Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

“70 THOUSAND ASSYRIANS” BOOK BY WILLIAM SAROYAN PUBLISHED IN TURKISH
ISTANBUL, November 19 (Noyan Tapan). On the occasion of the book
fair of Istanbul the “70 Thousand Assyrians” book by William Saroyan
was among the 3 books published by the “Aras” publishing-house in
2004. The book was translated into Turkish by Hovhannes Gljdagh and
Aziz Geokdemir.
According to the “Marmara” newspaper of Istanbul, besides
translation, Geokdemir also gave a number of commentaries in the
preface in connection with Saroyan’s literature and Turkish-Armenian
relations. Geokdemir touches upon 1915 Genocide of Armenians and the
arguments regarding 1915 events. He reminds that Saroyan also often
wrote about these materials pointing to the last work included into the
book where Saroyan writes: “Come and exterminate this people if you
can.” Geokdemir, however, added that Saroyan was one of the writers
who considers not the peoples but individuals to be responsible for
the lawless actions of the world. “Saroyan became Saroyan owing to
the very broad-mindedness,” he emphasized.
The book consisting of about 200 pages is summed up in the “You are
Armenian, Armenian” Saroyan’s work where Saroyan expresses his faith
in the steadfastness of Armenian people.

EACH SECOND GENERATION DIASPORA ARMENIAN CONCERNED ABOUT ARTSAKH
Azg/arm
20 Nov 04
In 1999, on instruction of late Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian,
Sevak Artsruni undertook drawing of a plan of re-inhabiting Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh.
The plan today is being implemented in Karabakh.
In November of 2002 Yerkir organization of repatriation and settlement
was created uniting 5 NGOs from Armenia, Karabakh and Diaspora.
“Many Diaspora Armenians keep in their hearts this small piece of
their lost fatherland, and those ideas form their identity. Each
second generation Armenian feels pain for its fatherland. In order to
enable them to put their strivings in practice we need to form a solid
field for cooperation that will pursue no political or economic aims”,
Artsruni says.
Yerkir Union has implemented 10 programs with overall cost of $700
thousand during last two years. Artsruni points out to the foundation
of the village of Knaravan in the region of Nor Shahumian and calls
it a unique example of Diaspora-Armenia cooperation.
Artsruni thinks that re-inhabiting is a social science and puts:
“If it is carried out by non-professionals it may even harm the
state”. More than half of Armeniaâ~@~Ys and Karabakhâ~@~Ys population
is concentrated in Yerevan and in the regions of Ararat Valley which
cannot be justified militarily and from the aspect of stateâ~@~Ys
security. In fact, Armenia today has practically no back areas,
there are no inner territories.
In accordance with the program of inhabiting Armenia and Artsakh,
population of Artsakh should reach 300 thousand by 2012. But
the pace of the program shows that it is losing its meaning and
falling apart. Artsruni thinks that politics must be kept out of
the process. “Re-inhabiting is a service to the fatherland, and not
a chance to get political dividends. But we take this rivalry very
easy because we understand the Diaspora stands aloof from intrigues
and truly cares for Armenia”, he says.
“Yerkir is not simply rising money but trying to turn interested
organizations into partners”, he says and adds that implementation
of every program is posted on the web page enabling a donor to watch
how his money is distributed.
Yerkir Union implemented re-inhabitation of Norashen village in
the region of Hadrut with the support of French offshoot of the
AGBU. Recently a delegation headed by initiators and supporters
of the program Levon Kebabjian and Ara Aharonian visited Norashen
to see what is done there. Success of the program encouraged them,
and they decided to support in inhabiting processes.
“I am very glad for AGBUâ~@~Ys decision. First programs of the AGBU
implemented in Soviet Armenia including drying of swamps, building
settlements and bridges. AGBU may put into action the plans of Poghos
Nubar”, Artsruni says.
President of Yerkir Union thinks that the Diaspora should be directly
involved in Armenia and Karabakh and implement its goals through
NGOs. That would be a good way of keeping any project concerning
re-settlement far from political speculations. “We want AGBU to keep
to our strategic policy of 2000”.
