back at his fellow musicians in musical conversation.

Conversely, Motian sometimes plays raucous, exhilarating solos that
are rhythmically clever enough to often draw laughter from his fellow
musicians on the bandstand. Whether playing minimally or aggressively,
his constant motivation is to provide a melodic statement from the
drums, whether accompanying a soloist or soloing himself.

Discography

As a leader:

Conception Vessel (1972), Tribute (1974), Dance (1977), Le Voyage
(1979), Psalm (1981), The Story of Maryam (1983), Misterioso (1983),
Jack of Clubs (1984), It Should’ve Happened a Long Time Ago (1984),
Circle the Line (1986), One Time Out (1987), Monk In Motian (1988),
On Broadway, Vol. 1 (1988), On Broadway, Vol. 2 (1989), Bill Evans:
Tribute to the Great Post-Bop Pianist (1990), Motian in Tokyo (1991),
Paul Motian and the Electric Bebop Band (1992), On Broadway, Vol. 3
(1993), Trioism (1993), Reincarnation of a Love Bird, Vol. 71-81
(1994), At the Village Vanguard (1996), Sound of Love (1998), Flight
of the Bluejay (1998), Play Monk and Powell (1999), 2000 + 1 (1999),
Tethered Moon (1999), Fantasm (2000), Europe (2001), Holiday for
Strings (2002), I Have the Room Above Her (2005), Garden of Eden
(2006), On Broadway, Vol. 4: Or the Paradox of Continuity (2006),
Time and Time Again (2007), Live at the Vanguard, Vol. 1 (2007)

With Bill Evans:

Complete Riverside Recordings (1956), Jazz Showcase (1956), New Jazz
Conceptions (1956), Everybody Digs Bill Evans (1958), On Green Dolphin
Street (1959), Portrait in Jazz (1959), 1960 Birdland Sessions (1960),
At the Village Vanguard (1961), Explorations (1961), Sunday at the
Village Vanguard (1961), Village Vanguard Sessions (1961), Waltz for
Debby (1961), How My Heart Sings! (1962), Moonbeams (1962), Trio 64
(1963), Affinity (1978)

With Keith Jarrett:

Life Between the Exit Signs (1967), Somewhere Before (1968), Birth
(1971), Expectations (1971), Mourning of a Star (1971), Fort Yawuh
(1973), Backhand (1974), Treasure Island (1974), Death and the Flower
(1975), Mysteries (1975), Shades (1975), El Juicio (The Judgement)
(1976), Eyes of the Heart (1976), Survivor’s Suite (1976), Bop-Be
(1977), Byablue (1977), Silence (1977), At the Deer Head Inn (1992)

Additional Recordings (Selected):

