Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

Cher sells waterfront mansion Florida house was on the market for six months
canada.com
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Six months after she put it on the market, Cher has sold one of her
houses.
The singer and actress got $8.8 million (all figures U.S.) for her
waterfront mansion on Key Biscayne, about 10 miles south of Miami. The
house was listed last year for $9.75 million.
Buyers Sean and Ana Wolfington closed the deal Tuesday for the fully
furnished 6,819-square-foot house that boasts six bedrooms, eight
bathrooms and bamboo floors throughout. The couple has two children.
Cher bought the estate, overlooking Biscayne Bay, in 2003 for $5.65
million after selling her Miami Beach house to Calvin Klein executive
Barry Schwartz.
The entertainer spent more than $100,000 last year to replace trees and
plants on the property that were damaged by hurricanes.
Cher, who turns 60 this month, is scheduled to take over from Celine
Dion at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas when the Canadian singer’s contract
runs out.

THE PERFORMANCE “TO FORGET HEROSTRAT” BEAT A RECORD
A1+
[07:23 pm] 11 May, 2006
The Dramatic theatre after Hrachya Ghaplanyan celebrates the 30th
anniversary of the performance “To Forget Herostrat” staged on Grigori
Gorin’s play of the same name. The performance will be presented for
the 240th time at the Dramatic theatre on May 13.
According to actor Levon Mutafyan this is a record index as no
play was staged so long on the Armenian stage as this one. “This is
unprecedented phenomenon taking into consideration the crisis and
stagnancy of 70s when people were afraid to make free decisions
and were not encouraged to do such things, and there was severe
censorship. The performance “To Forget Herostat” was about evil and
its eternity and was an attempt to remind of reality and time.” Then
censorship prohibited to speak openly, and all of a sudden young
actor Ghandikyan threw down the gauntlet to theatretical world and
staged the play as his diploma work,” noted Levon Marutyan.
According to witnesses, they were disappointed by the performance
staged in Moscow as it was traditional, there were no new feelings,
passions in it and it resembled the original play. The Armenian
version of the play is more striking with its aesthetic principles;
allegories, symbols and implication which resulted in warm acceptance
by the audience. According to Armen Ghandikyan our theatres lack the
deep sense, implication and we go to simplicity.
In Armen Ghandikyan’s words the performance leads its second life
with new artistic personnel though the Vladimir Mseryan still embodies
the main character, Herostrat.
The performance was presented in many cities of the world and was
warmly accepted by the audience. Even when Gorin saw it he was
surprised, “What a wonderful performance, did I really write it? I
didn’t think I would become the author of such a great play,” recalls
Vladimir Mseryan. The latter also called on the Armenian youth to
attend theatres more frequently and to see perfect performances.

ARMENIA ENVISAGES TO SIGN INTERSTATE AGREEMENT WITH IRAN AND BULGARIA CONCERNING REMOVAL OF MANPOWER
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Ministry of Labour and Social
Issues does works at present on signing interstate agreements
concerning removal of manpower with corresponding departments of Iran
and Bulgaria. The Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed about it by
Vahan Simonian, the Chief of the Labour and Employment Department of
the Ministry. He mentioned that according to the interstate agreements,
the states are bilaterally obliged to protect the legal rights of
employees. Points concerning salary, working hours and other issues
will be fixed in the agreements. V.Simonian mentioned that there are
such agreements signed with CIS countries. But, according to him,
they do not almost function at present, as RA citizens go to those
countries to work with their wish but not within the framework of
the above-mentioned agreements.