Besides inhabiting Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, Yerkir Union watches
over the economic state of the population. For that purpose we have
launched a new program of Yerkir Fund which is looking for donors in
Diaspora and the donor provides the family with credit for purchasing
livestock, provides with fruit-trees and seed. The debtor returns the
credit not to the creditor but to Yerkir thus filling up the gaps. “We
will also use this money for inhabiting purposes. For instance, there
are families in Qashatakh who are unable to stay there any longer and
we use the money to support them instead of bringing new families”
Artsruni says.
By Tatoul Hakobian
–Boundary_(ID_7nUbS3zT6Ht+DqfXJpGyvA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

alim_Mansur/2004/11/17/717585.html
Annan appointed Benon Sevan, an Armenian Cypriot, to run the program
Canoe.com
Wed, November 17, 2004
A scandal even bigger than (lack of) WMD
By SALIM MANSUR For the Toronto Sun
In the recently published book, The Bomb in My Garden, Dr. Mahdi Obeidi
provides a chilling insider account of Saddam Hussein’s quest for a
nuclear bomb.
Obeidi was appointed in July 1987 by Hussein Kamel, Saddam’s son-in-law,
as the chief scientist responsible for uranium enrichment program.
Kamel fled into exile in Jordan after the first Gulf War, later returned
to Iraq seeking forgiveness and was executed on orders of the tyrant.
Obeidi writes Saddam was “himself a weapon of mass destruction. He had
invaded two neighboring countries, killed thousands of Iraqis and
Iranians with chemical weapons, tortured and terrorized his own people,
and buried many of his victims in mass graves.”
As a scientist, Obeidi grasped more clearly than most that the “danger
of nuclear proliferation will haunt mankind for many lifetimes to come.”
Obeidi also confirms from his ringside seat that Iraq had been denuded
of an “active nuclear weapons program before the invasion of Iraq.”
However, his detailed narrative is about Saddam possessing “the
capabilities and, it must be presumed, the intention to restart it
someday when the world was no longer watching him so closely.”
Now, since American weapons inspectors David Kay and Charles Duelfer
determined in their recently published report that there were no WMD
found in Iraq, the mystery remains.
But in the meantime, what has been documented thus far from files still
being unearthed inside Iraq is a scandal of even greater proportion than
WMD: The corruption of the UN Oil-for-Food program.
This program began in 1996 to provide relief for Iraqis while their
country was under UN sanctions, by assisting in the sale of Iraqi oil,
and using the money to purchase essentials.
The program became a source of huge illicit funding for Saddam’s regime.
Duelfer estimates Saddam amassed in excess of $21 billion with which to
procure illegal goods for his favored weapons program from foreign
suppliers.
Oil-for-Food became Saddam’s hidden weapon to bribe UN officials through
kickbacks, undermine UN authority and influence permanent members of the
Security Council — China, France and Russia — and non-permanent
members, such as Syria and Ukraine, to support lifting of sanctions.
Saddam’s subversion of the UN took place as other UN agencies protested
that sanctions were responsible for the rising numbers of Iraqi children
dying, at one time estimated around 5,000 every month.
The extent of UN corruption — reaching into the office of Kofi Annan,
the Secretary-General — is yet to be fully accounted. But the
unfinished evidence provided by Duelfer in his final report on Iraq is
hugely damaging to an organization that never recovered from its
criminal ineptness over the genocide in Rwanda.
Annan appointed Benon Sevan, an Armenian Cypriot, to run the program.
Sevan has taken an early retirement and gone silent. There are also
allegations of influence-peddling inside the UN through Annan’s son,
Kojo Annan, working as a consultant for a Swiss firm responsible for
supervision of Oil-for-Food shipments to Iraq.
And given the extent to which France has been involved with Iraq from
its sale of the first nuclear reactor, Osiraq, to its traffic in the
Oil-for-Food program, French obstructionism in the Security Council to
American insistence on enforcing UN resolutions preceding the war
becomes questionable.
>From the killing fields of Rwanda to the killing fields of Iraq, the UN
was not an innocent bystander, and Kofi Annan, the man who runs it, has
much to answer for.
