Author: Toganian Liana

TOLERANCE MUSEUM DIRECTOR DOESN’T TOLERATE STATUS QUO
By Elyse Glickman

The Jewish Journal of greater L.A
id=19389
May 15 2008
CA

Liebe Geft tours Museum of Tolerance with Lord Carey of Clifton,
Archbishop of Canterbury emeritus, and other religious leaders after
conference at the museum this month. Photo: Bart Batholomew. Courtesy
Simon Wiesenthal Center.

The Museum of Tolerance is rarely the same experience twice, even
with its permanent exhibits. New visuals, soundtracks and materials
are added to keep the displays current and relevant. And while many
people think of the museum as a "Jewish" institution, it is the "human"
experience that touches upon issues that affect visitors of all ages
and ethnic backgrounds.

While incorporating technology and an interactive environment
into the museum experience was the vision of Simon Wiesenthal
Center founder and dean Rabbi Marvin Hier, the constant editing and
improving of collections and programs reflect the mind of Liebe Geft,
a former broadcast journalist. Ten years after she assumed the role of
executive director at the Pico-Robertson-adjacent Museum of Tolerance,
she exhibits the same passion for and commitment to presenting current
events as she did when she was on the air.

Geft has not only maintained this well-oiled machine, but kept its
chief products — an impact-making, interactive museum and broad-based
community programs — in consistent supply, navigating the flow of
societal and economic changes.

"Right now, you can say that everything is new at the museum,"
she said.

Since it opened in 1993, the Museum of Tolerance’s efforts to "confront
the dynamic of intolerance that is still embedded in society today"
has attracted more than 300,000 people each year; one-third of the
visitors are school-age children.

Permanent exhibitions include the Tolerancenter, which encourages
visitors to consider intolerance in daily life; the Holocaust exhibit,
a tour that recounts the events leading up, during and after the
Shoah; and Finding Our Families, Finding Ourselves, a collection of
personal histories from notable Americans, including Maya Angelou,
Billy Crystal and Carlos Santana.

For the Tolerancenter’s exhibit called the Point of View Diner, Geft
is currently working on a way to deal with the national epidemic of
bullying, an important issue that affects many children. She’s also
revising a script on terrorism for the museum’s Millennium Machine,
the second post-Sept. 11 revision, which will look at dangers we face
from nontraditional forms of potential terrorist attacks.

"Everything that goes into this museum is meant to be a trigger for
discussion and debate … a stimulus to raise awareness about the
issues that are difficult but need to be confronted collectively and
individually. Although many of the exhibits are permanent, we now have
a commitment and an obligation to make sure all exhibits are relevant
and current. If they aren’t, they are not going to be meaningful,"
she said.

Even the well-received and established Holocaust exhibit is constantly
updated so visitors can personalize history and make it relevant to
their lives today. It’s also being altered to make way for a new a
new Youth Action Lab.

New sections were recently opened in the Tolerancenter, with the
largest project, the History Walk, offering a different perspective
on the history of the United States, from the 1600s to the present,
reflecting on issues of diversity, intolerance and moving toward a
just society.

What all the exhibits have in common, according to Geft, is that they
are designed to actively engage people and amplify their own voices,
down to polling stations and exploration displays.

"I feel like my coming here was quite fortuitous, and I credit Rabbi
Meyer May, who extended the opportunity to me," said Geft, recalling
the museum’s former executive director. "The biggest attraction
about the position, however, was the potential and enormity of the
challenge. It represented an opportunity to create a program that was
highly innovative in many respects and had the promise of really making
a difference, especially as we are promoting human dignity and mutual
respect for one another in our society. It is a very noble mission,
and something I could not resist."

Geft grew up in Zimbabwe, in a Jewish family rich in humanistic values,
where tolerance and respect for other humans was a day-to-day reality
rather than a series of do’s and don’ts, and speaking up on issues
that mattered was encouraged constantly. Exposing herself to different
cultures and viewpoints strengthened the values that tie in with her
upbringing and her late father’s credo, "If man is pleased with man,
God is pleased with man."

Her natural curiosity about the world took her to England and Israel
for university study and work, and from there into careers in broadcast
journalism and education.

What Geft embraced most about her earlier work was her ongoing
ability to take what she learned on the job and pass it on to her
audiences. Her time at the Financial News Network (which later
became CNBC) stands as a pivotal career experience, especially with
the innovative ways news was researched, reported and relayed to
viewers worldwide.