Concordia University
Sociology-Anthropology Department
Canadian Anthropology Society
Conference on Human Nature/Human Identities
Hall building
1455 de Maisoneuve W.
Montreal (Quebec) H3G 1M8
May 9-14, 2006
sca2006/EN/program.htm
note: sessions are open to the community
the published abstracts/ programme is only
available to conference registered participants
Friday May 12, 2006
afternoon.-
90) Symposium Session 1 of 2: The political nature of identity – La nature
politique de l’identite
Organizer/Organisation: Dr. Sima Aprahamian (Concordia University)
Symposium Abstract: The proposed session brings together papers that
examine the political nature of identity as linked to religion, gender,
class, and race. It starts with an examination of the current Genome
Project and its implications for minorities, and then examines historical
cases across cultures through time and space. The papers attempt to
address the issues raised by the conference sub-theme on the political
nature of identity whereby positioning in and by social discourses
determine the conditions of being.
Chair/ Karin Doerr (Concordia University)
a) Michiko Aramaki (Independent Researcher): SCIENCE, POLITICS, AND
IDENTITY: THE HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH AND RACIALIZED GENES – SCIENCE,
POLITIQUE ET IDENTIT: LA RECHERCHE SUR LE GNOME HUMAIN ET LES GNES
RACIALISS
b) Anna Rosmus (Independent Researcher): TURNING THE MASSES INTO ETHNIC
WARRIORS – TRANSFORMER LES MASSES EN GUERRIERS ETHNIQUES
c) Arlene Voski Avakian (University of Massachusetts): SHISH KEBAB
ARMENIANS? FOOD AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF ETHNIC AND GENDER
IDENTITIES AMONG ARMENIAN AMERICAN FEMINISTS – DES SHISH KEBABS ARMNIENS?
LA NOURRITURE ET LA CONSTRUCTION ET MAINTENANCE DES IDENTITS ETHNIQUES ET
SEXUELLES CHEZ DES FMINISTES ARMNIENNES AMRICAINES
d) Sima Aprahamian (Concordia University): POLITICS OF IDENTITY IN THE
OTTOMAN EMPIRE – LES POLITIQUES DE L’IDENTIT DANS L’EMPIRE OTTOMAN
e) Karin Doerr (Independent Researcher): A POLITICIZED IDENTITY: MEANING
AND MEMORY OF JUDE (JEW) – UNE IDENTIT POLITISE: SIGNIFICATION ET SOUVENIR
DE `JUDE’ (JUIF)
100) Symposium Session 2 of 2: The political nature of identity – La
nature politique de l’identit
Organizer/Organisation:Dr.Sima Aprahamian (Concordia University)
a) Lynn Kutch (Lehigh University): POLITICS OF IDENTITY: LANGUAGE AND
NATIONALISM IN GERMANY POLITIQUE DE L’IDENTIT: LANGUE ET NATIONALISME EN
ALLEMAGNE
b) John A. Harries (University of Edinburgh): FRAGILE SUBSTANCE: BEOTHUK
BLOOD AND POSTCOLONIAL IDENTITIES IN NEWFOUNDLAND – FRAGILE SUBSTANCE:
SANG BOTHUK ET IDENTITS POST-COLONIALES TERRE-NEUVE
c) Aditya Kumar Dewan (Concordia University and Dawson College): THE
SELF-IMAGE AND IDENTITY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE CHITTAGONG – L’IMAGE
DE SOI ET L’IDENTIT DES POPULATIONS INDIGNES DU CHITTAGONG
d) Dena Khamesh (Independent Researcher): MEDIA REPRESENTATION AND
IDENTITY POLITICS: CANADIAN NEWS COVERAGE OF MIDDLE EASTERN ISSUES AND ITS
IMPACT ON TORONTO’S COMMUNITIES
e) Arun Chaudhuri (York University): Bollywood vs. the Cowboy: identity
politics duel at high noon – Bollywood contre le Cowboy: duel de
politiques d’identit sous le soleil de midi
f) Suncem Kocer (Indiana University): Politics of Kurdish Identity during
the Era of Turkey’s European Union Accession – Politiques d’identit kurde
l’re de l’accession de la Turquie l’Union Europenne

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT CONDOLED WITH ARMENIAN PEOPLE
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.05.2006 13:22 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ May 5 Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili visited
the Armenian Embassy in Tbilisi and wrote in the funeral book. Through
Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Hrach Silvanyan Saakashvili extended
condolences to Armenian leaders and the entire Armenian people over
the tragedy. “The Georgian party ready to assist investigation of
the crash, as well as help relatives, who cannot get to Sochi by air,
to travel through Georgia,” Saakashvili underscored.