The great irony in all of this is the inverse proportion of rage against
America’s liberation of Iraq by non-Iraqi Arabs and Muslims and the
Michael Moore crowd in the West, to the rage of Iraqis, as Obeidi
narrates, against those who kissed and danced with the devil incarnate
in Baghdad.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Nov 17 2004
Combating smoking should be strengthened gradually in Armenia
RA Minister of Defense and Indian Ambassador to Armenia discuss the
issues of cooperation in military sphere
A Campaign of protest by Armenian community to take place today in
front of the House of Parliament in Paris
USAID assigns $15 mln for the implementation of humanitarian projests
in NKR
*********************************************************************
COMBATING SMOKING SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED GRADUALLY IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, November 17. /ARKA/. Combating smoking should be
strengthened gradually in Armenia, according to RA NA Speaker Arthur
Baghdasaryan during the Parliamentary hearings devoted to
anti-tobacco policy in the republic. According to him, the policy
pursued in the republic, in particular approval of the law on
limitation of sales and consumption of tobacco during the first
reading, is very important for future generations. He expressed hope
that till the end of 2004 the law will be adopted, which will limit
smoking in the objects for healthcare, culture and education. HE
added that in European countries and the USA the struggle is more
serious and `we also should gradually make serious steps’. He Speaker
stated that under the influence of anti-tobacco campaign he himself
quitted smoking and noted that `the struggle against smoking already
yields good results in the RA NA’.
The hearings were organized by RA AN Standing Committees on Science,
Education, Culture and Youth, and on Social Affairs Health Care and
Environment, as well as by the Council of Health Care headed by RA NA
Speaker and Youth Parliament. A.H. – 0–
*********************************************************************
RA MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA DISCUSS THE
ISSUES OF COOPERATION IN MILITARY SPHERE
YEREVAN, November 17. /ARKA/. RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan
and Indian Ambassador to Armenia Deepak Vohra discussed the issues of
cooperation in military sphere. According to Information and
Propaganda Department of RA Ministry of Defense, the parties
discussed issues included in to the memorandum on cooperation signed
between the Ministries of Defense of Armenia and India in 2003.
According to the memorandum, military-training centers of India are
ready to accept Armenian servicemen for them to take course for
rising the level of their skills. Vohra noted that India will accept
all suggestion from Armenia regarding the participation in training
courses. A.H. –0–
*********************************************************************
CAMPAIGN OF PROTEST BY ARMENIAN COMMUNITY TO TAKE PLACE TODAY IN
FRONT OF THE HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT IN PARIS
YEREVAN, November 17. /ARKA/. A campaign of protest by Armenian
community will take place today in front of the House of Parliament
in Paris. The participants of the action demand that the issue of
membership of Turkey in EU be included into the agenda of the
Parliament. According to ARF Dashnaktsutyun Press Service Department,
the campaign will be held at the initiative of Hay Dat Commission of
ARF (D), Ramkavar Azatakan party with the support of Armenian
organizations of France.
At the Summit of Presidents of European states, which will take place
on December 17, the issue of Turkey’s membership in EU will be
discussed. The campaign aims to keep the President of France aware of
the will of French people, the majority of which are against the
membership of Turkey in EU. The participants of the campaign also
intend to demand that acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide by
Turkey be the main condition for its becoming a member in EU. Also,
several scores of French MPs will participate in the campaign.
On October 14, notwithstanding the demands of numerous parties, the
French Parliament will discuss the issue without voting. French
Government and French President in particular were against voting.
A.H. – 0 –
*********************************************************************
USAID ASSIGNS $15 MLN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMANITARIAN PROJESTS
IN NKR
STEPANAKERT, November 17. /ARKA/. The Fund for Armenia Relief (FAR)
has started the implementation of a humanitarian project in NKR in
frames of USAID financing to the sum of $15 mln. According to Garnik
Nanagulyan, the Executive Director of FAR, the funds will be directed
at construction and rehabilitation of residential houses, first-aid
stations, water supply lines, agriculture. `Currently, projects in
Martakert, Askeran and Hadrut regions are simultaneously being
implemented. 52 residential houses were repaired in Askeran region,
53 are still being repaired. 310 houses will be constructed in
Martakert region, 150 of which will be pout into commission in March,
2005. The development projects are planned to be completed by 2007′,
he said.
Note, the Fund for Armenia Relief has been implementing construction,
agricultural and improvement projects in NKR since 2002. L.V.-0 –

Voice of America News
November 16, 2004
Armenian Minister Not Optimistic About Nagorno-Karabakh Dispute
VOA News
Armenia’s defense minister says neighboring Azerbaijan is not serious
about negotiating a settlement of the dispute over the
Nagorno-Karabakh territory.