In 1996, she brought her skills and experience to the Museum of
Tolerance as director of the Tools for Tolerance for Professionals
program, developing curricular materials like the "Teacher’s Guide
for the Museum of Tolerance" and workshops for hundreds of thousands
of teachers, law enforcement officials, and municipal employees.

By 1998 she had assumed the responsibilities as the museum’s
director. From the beginning, she dedicated up to 80 hours a week
building the museum’s outreach and educational programs, adding new
interactive exhibitions and landmark exhibitions that kept it current
and relevant.

"It is very gratifying to go to work every day when the focus of your
job is to make the world a better place, through the hearts and minds
of everyone we interact with," she said.

Geft is proud of the fact that she is leading people of all ages
and walks of life down a path of enlightenment, from schoolchildren
to professional adults. But her path to and around Los Angeles in
itself has been a journey of discovery. While her dream — and that
of her husband — is to live in Israel, Los Angeles and the Museum
of Tolerance have proven themselves to be part of a rich detour that
has reinforced the values Geft has known since childhood. Or as she
puts it, "Life has a strange way of thwarting best-laid plans."

"Los Angeles has an amazing Jewish community, of which we are very
proud to be a part," Geft said, noting she has raised five sons here.

According to Geft, the city is an ideal locale for the Museum of
Tolerance since it represents a "veritable microcosm of a macrocosmic
global world," where residents trace their roots to 140 different
nationalities and the city is home to the largest Armenian, Korean,
Filipino, Salvadoran and Guatemalan populations outside their
respective capital cities.

"This city is a true social laboratory, and it’s a perfect fit for
an institution designed to be on the cutting edge of social change,"
she said. "I recall when there was a scare of poisonous strawberries
in the Los Angeles Unified School District, letters were sent home to
parents in more than 100 different languages. There is no better place
to be when you’re looking to build bridges of mutual understanding
and cooperation between different groups."

Los Angeles is also a great home for the museum, not surprisingly,
because of its proximity to major players in the entertainment industry
at both the celebrity and corporate levels. Although Geft is adamant
in pointing out that every visitor to the museum and participant in
its social programs are VIPs, she observes her institution gets a
major boost through the support of public figures.

"There are many important [Hollywood] players closely associated with
Simon Wiesenthal Center, especially because our work is congruent with
their causes and the charities that they embrace," she said. "They
have the power to influence, and we are fortunate to have many of
them coming to the museum."

Prior to a Museum of Tolerance preview of the 2007 film, "A Mighty
Heart," an adaptation of Mariane Pearl’s memoir on the search for
her husband, kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl,
star Angelina Jolie toured the museum and watched a short documentary
titled, "In Our Time," which covered terrorism and Pearl’s death.

"After that, she recalled that her first visit to the museum in middle
school made a profound impression on her," Geft said of Jolie.

In the Hilary Swank film, "Freedom Writers," teacher Erin Gruwell
takes her students to the museum to get them thinking about tolerance.

"When celebrities make these kinds of statements, direct or otherwise,
it really piques the interest of people," she said.

According to Geft, the principles the museum was built on will continue
to be reflected in upcoming visiting exhibitions, which will cover such
diverse topics as the Jews of modern China, Mexican diplomat Gilberto
Bosques’ efforts to rescue Jews from Vichy France during World War
II and the struggle toward desegregation and equity in schools —
from Brown v. The Board of Education to the present.

Not surprisingly, bringing these exhibits to light will involve many
hours and a lot of patience. Thankfully, Geft notes the support of her
family enables her to do good and do well. And she says her patience
and support pays off with every person impacted by the thought put
into the permanent and temporary exhibits and the messages they convey.

"My professional life is not, ‘I used to do this, but now I do that,’"
she said. "It is a continuation of everything I have done my whole
life, exploring new frontiers and finding new challenges to take on."

For more information on upcoming exhibitions and the museum, visit

CULTURAL TV CHANNEL WILL SERVE ITS PURPOSE, CULTURAL FIGURES ARE CONVINCED

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. "I think a TV channel without
advertisements and far from policy will be aimed at promotion of
high-class art," Artavazd Bayatian, the Director of the Ardzagank radio
station, said at the May 14 press conference meaning the cultural TV
channel to be opened in Armenia soon.

According to him, the cultural TV channel will give artists, critics
a possibility of expression, besides, classical music will be often
performed by that channel, which, unfortunately, is not done by
the other TV channels at all. "Classical art is very important for
aesthetical education.