STATE ASSISTANCE TO BE SHOWN TO RELATIVES OF PASSENGERS DIED IN PLANE CRASH
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the
RA Government’s Information and Public Relations Department,
the Government discussed the draft decision about showing state
assistance to funeral of people died in the consequence of the plane
crash. According to it, it was decided to allocate 129 mln drams
(about 287 thousand U.S. dollars) from the Government’s reservation
fund envisaged by the RA 2006 state budget to assist victims’
funeral, preparing and placing gravestones (1 mln 500 thousand
drams on the account of every victim). Other 15 mln 255 thousand
drams were allocated to the Yerevan Mayor’s Office to give it to
the “Special Service for Inhabitation” CJSC of the Mayor’s Office
to assist the funeral (135 thousand drams on the account of every
victim). By the decision, the RA Minister of Labour and Social Issues
was allowed to give on hand the financial resources allocated by the
mentioned decision to people undertaking the burial of the plane crash
victims. The RA Ministry of Finance and Economy was instructed to open
a special current account for, with its help, everybody who wants has a
possibility to show assistance to families of the plane crash victims.

ARMENIAN SPEAKER PLAYS DOWN CONTROVERSIAL NATO REMARKS
Aravot, Yerevan
3 May 06
Armenian parliament speaker Artur Bagdasaryan has said that his
remarks about the need to strengthen relations with NATO did not mean
that he was against ties with Moscow. However, he said that “I am for
friendly but not vassal relations with Russia”. Bagdasaryan also said
that a serious rift with its partners could force his Law-Governed
Country Party leave the ruling coalition. The following is the text
of Margarit Yesayan report by Armenian newspaper Aravot on 3 May
headlined “We shall not create obstacles for the president of the
country or our coalition partners”
An interview with the speaker of the parliament Artur Bagdasaryan. He
does not rule out that the Law-Governed Country Party [LGCP] may
leave the ruling coalition.
[Aravot correspondent] Mr Bagdasaryan, we understood from your speech
that you are ready to leave the coalition. When are you going to
declare that?
[Artur Bagdasaryan] It is evident that there must be serious
and insurmountable disagreements for us to decide to leave the
coalition. True, I have said that we shall not create obstacles for
the president of the country or for our partners and if there is an
inconsistency of ideas and the style of working, the LGCP will leave
the coalition.
[Correspondent] How may this inconsistency be expressed? Why did
an interview with a German newspaper give rise to so many different
interpretations?
[Bagdasaryan] You know, when in 2003 the LGCP was blamed for
populism it was a little bit clear: that was an election year and the
pre-election passions had yet to calm down. When they continued doing
the same in 2004, that was surprising, and in 2005 this is pointless
as they have had enough time to understand that neither my official
visits to other countries, nor my working visits to the regions of
Armenia, nor my setting up of councils under the parliament, nor
topical speeches of the LGCP members are populism, but an ordinary
parliamentary work.
Moreover, I said nothing new in an interview with any foreign or
local newspaper. I do not rule out that there may be different
interpretations. I said the following: “towards Europe preserving
friendly relations with Russia”, that was the gist. Russia itself
does not consider NATO its enemy. I said in St. Petersburg that it
is unacceptable to juxtapose Russia and the European Union, and that
Armenia will not become a member of NATO tomorrow. Finally, NATO has
military as well as political bodies and there are countries which
became members only of the political organization.
Incidentally, Russia itself wants to deepen relations with NATO and to
set up a special NATO-Russia council. I said nothing about membership,
I spoke about NATO-Armenia individual partnership programmes. As
the chairman of the National Assembly, I know that the issue of
joining NATO is not on the foreign policy agenda of Armenia. But
when a journalist asks about different topics, including this one,
do you think it is correct to reply: “ask the president”? As for
Armenian-Russian relations, I highly appreciate them, and I said in
the same interview that I am for their becoming more purposeful. And
if as a politician I see my country adopting the western system of
values, this does not at all mean that I am against friendly relations
between Armenia and Russia.
[Correspondent] According to our information, at a Armenian-Russian
interparliamentary session in Moscow Russian State Duma deputy
Konstantin Zatulin, criticized you for making speech on Kiev’s Maydan
[main venue of the Orange Revolution in Kiev in 2004]. Is that
really so?
[Bagdasaryan] I am not going to comment on what Zatulin said. I am
the parliament speaker of an independent country and I made a speech
after being invited by President Viktor Yushchenko. I greeted Ukrainian
people in connection with their state holiday. I am for friendly but
not vassal relations with Russia as Zatulin might imagine.
[Correspondent] Do you not think that everything started from your
speech on privatization when you voiced serious corruption allegations?
[Bagdasaryan] My speech was directed not at persons but at the
phenomenon. We should not forget that we have free speech which
is called democracy. The fact that, as a result of our consistent
fight, schools, kindergartens, colleges and science companies may
not be privatized any more is already an achievement. Since the first
day after we came to power we said that we shall work and fight for
democratic, social and economic reforms. And we were fair on this way,
we spoke openly and publicly.
Armenia should be a country of the future. We should not be afraid of
our future, we should fight for that and for the progressive values
which we have and for the ideas to which we are devoted.