Classic Sessions (Hal Stein, 1955), Jazz Workshop (George Russell
and his Smalltet, 1956), Day in New York (Tony Scott, 1957), Eddie
Costa Quintet (Eddie Costa, 1957), Continuity (Lennie Tristano
Quartet/Quintet, 1958), Art of Improvising (Warne Marsh, 1959), Jazz
Alive: A Night at the Half Note (Zoot Sims, 1959), Live at the Half
Note (Lee Konitz, 1959), Know What I Mean? (Cannonball Adderley/Bill
Evans, 1961), Martial Solal Trio at Newport (Martial Solal, 1963),
Paul Bley with Gary Peacock (Paul Bley, 1963), Syndrome (Paul Bley,
1963), Turning Point (Paul Bley, 1964), Turns (Paul Bley, 1964), Wild
Man on the Loose (Mose Allison, 1965), Liberation Music Orchestra
(Charlie Haden, 1969), Tropic Appetites (Carla Bley, 1973), Sage of
Tippo (Mose Allison, 1981), Ballad of the Fallen (Charlie Haden/Carla
Bley, 1982), Rambler (Bill Frisell, 1984), Clairvoyant (Leni Stern,
1985), Fragments (Paul Bley, 1986), Etudes (Charlie Haden/Paul Motian
feat. Geri Allen, 1987), Paul Bley Quartet (Paul Bley, 1987), Village
Rhythm (Joe Lovano, 1988), Segments (Geri Allen with Charlie Haden and
Paul Motian, 1989), Discovery: Live at Montreaux (Gonzalo Rubalcaba,
1990), Dream Keeper (Charlie Haden and the Liberation Music Orchestra,
1990), Tethered Moon (Masabumi Kikuchi, 1991), Rhapsody (Lee Konitz,
1993), Muthspiel/Peacock/Muthspiel/Motian (Chrisitan Muthspiel, 1994),
Flux and Change (Enrico Pieranunzi/Paul Motian, 1995), One More Angel
(John Pattitucci, 1995), Awareness (Larry Goldings, 1996), Gimcracks
and Gewgaws (Mose Allison, 1997), Just Friends (Martial Solal/Gary
Peacock/Paul Motian, 1998), Montreal Tapes with Gonzalo Rubalcaba
(Charlie Haden, 1998), Montreal Tapes with Geri Allen (Charlie Haden,
1998), Recollection (Leni Stern, 1998), You and the Night and the Music
(Helen Merrill, 1998), Not Two, Not One (Paul Bley/Gary Peacock/Paul
Motian, 1999), Three Guys (Lee Konitz, 1999), Live at the Village
Vanguard (Geri Allen with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian (2000),
Amaryllis (Marilyn Crispell, 2001), Fellini Jazz (Enrico Pieranunzi,
2003), Adobe (Tony Malaby, 2004), As It Grows (Russ Lossing, 2004),
Doorways (Enrico Pieranunzi, 2004), I’m All for You (Joe Lovano,
2004), For the Time Being (Salvatore Bonafede, 2005), Special Encounter
(Enrico Pieranunzi, 2005), Tati (Enrico Rava, 2005), Bill Frisell, Ron
Carter, Paul Motian (Bill Frisell/Ron Carter/Paul Motian, 2006), Play
(Frank Kimbrough, 2006), Think Like the Waves (Gordon Grdina, 2006),
New York Trio Recordings, Vol. 2: Voices (Marc Copland (2007), Roses
(Bill McHenry, 2007), Two Miles a Day (Jacob Sacks, Elvind Opsink,
Mat Maneri, Paul Motian, 2007)

ITALIAN INSTITUTION TO RESTORE DOLMABAHcE PALACE CLOCK TOWER

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
June 23 2008

Parliament signed a protocol on Monday with Italy’s trade center and
Assorestauro (Art Restoration Association) to restore the clock tower
of Ä°stanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace.

Parliament Secretary-General Ali Osman Koca said Italian artists
had previously restored several parts of Dolmabahce Palace and that
cooperation with them would continue.

Koca said Sultan Abdulmecit had ordered the construction of Dolmabahce
Palace and that the palace was one of the most important buildings
in the modernization period of the Ottoman Empire.

Dolmabahce Palace was the first European-style palace in Ä°stanbul
and was built between 1842 and 1853, at a cost of 5 million Ottoman
gold liras, the equivalent of 35 tons of gold. Fourteen tons of gold
in the form of gold leaf were used to gild the ceilings of the palace.

The clock tower was constructed by Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan
between 1890 and 1895. The clock tower was added to Dolmabahce Palace
and stands in front of its Treasury Gate on a square along the European
waterfront of the Bosporus next to Dolmabahce Mosque.

Designed in Ottoman neo-baroque style, the four-sided, four-storey
tower stands at a height of 27 meters. Its clock was manufactured
by the French clockmaker house of Jean-Paul Garnier and installed
by court clock master Johann Mayer. In 1979 the original mechanical
clock was converted partly to an electrical one.

–Boundary_(ID_2hQX3L3/5+rKJCrshKKL0g)–

RA TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION MINISTER: RUSSIA INTENDS TO TURN ‘CAUCASUS-POTI’ FERRY TRAFFIC INTO REGULAR ONE

ArmInfo
2008-06-23 13:24:00

Russia intends to turn "Caucasus-Poti" ferry traffic into a regular
one, RA Transport and Communication Minister Gurgen Sarkisyan told
journalists told in Yerevan.