Certainly, there will be also variety music on that channel, but not
the art created for sale," A. Bayatian said. In his words, television
should form opinion and taste, the cultural TV channel is expected
to be just this way.

Eduard Topchian, the Art Director and the Conductor of the Armenian
State Philharmonic Orchestra, is also sure that the new TV channel will
serve its purpose. "I hope it will be the only channel our "stars" and
"starlets" will not seize. Let all TV channels be theirs and that one
ours. Certainly, there should also be variety music, but not the music
we have on the market today," E. Topchian emphasized. In his words,
unfortunately, our people wishes to listen to such music. The bright
evidence of it is that if variety singers rent the Aram Khachatrian
concert hall, the concerts are held in crowded halls, while, if
world-famous musicians, opera singers perform, those concerts are
held in half-empty halls.

PRESS FREEDOM A CASUALTY IN LATEST CONFLICT

IFEX
International Freedom of Expression eXpress
3706/
May 14 2008
Canada

At least five journalists have been injured in Beirut in recent
days covering the fierce clashes between pro- and anti-government
factions, while media outlets have been forced to shut down, report
IFEX member in Lebanon the Maharat Foundation and other press freedom
organisations.

According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), four
reporters and photographers for the daily opposition newspaper "Sada al
Balad" were injured in attacks while covering the conflict last week.

One of the photographers, Wadi Shlink, was in the Beshara al-Khoury
area taking "regular" pictures of young men setting tires on fire on 7
May. "Suddenly, 20 of them attacked me. I ran looking for the security
forces to protect me. Some soldiers tried to save me – in vain, because
they were outnumbered by the rioters. They didn’t calm down until they
had taken my camera," Shlink told free expression website Menassat.com.

According to Menassat, the army ignored street fighting in the Beirut
area of Corniche Mazraa, a traditional flashpoint between Sunni and
Shiite forces, and instead went after journalists, forbidding them from
taking pictures. Said Beyrouti, a reporter for Hezbollah’s Al-Manar
television, was kept from covering the fighting by the armed forces
and beaten over the head and had to be hospitalised, Menassat reports.

Other journalists have been detained by police, had their equipment
broken or their homes ransacked. On 12 May, two cameramen working for
Al Jazeera were slightly injured when gunmen fired on their vehicle,
reports ARTICLE 19.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah supporters forced the closure of pro-government
satellite TV channels Future TV and Future News, the daily newspaper
"Al-Mustaqbal" and Radio Orient on 9 May, says Reporters Without
Borders (RSF). The four media companies are all owned by the family
of Saad Hariri, the head of the Future movement, the anti-Syrian
majority party in the Lebanese parliament.

Rockets were fired early on 9 May at the headquarters of
"Al-Mustaqbal", starting a fire on one of its floors, reports
RSF. Soon afterwards, gunmen surrounded the offices of the radio
and television stations, and threatened to open fire if they did not
stop broadcasting.

Future employees and other journalists have been holding a daily sit-in
in front of the Future News building in Qantari to protest the closure.

The daily newspaper "Liwaa" also hasn’t been able to publish – its
printing house is located in the midst of the conflict zone, says
Maharat. And on 10 May, the headquarters of the Armenian-speaking
Radio Sevan was burned down in west Beirut, reports ARTICLE 19.

IFJ is supporting calls from the unions and Maharat to ensure
journalists’ safety, independence and their right to work. "We
are calling on all political parties to end their attacks on media
workers," says IFJ. "All journalists in Lebanon, including those
working from starkly different perspectives, are unarmed non-combatants
and must be treated accordingly. It is intolerable that journalists
become vulnerable targets in this conflict simply for doing their
jobs."

Maharat and others say the real problem is the politicisation of
the Lebanese media, which has become the mouthpiece of the political
group with which they are affiliated. The threats faced by reporters
now are not a result of working in a war zone, but because of the
"division of the Lebanese media between pro-government, opposition
and independent media" that reflect the political struggle, says
Maharat. It is calling on the media to "remain objective and not to
enter the circle of violence."

Clashes between the Hezbollah-led opposition and government supporters
started on 7 May in several west Beirut neighbourhoods on the back
of a general strike demanding wage hikes amid rising prices. In one
of the decisions last week that triggered the violence, government
officials said they would close down a private telephone network
operated by Hezbollah in south Lebanon and the southern parts of
Beirut. Hezbollah says the communications system was critical to its
success in its 34-day war against Israel in 2006.