In an interview with Reuters news agency published Tuesday, minister
Serzh Sarksyan said he is not very optimistic about the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
He accused Azeri President Ilham Aliyev of trying to put pressure on
Armenia through the United Nations.
Mr. Sarksyan said the issue can only be solved through compromise. He
said he sees no signs that point to a resumption of armed conflict
between the two countries.
Russia, the United States and France, among others, are trying to
mediate an agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabakh. Ethnic Armenians from the mountainous enclave
control 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory seized during a war that
ended with a cease-fire agreement a decade ago.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
11/16/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) ARF Reps Attend Socialist International Council, Women's Bureau 2) Paris Rally to Demand Vote on Turkey's EU Accession 3) Kocharian Inspects Armenian Frontline Troops 4) No Armenian Electricity to Nakhichevan 1) ARF Reps Attend Socialist International Council, Women's Bureau YEREVAN (ARF press office)--Representatives of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) participated in Socialist International's (SI) Council meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, hosted by the African National Congress (ANC). On November 15 and 16, leaders and delegates from 100 member parties and organizations from 70 countries, gathered to discuss the Council's main theme, "The Progressive Agenda: priorities for our movement today." The gathering of the Council, SI's highest decision-making body during the inter-Congress period, underlined the commitment of SI to address the concerns of the African people and SI's strong presence in the continent. Representing the sole party from the South Caucasus, ARF Bureau member and the organization's representative in Socialist International Mario Nalbandian, and ARF Armenia member Maria Titizian, also participated in the three panel debates. Titizian partook in Socialist International Women's Bureau meeting: "Women Speak out on The UN Millennium Development Goals," which took place November 12 and 13. The Women's Bureau addressed UN development goals, its effects on the eradication of poverty and hunger, and examined means to developing global partnerships. At the heart of discussions was the dire need to promote gender equality and empower women to occupy center stage in the development of the human race. The meeting also reviewed increases in gender-based violence--from sexual abuse to systematic rape, forced pregnancies, and continuous violation of women's rights. Titizian had the opportunity to present ARF Armenia's political and social undertakings to empower the women of that country. On the eve of the Council, SI's leadership conducted a working meeting with the President of the Republic of South Africa and of the ANC, Thabo Mbeki, to discuss SI's Africa priorities, evaluate the outcome of US elections, and review current Mid East developments. The plenary session of the Council opened with SI President António Guterres's address that defined certain tasks and priorities for social democracy. On Monday, November 15, in the afternoon and on Tuesday, November 16, in the morning, the panel discussions took place with a broad representation of participants. On each subject addressed by the panels, the Council agreed on specific resolutions reflecting the outcome of the debates. The Council also addressed the urgent and critical developments in the Middle East and the serious situation in Côte d'Ivoire. The SI Secretary General gave a report on the activities of Socialist International and presented an outline of the organization's work for the forthcoming months. "Our task, as we adjourn here today, is to return to our towns and cities, to our countries, and to our regions--to pursue with ever greater vigor and confidence the program of progressive action we have deliberated on," stressed ANC Secretary General of the Kgalema Motlanthe in closing the meeting. On the sidelines of the Council, the ARF representatives were both able to hold numerous meetings with members of various organizations to review issues of concern to Armenia and Armenians. 2) Paris Rally to Demand Vote on Turkey's EU Accession PARIS--French-Armenians will hold a rally Wednesday at the Palais Bourbon, home to the French National Assembly, to demand that the country's Parliament vote on Turkey's accession to the European Union. The rally has the support of the French-Armenian Coordinating Council and is being organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Armenian Democratic League (Ramgavar party), and the Hai Tahd Committee of France. The National Assembly on October 14 had discussed the issue of Turkish accession--but did not hold a vote, despite the demand of a large number of political parties and parliamentarians to do so. The French government, particularly President Jacques Chirac, opposed such a vote, fearing that a majority of the Assembly, including Chirac's own party members, might reject Turkish accession. That result would have undermined Chirac's authority and likely isolated France within Europe. The French-Armenian rally on Wednesday is