He said that the Russian party also promised to increase the number
of ferries in this direction that will positively affect the cargo
turnover between Armenia and Russia. Presently, ferrying is carried
out once per 7-8 days in the direction of the "Caucasus" (Russia)-
Poti port (Georgia). It is expected that one ferry more will shortly
appear in this direction. However, Armenia attaches special importance
to actuation of a big ferry from Ilyichevsk Ukrainian port, which
has been under repair for over a month. As expected, this ferry will
start functioning again within the next 2-3 days.

Though, G. Sarkisyan said, Armenia does not need several ferries. "We
have a cargo export problem as the ferries from Russia arrive loaded,
as a rule, and depart half empty, that id unprofitable from the
economic point of view", the minister emphasized.

Canton Repository , OH
June 21 2008

Philanthropist’s book took years of research

Saturday, June 21, 2008

CANTON Philanthropist Christos Papoutsy will present a lecture and
slide show on his new book Sunday following the liturgy at Holy
Trinity Greek Orthodox Church at 4705 Fairhaven Ave. NW.

"Ships of Mercy: The True Story of the Rescue of the Greeks, Smyrna
September 1922" is based on more than 10 years of research.

Smyrna was the final battleground of the four-year war between the
Greeks and Turks following World War I.

The war concluded with Turkish victory and the massacre of thousands
of Greek and Armenian Christians. It was the first documented ethnic
cleansing of the 20th century.

Those who survived the burning and looting of Smyrna, the largest
Greek Christian city in Asia Minor, leaped into the Aegean and were
rescued by an international squadron of ships.

The subsequent population exchange administered by the League of
Nations resulted in the transfer of nearly 2 million people. Greek
Christians living in Turkey were forced to move to Greece, and Turkish
Muslims living in Greece were required to do take up residence in
Turkey.

With the population transfer, the 3,000-year Greek presence in Asia
Minor was ended.

A native of Haverhill, Mass., Papoutsy is archon of the Greek Orthodox
Church and a member of Leadership 100.

He writes and lectures on business, entrepreneurship and business
ethics. He is an accomplished musician and the founder and conductor
of the Hellenic and Near Eastern Musical Society Orchestra.

He and his wife have endowed a professorship in business ethics at
Southern New Hampshire University. They are founders and publishers of
Hellenic Communication Service. There is no charge for the lecture or
the luncheon.

The event is co-sponsored by Holy Trinity, AHEPA Canton Chapter 59,
and the Asia Minor Hellenic American Society of Akron.

For information, call William H. Samonides at (330) 452-5162.

17373&Category=8&subCategoryID=

TURK ROBBER STABS ARMENIAN PENSIONER WITH KNIFE

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 18, 2008

ISTANBUL, JUNE 18, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. In the Shishli
region of Istanbul a Turk robber has stabbed Armenian Turkey resident
88-year-old Maria Nadir Ohan Yancaker with knife and tried to steal
the jewelry and money of the elderly woman.

As the local Turkish sources report, the 35 year-old woman has entered
the appartment of the elderly Armenian woman with a false excuse,
stabbed her with knife for a few times and closed her in one of
the rooms. Then taking the jewelry and money has tried to leave the
appartment. However, the cries of the injured women were heard by
the neighbours, who have caught the robber and handed to the police.

The health condition of the 88-year-old Maria Nadir Ohan Yancaker is
considered heavy.

HOW TURKEY SHOULD REACT TO SARKOZY?
Mehmet Ali Birand

Turkish Daily News
June 18 2008

I thought French President Nicolas Sarkozy would loosen up in his
approach to block Turkey’s way to the European Union. Sarkozy appointed
a friend of Turkey, Pierre Lelouche, as his special envoy, and sent
messages for better relations with Turkey. He created the image that
"he will ease his anti-Turkey stance." On the contrary, the French
President sends new signals every day that he will hunt down Turkey.