The protests raised tensions in a country mired in a 17-month-old
political crisis between the Hezbollah-led opposition supported by
Iran and Syria and the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora,
who is backed by the West and Saudi Arabia. The standoff has left
the country without a president since November.

Fighting has moved outside the Lebanese capital this week,
fuelling fears that the violence could spiral into an outright civil
war. According to news reports, at least 81 people have been killed
and more than 250 have been wounded since last Wednesday in what
observers are calling the worst political crisis since the Lebanese
civil war of the 1980s.

Visit these links: – Maharat: – ARTICLE
19: – IFJ: –
RSF: – Menassat on
silencing Future TV: – Menassat on Beirut
ganging up on the press: – Menassat on the
casualty of the media: – Arab Press Network:

AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION ACTIVIST: AGENCY FOR CIS ESTABLISHED IN RUSSIA WILL NOT SAVE THE NONVIABLE BODY FROM ITS AGONY

Regnum
May 13 2008
Russia

The government formed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin consists
of well-known in Russia professional and several people coming from
St. Petersburg, on whom he can always rely on, deputy leader of the
opposition People’s Front Party (Azerbaijan) Gasan Kerimov told a
REGNUM correspondent.

According to him, the reason for the reshuffle in the government was
that Vladimir Putin was and is a charismatic leader and therefore he
posed a wider range of tasks to himself than the previous premier,
Viktor Zubkov. Kerimov believes that the Russian ex-president is aware
that his new post is rather vulnerable and the ranks of his opponents
will increase. That was the range of the tasks and the necessity to
undertake some unpopular measures that made Putin change the staff
and abolish state committees by turning them into agencies or handing
over their functions to other bodies.

Speaking on the decision to establish an agency for CIS affairs, the
politician noted that the new agency would not save the nonviable body
from its agony, one member of which, Armenia, is silently allowed
to occupy territories of another one, Azerbaijan. "Just remember
the relations between the small Georgia and the big Russia. Can the
relations between them be called friendly and allied?" asked Kerimov.

In conclusion, he stressed that an attempt made by the Russian premier
to combat corruption was commendable, but said it had the same chance
for success as a similar intention of the Azeri prime minister. Kerimov
explained his skepticism about a possibility to eradicate corruption
both in Russia and in Azerbaijan by lack of democracy and rule of
law in society. Besides, he said, both Moscow and Baku have shown
increase in authoritarianism accompanied by passiveness of society.

As REGNUM reported earlier, Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
outlined three directions to combat corruption. He said it was
necessary to get rid of excessive functions in control and licensing,
improve the legislation and raise salaries of government officials.

Global Politician, NY
May 11 2008

Armenia says: "Nagorno-Karabakh Independence is Final"

Abdul Ruff – 5/11/2008

The nations seeking and fighting for their independence and freedom
from the parent or colonial powers that have annexed them in the past
have become order of modern civilization and globalization does
promote the positive process of gaining freedom in a meaningful
way. While the occupying powers resist the freedom bids by
"subordinates", most of the countries support the moves. Many nations
have already secured independence and some more are still struggling
for freedom. And sooner or later they will also, as natural outcome of
the flow of history, achieve their legitimate ambitions. Recently,
Kosovo has declared independence form Serbia , the successor state of
Yugoslavia that became several smaller nations as a result of collapse
of the Warsaw Treaty orgnization.

Nagorno-Karabakh region in the Caucasus mountains in Azerbaijan , a
former republic of Soviet Union that got independence in 1989, sought
freedom, supported by neighboring Armenia another former Soviet
republic, obviously for religousl resons, but denied by parent
Azerbaijan. In spite of the fact that Azerbaijan prevents the regain
to become independent, Nagorno-Karabakh has already declared free form
Azerbaijan . The region’s ethnic Armenian leaders or the socalled
"separatists" run their own affairs, with support from Armenia.
Alhough the region has declared its independence from Azerbaijan,
but this has not been recognized by any state. Hence the stalemate
continues.

Azerbaijan says Armenia has illegally occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, and a
number of Azeri districts surrounding the region. Baku , which
announced a 53 percent rise in military spending this month, says it
is committed to stalled peace talks but has refused to rule out using
force to restore its control.