scheduled for exactly a month before the European Union's December 17 summit, which will set the date on when the EU would begin formal accession talks with Turkey. At the rally, scores of French parliamentarians are expected to cast symbolic votes as a sign of protest against the denial of their right to vote in the National Assembly regarding Turkish accession. They will also demand that in the next month a formal vote actually be held in the Assembly. The vast majority of French voters are opposed to Turkey's accession to the European Union, and rally organizers hope to put pressure on President Chirac to heed public opinion. They are also seeking to make Turkey's recognition of the Armenian genocide a precondition for Turkish entry into the EU. 3) Kocharian Inspects Armenian Frontline Troops YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--President Robert Kocharian conducted a four-day inspection of Armenian troops stationed along the volatile frontline with Azerbaijan, ordering their commanders to further boost their combat-readiness, his office revealed on Tuesday. A statement by the presidential press service said Kocharian, accompanied by Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian, visited "a number of frontier army bases" from November 9-12. "The purpose of the visit was to take a close look at the combat and technical readiness of the units, the implementation of training programs and social conditions of the personnel," the statement said. It added that Kocharian inspected Armenian defense fortifications and inaugurated a new "army barracks complex." There was no word on the precise location of the Armenian army positions visited. The statement did say that while Kocharian was largely satisfied with what he saw, he urged top army commanders "not to content themselves with the achieved results" and to continue to strengthen their troops. 4) No Armenian Electricity to Nakhichevan BAKU (Combined Sources)Armenia's proposal to provide electricity to the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan was skimmed over during a ministerial conference on energy cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the Caspian region, held in Baku on November 13. Energy and fuel ministers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Moldova, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine, joined representatives of the European Commission, international financial structures, and the TRACECA program to examine potential for cooperation. Pointing to the importance of expanding collaboration utilizing the Caspian's hydrocarbon resources, Hugues Mingarelli of the EU Directorate General for External Relations noted that with the addition of 10 new states to the union, the organization's borders have moved much closer to the countries of the Caspian and Black Sea regions. In presenting Armenia's energy potential, energy ministry official Levon Vartanian offered to supply electricity to the historically Armenian region of Nakhichevan, which was forcibly attached to Soviet Azerbaijan in 1921, and subsequently cleansed of its entire Armenian population. An exclave of Azerbaijan, Nakhichevan borders Iran and Turkey on the south and Armenia on the north. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

PRESS RELEASE November 17, 2004
Kanayq Hayots Women¹s Resource Center
1 Alek Manukyan Street, Central Building
Yerevan 375049, Armenia
Tel: (01) 552-215, (09) 486-330
Contact person: Shushan Avagyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Kanayq Hayots Women’s Resource Center, based on the campus of Yerevan State
University of Armenia, has received a donation of English-language feminist
literature to enrich its lending library. Dr. Berenice Malka Fisher,
Professor Emerita of Educational Philosophy at New York University, met with
co-founder of Kanayq Hayots and panelist Shushan Avagyan at the Illinois
State University’s Women’s Studies Ninth Annual Symposium in March 2004,
which led to discussions in regard to collaboration between the two parties.
As a result, during the month of November Fisher has shipped over a hundred
women’s studies-related books, as well as two long runs of the journals
Signs and Feminist Studies. In addition, the donation includes many issues
of the National Women’s Studies Association Journal, Radical Teacher, and
Feminist Teacher as well as a scattering of issues of other journals with
feminist content. The collection of books and journals are from Fisher’s
private library accumulated in the course of her life and, according to her,
she is very pleased to see them find a new worthy home.
Berenice Malka Fisher has co-founded the School of Education’s Women’s
Studies Commission and created the University-wide faculty development
Seminar on Teaching Social Justice. Her feminist articles and essays have
appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. Topics include shame and
guilt in the women’s movement, how disability affects friendships among
women, the impact of women as role models, a feminist theory of caring, the
meaning of childlessness for women, and the theory and practice of feminist
pedagogy. Her book ³No Angel in the Classroom: Teaching Through Feminist
Discourse² received the Distinguished Publication Award for 2002 from the
Association for Women in Psychology.