If we ask, "What could be the traditional Turkish reaction to
Sarkozy?" the answer is simple. Turkish diplomacy, politicians and
media can show the fiercest reaction against him.

Turkish leaders might make serious remarks and batter him down
verbally to instigate people and Sarkozy might be declared "enemy of
Turks." Political contacts might either be cut or minimized. France
might be crossed out in all public tenders and French companies doing
business in Turkey face bureaucratic obstacles.

The Turkish armed forces might not buy French weapons and cause trouble
for their French counterparts. In such an atmosphere, Turkish public
opinion may turn against France.

Campaigns might be organized against French goods and calls might be
made for boycotting France. The Turkish media might concentrate on the
French massacre in Algeria and "ugly French" kind of documentaries
might be broadcast on TVs, municipalities might change French names
once given to streets or boulevards as some organizations might leave
black wreaths in front of French representative offices.

That is to say, France might be lambasted.

Then we, as the society, might feel satisfied but this might be
reflected as the "French hunt in Turkey" in Europe. They might scream
out "Barbaric Turks" as Greeks and Armenians foment the fire. In this
case, Sarkozy toughens more and other EU member countries, even if they
do not believe, might support France, just for the sake of solidarity.

This scenario that I try to give here should not be the one we
follow. Unfortunately, this is an indispensable approach we adopt
since it is so easy to follow, although we see its negative results.

But this only harms Turkey. We should respond to Sarkozy in a cold
European manner not in a traditional Turkish way.

* * *

Five ways to handle Sarkozy:

There are many ways to fight back against the French president’s
approach to Turkey. However, I made a research on the most crucial
and primary ones and I came up with four of them:

The most important trump card Turkey holds against France is the
other EU countries supporting Turkey, the European Commission being at
top. And there are about 20 of them. Ankara should take the initiative
and form an active Turkish lobby. But for that, Turkey should realize
the EU reforms and provide new trump cards for its friends in order
for them to defend Turkey.

The most powerful Turkish lobby in France consists of French firms
having or making investments in Turkey. So we should make them to take
action in favor of Turkey along with the other actors in economy and
trade, rather than driving them to the wall and making them to regret
that they invested in Turkey. They will be pleased to have a role in
this bid.

The French security lobby and the French armed forces are natural
supporters of Turkey. As it happens today, we should make the French
military airplanes transiting over Turkey to take side with us,
rather than creating difficulties for them.

The year 2009 is declared the "Year of Turkey" in France. We
should definitely make good use of this. Various drives and
conferences targeting universities should be organized for French
intellectuals. Turkey can easily do all of these, if there is enough
political will.

Invite them over here:

Our biggest problem is to reflect our rightful case in the best
possible way and to explain Turkish viewpoint. I’ve been in this
business for 40 years. So I’ve been following the efforts to "promote
Turkey," both inside and outside, for 40 years. We’ve been complaining
about it for 40 years. And we keep talking about our failure in
this sense.

But there is one single point that has never changed in the process. No
matter how hard or how often we organize conferences outside, or our
people show up on international TVs or despite all advertisements or
conferences held, nothing is more effective than inviting foreigners
over Turkey.

So let’s invite foreign faculty members, representatives of
non-governmental organizations, foreign journalists or politicians to
Turkey. Let’s spend our money to take our speakers to abroad but to
host our foreign guests here in Turkey. I’ve seen plenty of examples.

Our European addressees reluctantly lend an ear to information about
Turkey in Europe. For instance, in Paris and in a familiar environment,
the French or the Dutch cannot fully perceive what these Turkish guests
saying. No matter how hard we try, they cannot overcome prejudices
they have.

However, if a French journalist or a politician or a diplomat leaves
his own familiar environment and comes to Istanbul or Ankara or Kars,
in the far east tip of Turkey, that person becomes all eyes and ears
to you.

Not hearing or watching but personally experiencing things affect a
person and personal experience helps one to rid of prejudices. I am
very certain since I had so many experiences. The only way to promote
Turkey is to invite our addressees over Turkey.