Armenia’s new president Serzh Sarksyan said on April 29 that
Azerbaijan must accept that its breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region is
an independent republic that will never be returned to Azeri control,
Nagorno-Karabakh, broke away from Azerbaijan as the Soviet Union fell
apart, sparking a war which killed about 35,000 people. A ceasefire
was agreed in 1994 but the search for a lasting peace is stalled. "
Azerbaijan must understand the simple reality that the existence of
the republic of Nagorno-Karabakh ‘s independence is irreversible,"
said Sarksyan, who was sworn in this month.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are still officially at war and their troops
frequently fight skirmishes along a heavily mined front line. Up to 16
soldiers were killed in a clash earlier last month. Russia , the
United States and France are mediators in the conflict. It is quite
like that Ban Ki Moon the Secretary General would convene a special
session of UN exclusively to debate on this crucial issue and devise
strategies to obtain independence and re-independence for the struggle
nations without letting more blood flow.

Abdul Ruff is an Indian analyst, researcher & commentator.

menia-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
May 5 2008

Azerbaijani State Commission refutes a meeting on handing over four
Armenians to opposite side

05 May 2008 [15:56] – Today.Az

Azerbaijani State Commission on Prisoners, Hostages and Missing
People has not held a meeting with the opposite side to hand over four
Armenians Vanik Zmboian, Artyom Zohrabian, Karen Torosian and Agasi
Enokian captured in the direction of Nakhichevan, the State Commission
told APA.

Eldar Sabiroglu, Spokesman for Azerbaijani Defense Ministry noted that
a meeting on handing over the captives had not been held.

"Armenia wants to direct attention to other side spreading such
information. Four Armenian servicemen belong to Armenian armed
forces. They are at the command of the Defense Ministry. The
investigation is carried out. Several issues are approved. Armenian
servicemen tried to commit diversion in Azerbaijan. This issue will be
solved within the framework of Azerbaijani legislation. Armenians’
actions are against the international legal norms", he said.

ICRC Office in Azerbaijan confirmed the information that there was not
any meeting on handing over Armenian servicemen.

Regnum agency has spread information on handing over four Armenian
servicemen with reference Armenian Commission on Prisoners, Hostages
and Missing People.

The agency reports that Azerbaijani side refused to hand over
Armenians to the opposite side, irrespective of agreement in advance.

/APA/

URL:

Panorama.am

16:28 07/05/2008

`YOUTH INDIFFERENT TO THEIR EDUCATION’

Today `Youth and Skills. Specialized education and
training’ (SET) seminar took place. The seminar is
organized by the Ministry of Education, European
educational foundation by the support of `Global
Developments’. According to Aram Avagyan, the
president of `Global Developments’ foundation, the
mission of the seminar is to inform the interested
side about the perspectives of specialized education
and its present and future developments, as well as
the SET objectives in Europe and Armenia.

A. Avagyan said that three international experts are
invited to share their European experience with the
participants of the seminar. `Today the level of
education in Armenia does not correspond to the
demands of the labor market. Hence, our problem is to
find ways to match the level of education with the
level of the labor market,’ said A. Avagyan.

Levon Lazarian, the Minister of Education said that
the mission of the seminar is to link education and
the labor market, and their demands. The minister
notified that the youth is indifferent to their
education and the value of that. `This problem should
be solved,’ he said.

Source: Panorama.am

PRESS RELEASE
ARMENPAC, The Armenian-American Political Action Committee
Contact: Jason P. Capizzi
Tel: 972-635-5347
Fax: 972-635-5406
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

ARMENPAC SURVEYS ALL 2,069 CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES TO ASSESS THEIR
POSITIONS ON ARMENIAN-AMERICAN ISSUES

Irving, TX – ARMENPAC, The Armenian-American Political Action Committee,
recently issued its 2008 Congressional Candidate Questionnaire to every
candidate seeking election to the United States Congress on November 4,
2008. Since initiating this effort in 2006, ARMENPAC continues to be the
first and only Armenian advocacy organization to tackle this very important
project, and to apprise the Armenian-American community of its local
candidates’ positions on Armenian-American issues before Election Day.

"ARMENPAC implemented this daunting research project not just to educate the
Armenian-American community, but to also educate the candidates on our
issues that they will face if elected to Congress," said ARMENPAC Co-Chairs
Annie Totah and Edgar Hagopian. "By beginning dialogues and building
relationships with Congressional hopefuls early on, ARMENPAC is cultivating
a bipartisan majority in support of Armenian-American issues."

The 2008 ARMENPAC Congressional Candidate Questionnaire is comprised of
questions that succinctly and objectively apprise candidates of the issues
affecting the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The
brief survey broadly addresses, and seeks the candidates’ position on, the
following topics: United States Reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide,
United States – Armenia Trade Relations, Turkish and Azeri Hostility toward
Armenia, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Peace Process, and the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues.