***
Kanayq Hayots provides an on-campus academic resource center geared toward
supplying the necessary tools to empower women, and raise awareness of
gender inequalities and discrimination within the University, as well as
other communities. Our objective is to eradicate discrimination against
women based on their sex, age, race, class, religion, ethnicity, physical or
mental disability, sexual orientation or marital status, and foster
solidarity among ourselves. The Center’s location within the academic
setting sustains, but does not limit, our commitment to the female student
population on the campus of YSU.  

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
MEDIA ALERT
November 12, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
RE: Assembly Encourages Students to Enroll in Internship Program
Armenian Assembly Intern Program Manager Alex Karapetian met with students
at Boston College on November 9 to encourage them to enroll in the
Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program in Washington, DC. Karapetian,
a former Assembly intern, discussed the merits of the eight-week program
which combines summer employment with a full schedule of educational and
social activities. The undergrads, members of the school’s Armenian
Students Association, asked questions regarding intern assignments on
Capitol Hill and financial aid opportunities. While in Massachusetts,
Karapetian also met with Armenian-American students at Boston University
before heading to New York for meetings at Columbia University and New York
University.
Photograph available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:
CAPTION: Assembly Intern Program Manager Alex Karapetian, far right, with
students at Boston College on November 9.
CAPTION: Assembly Intern Program Manager Alex Karapetian, second from left,
with students at Columbia University on November 11.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-097
–Boundary_(ID_liaqG5Flobzy09Yz30CNNQ)–

Father of Palestinian nationalism dies
YASSER ARAFAT IN SOVIET ARMENIA
Nubar Chalmian Recalls Palestinian Leaderâ~@~Ys 1979 and 1980 Yerevan Visits
Azg/arm
12 Nov 04
Few people today know that Yasser Arafat visited Yerevan in 1979 and
1980 on his way back to Beirut from Moscow. Nubar Chalmian, professor
of oriental studies at the Yerevan State University, accompanied
Arafat during both visits as his interpreter. What is the impression
the late leader of Palestinian nationalism left on Chalmian?
“In 1979 I was told to accompany Yasser Arafat. I met him at the plane
ladder. Everyone knew that Arafat is the leader of the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO) and that he is a real warrior. He was
young at the time. First thing I noticed was his pistol chained to his
side. He was in a military uniform spick and span”, Chalmian recalls.
Arafat was heading to his occupied fatherland via Yerevan
and Beirut. His two bodyguards tried hard to cram into the most
representative Soviet car of “Chayka” brand but after Arafat was told
that Armenia is a safe country the bodyguards left him alone.
“I was his interpreter. Levon Manaserian, head of the Department
of International Relations of the Central Committee, his deputy
Henrik Liloyan and minister of foreign affairs John Kirakosian were
accompanying Arafat. They were put to take Arafat sightseeing around
Yerevan. During our trip through Yerevan I noticed that Arafat peers
at our buildings. Then he said that he is a builder and looks at the
buildings with beautiful stones by builderâ~@~Ys eyes. We told him that
the stone is tuff, where we mine it and other details”, Chalmian says.
Arafat spent few hours of his visit observing Yerevan behind the
window of his “Chayka”. After the trip across Yerevan he returned
to the VIP lounge of the airport were Armenians had set a rich table
for the dear guest.
“It was during the days of Ramadan. Arafat immediately said that he
is fasting and has no right to eat. We tried to convince him telling
that he is in Armenia. Nothing helped: Arafat was inflexible. His
bodyguards refused to sit at the table too”, Chalmian recalls.
Situation was embarrassing. “Suppose you invited someone to your house,
and he eats nothing. There was everything on the table: barbeque,
cognac, Armenian fruits. We decided to put everything in a basket
and give him to take with himself”.
Arafatâ~@~Ys second visit to Armenia was in 1980, again on his way
back from Moscow to Beirut and again only for few hours. This time
again Chalmian interpreted him. “I clearly remember that day. It
was a delegation of 11 representatives of the PLO headed by Yasser
Arafat. They were negotiating with Brezhnev in Moscow. If I am not
mistaken, Soviet Union promised to provide Palestine with the next
weapon supply against Israel”.
This time Arafat was hosted at the Hrazdan hotel. Foreign minister
John Kirakosian gave lasting toast, spoke of the Armenian Cause
and drew parallels between the fates of Armenian and Palestinian
nations. Arafat said a toast in response.