Armenia Fund, Inc.
111 N. Jackson St. Ste. 205
Glendale, CA 91206
Tel: 818-243-6222
Fax: 818-243-7222
[email protected]
www.armeniafund .org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 4, 2006
Armenia Fund Mourns Over Armavia Air Disaster
U.S. Western Region Leadership at Zvartnots Airport
Los Angeles, CA – Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region offered its deepest
condolences to the families of the victims of the Armavia airliner
crash that occurred on May 2, 2006. The tragedy happened over the
Black Sea, six kilometers off the Russian resort city of Sochi.
Armenia Fund’s leadership, Chairperson Maria Mehranian and Executive
Director Sarkis Kotanjian, were both at Zvartnots International
Airport in Yerevan immediately following the air disaster. Mehranian
and Kotanjian are currently in Armenia representing the U.S. Western
Region at the Armenia Fund’s International Board of Trustees meeting
which will be held on Friday, May 5, 2006.
“Today marks a tragic event in Armenian history. I deeply share the
pain and sorrow of the victims’ families. My thoughts and prayers go
out to those who lost loved ones”, said Maria Mehranian after seeing
first hand the waves of families and friends, lined up at the airport,
asking questions and demanding answers.
Armenia Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation
established in 1994 to facilitate large-scale humanitarian and
infrastructure development assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Armenia Fund, Inc. is the U.S. Western Region affiliate of “Hayastan”
All-Armenian Fund. Tax ID# 95-4485698

SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SEES HIS COUNTRY’S FUTURE NOT IN RUSSIA-BELARUS UNION
Regnum, Russia
May 2 2006
Speaker of the Armenian parliament Artur Bagdassaryan has commented on
reaction of statements by some Armenian politicians to his statements
made in an interview to a German newspaper, according to which “Armenia
is aimed at the US and NATO, and Russia should not hinder the process
of Armenia’s Euro-integration.” To remind, after the statement made
by the speaker of the Armenian parliament, the country’s President
Robert Kocharyan reminded that Armenian foreign policy is defined by
leadership of the country, in particular, the president, and statements
made by the speaker is his personal stand changed with time.
As Bagdassaryan announced on Tuesday, in the interview to the German
newspaper he expressed “logical Armenia’s position favoring European
integration and deepening relations with NATO. I was speaking about the
future, which I think to be right for our country. I know Armenia’s
foreign policy and know that at present moment the issue of NATO
membership is not on the agenda. However, my position is not in that
Armenia becomes a NATO member as early as tomorrow morning; it is
aimed at a much longer perspective, later than in 12 or 20 months.
In future I see Armenia in the European Council, not in the
Russia-Belarus Union. I think, there are no serious contradictions
between my position and positions of other coalition forces and the
president. If there are serious contradictions in foreign and domestic
policies, Orinats Yerkir Party is ready to leave the coalition in
order not to put the colleagues into a difficult position,” the
Armenian speaker, who heads the party, said.
He also noted that speaking about the Euro-integration process, he did
not mean bad relations with Russia. “I am not proponent of the forces
that are trying to oppose Russia to Western values. As for NATO, we
have the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) that envisages
legislative and institutional reforms. The Armenian parliament is
ready carry out these reforms. At the same time, Russia has been
deepening relations with NATO, and why shouldn’t Armenia do the
same by deepening these relations that meets its national interests,
Artur Bagdassaryan asked in conclusion.”

ATTEMPT OF ILLEGAL IMPORT OF OPIUM FROM IRAN PREVENTED
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. RA State Customs Committee employees
prevented at the Meghri Customs Center a case of illegal import of
about 300 grams of opium type of drugs. As Noyan Tapan was informed by
the information service of the committee, the drug was found out in
pockets of trousers of citizen of Iran Catrina Aslanian, a passenger
of a bus arrived from Iran. Preliminary investigation is implemented
at the National Security Service on the criminal action brought on
the occasion of the fact.