The 2008 ARMENPAC Congressional Candidate Questionnaire was mailed, during
the week of April 28th and sent to all 2,069 candidates running for seats in
both the United States Senate and the United States House of
Representatives. Each candidate received a unique "username" and "password"
granting them access to a secure area of the ARMENPAC website,
<; , so that they can submit their
responses to the ARMENPAC Congressional Candidate Questionnaire on-line.
Once a candidate responds to the Congressional Candidate Questionnaire, his
or her answers are posted in real time in the "Candidate Response" section
of the ARMENPAC website for all to view and consider before Election Day.
The ARMENPAC Board of Directors will issue its list of endorsed candidates
before October, 2008 based, in part, on the information collected in
response to the Congressional Candidate Questionnaire.

ARMENPAC is an independent, bipartisan political action committee
established to shape public policy by raising awareness of, and advocating
for, Armenian-American issues. ARMENPAC provides financial support to
federal officeholders, candidates, political action committees and
organizations that actively support issues of importance to
Armenian-Americans. For more information and how to join ARMENPAC, please
call (877) 286-1046 or visit <; .

###

PanARMENIAN.Net

Azeri side frustrates transfer of four Armenians
03.05.2008 20:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Azeri side frustrated transfer of four Armenian
citizens, who lost their way and found themselves in Nakhijevan
several days ago. The transfer was planned near the settlement of
Yeraskhavan at 6 a.m. The Armenian and Azeri sides met as it was
agreed; however, Azeris said they are not going to return anyone, IA
Regnum reports.

Four Armenian citizens – Vanik Zmboyan from Gavar, Artem Zohrabyan,
Karen Torosyan and Aghasi Yenokyan from Noragyugh village – went to
the village of Khachik to meet a friend. Coming back, they lost their
way finding themselves in Nakhijevan.

Meanwhile, Azeri media reported arrest of `Armenian special troops
planning a provocation in Azerbaijan.’

INTERNAL CHALLENGES DEEMED AS THE PRINCIPAL CHALLENGES OF ARMENIA
KIMA YEGHYAZARYAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 02, 2008
Armenia

SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN, Head of the National Democratic Party (NDP), was
yesterday’s guest speaker of `Pakagits’ (bracket) club

Although the press-conference was originally devoted to the discussion
of the `External Challenges’, all the questions arousing interest among
the journalists concerned the internal political issues. Especially
when, after enumerating and attaching importance to different
challenges threatening our country, the NDP leader finished his
introductory speech with the following conclusion, `Speaking about all
kinds of external challenges, we must clearly realize that Armenia’s
principal challenge is currently the internal challenge.’

Sh. Kocharyan regretted to state that having chosen the path of
European integration, our country, is, along with Russia and
Azerbaijan, among the few states whose compliance with their
commitments is estimated as imitative and not real. `At this point, we
are facing a problem too, because if your country has become a member
of some international structure and undertaken commitments, it is
obliged to comply with them.

And that implies that the governance system inside the country should
be effective enough to solve the problems which constantly demand a
solution. On the one hand, you are required to establish stability in
you country, and on the other hand, you should never cross the limits
which are not characteristic of a democratic country,’ Sh. Kocharyan
announced.

Distinguishing the activities of the radical opposition as one of the
`internal challenges’, the speaker noted that the forces supporting L.
Ter-Petrosyan crossed the permitted limits, by implementing the tactics
of struggle they had chosen themselves. `I have said, and I repeat that
no development is possible without an internal political struggle. But
anyway, it is necessary for an internal political struggle to have a
certain threshold which should never be crossed.

In my estimation, the part of the opposition supporting ex-President L.
Ter-Petrosyan during the last presidential elections did cross that
threshold.’

Touching upon the efforts of the leader of `Heritage’ party to organize
a dialogue between the country’s president and Mr. Ter-Petrosyan, Sh.
Kocharyan expressed surprise, `As regards the dialogue, it is a little
bit unclear to me why Raffi Hovhannisyan acts as a mediator. He
supported L. Ter-Petrosyan, didn’t he? So why doesn’t he have that
dialogue himself? It isn’t as if former Prime Minister and new
President Serge Sargsyan had announced that he was ready for a
dialogue. Well, if you represent a political party which is the only
pro-opposition faction in the Parliament, just announce that you are
ready for a dialogue. I am already unable to understand that.’ And the
speaker again expressed hesitation, `If two individuals really desire
to talk to each other, is there any need for a mediator?’