“I remember few interesting instants from the second visit. As an
interpreter I again met Arafat at the ladder. The Russian guard asked
Arafatâ~@~Ys bodyguard what was in his case. The bodyguard explained
that he cannot open it as there were guns that shoot bullets if
opened”, Chalmian recalls.
The plane transporting Arafat had also on its board few dozens of
Armenian children from Diaspora who spent summer holidays in their
homeland and were going back to Lebanon. “While the plane was getting
ready for take-off an airport security official came to our leader
and asked whether it was save to transport our children in the same
plane with Arafat. Only fancy, people were thinking of terrorism at
that time”, Chalmian says.
The press did not cover Yasser Arafatâ~@~Ys first Yerevan visit. His
second visit was covered by Sovetakan Hayastan newspaper which shortly
informed that Arafat was in Yerevan for 1-2 hours.
By Tatoul Hakobian
–Boundary_(ID_F4/8OwNxOpa9mXRrwmoV2g)–

The larger the role of government, the greater the divide among us
By Walter Williams
SunHerald.com, MS
Nov 10 2004
Recent elections pointed to deepening divisions among American people,
but has anyone given serious thought to just why? I have part of the
answer, which starts off with a simple example.
Different Americans have different and intensive preferences for
cars, food, clothing and entertainment. For example, some Americans
love opera and hate rock and roll. Others have opposite preferences,
loving rock and roll and hating opera. When’s the last time you heard
of rock-and-roll lovers in conflict with opera lovers? It seldom,
if ever, happens. Why? Those who love operas get what they want,
and those who love rock and roll get what they want, and both can
live in peace with one another.
Suppose that instead of freedom in the music market, decisions on
what kind of music people could listen to were made in the political
arena. It would be either opera or rock and roll. Rock and rollers
would be lined up against opera lovers. Why? It’s simple. If the
opera lovers win, rock and rollers would lose, and the reverse would
happen if rock and rollers won. Conflict would emerge solely because
the decision was made in the political arena.
The prime feature of political decision-making is that it’s a zero-sum
game. One person or group’s gain is of necessity another person or
group’s loss. As such, political allocation of resources is conflict
enhancing while market allocation is conflict reducing. The greater
the number of decisions made in the political arena, the greater is
the potential for conflict.
There are other implications of political decision-making. Throughout
most of our history, we’ve lived in relative harmony. That’s
remarkable because just about every religion, racial and ethnic
group in the world is represented in our country. These are the very
racial/ethnic/religious groups that have for centuries been trying to
slaughter one another in their home countries, among them: Turks and
Armenians, Protestant and Catholic, Muslim and Jew, Croats and Serbs.
While we haven’t been a perfect nation, there have been no cases
of the mass genocide and religious wars that have plagued the globe
elsewhere. The closest we’ve come was the American Indian/European
conflict, which pales by comparison.
The reason we’ve been able to live in relative harmony is that for
most of our history government was small. There wasn’t much pie to
distribute politically.
When it’s the political arena that determines who gets what goodies,
the most effective coalitions are those with a proven record of
being the most divisive – those based on race, ethnicity, religion
and region. As a matter of fact, our most costly conflict involved
a coalition based upon region – namely the War of 1861.
Many of the issues that divide us, aside from the Iraq war, are
those best described as a zero-sum game, where one group’s gain
is of necessity another’s loss. Examples are: racial preferences,
Social Security, tax policy, trade restrictions, welfare and a host
of other government policies that benefit one American at the expense
of another American.
You might be tempted to think that the brutal domestic conflict seen
in other countries at other times can’t happen here.
That’s nonsense.
Americans are not super-humans; we possess the same frailties of other
people in other places. If there were a severe economic calamity,
I can imagine a political hustler exploiting those frailties here,
just as Adolf Hitler did in Germany, blaming it on the Jews, the
blacks, the East Coast, Catholics or free trade.
The best thing the president and Congress can do to heal our country
is to reduce the impact of government on our lives. Doing so will not
only produce a less divided country and greater economic efficiency
but bear greater faith and allegiance to the vision of America held
by our founders – a country of limited government.
Dr. Walter E. Williams is professor of economics at George Mason
University in Fairfax, Va. You may write to him at Creators Syndicate,
5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045.