Author: Toneyan Mark

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  +374-10-517163
Fax:  +374-10-517301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Website: 
June 14, 2007

Order of Saint Sahak – Saint Mesrop Granted to Radik Martirosian and
Vladimir Barkhudarian

On June 8, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, granted the Order of Saint Sahak – Saint Mesrop to two lay
members of the Supreme Spiritual Council in recognition for their
achievements in the field of academia, their support of the mission of the
Church and their many contributions to the nation.

Dr. Radik Martirosian, President of the National Academy of Sciences, and
Mr. Vladimir Barkhudarian, Vice President of the National Academy of
Sciences, were awarded with the medal named after Catholicos Saint Sahak
Parthev and Saint Mesrop Mashtots.

The awards ceremony took place in the Pontifical Residence of the Mother See
of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided by His Holiness Karekin and in the presence of
high-ranking clergymen, and families, friends and associates of the
honorees.

During the evening’s program, fellow academicians of the honorees addressed
the gathering, and the Pontifical Encyclicals granting the medals were read.

Both Martirosian and Barkhudarian expressed their words of gratitude to His
Holiness for bestowing them with this high honor, following which the
Pontiff of All Armenians addressed his message of blessing to the attendees
and congratulations to the two honorees.

The program concluded with a selection of classical pieces of European and
Armenian music.

ARMENIA’S NEW GOVERNMENT MUCH LIKE THE OLD
Marianna Grigoryan

EurasiaNet, NY
June 12 2007

Armenia has a new government. Despite early hints from Prime Minister
Serzh Sarkisian that the cabinet’s composition would diversify,
the makeup looks set to reinforce the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia’s political weight.

The news came as no surprise: ministerial portfolios were distributed
among the three political parties with the most seats in Armenia’s
recently convened parliament, with the Republican Party, which won
nearly one-third of the May 12 vote, holding 11 of the 17 posts.

The Prosperous Armenia Party and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF), which trailed the Republicans to a second and third-place
finish, received three posts each. Prosperous Armenia will hold the
portfolios for health, urban development and sports, while the ARF
will oversee education, agriculture and labor and social affairs.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders denounced the Constitutional Court’s
decision June 10 not to hear an appeal brought by four parties seeking
the annulment of parliamentary election results. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive]. Two opposition parties, Country of Law
and Heritage, have not yet clarified whether or not they will take
their seats in the new parliament, which convened on June 7.

Prime Minister Sarkisian described the new government, appointed by
President Robert Kocharian on June 8, as combining "experience with
the aspirations and desires of new people."

"In the areas where we have achieved success, where it is seen that
there is still energy, the area’s heads will stay," Sarkisian said
at the June 11 presentation of the government. "And in the agencies
where the need for change is obvious, there will be changes."

New ministers, however, were appointed in only six out of 17
ministries, including health, urban development, sports and youth
affairs, trade and economic development, justice, and environment.

Minister of Local Government Hovik Abrahamian, who is known as a
close associate of President Robert Kocharian, was appointed deputy
prime minister.

Sarkisian earlier suggested that the new government would contain
"significant" changes, telling reporters on June 4 that "[t]here
would be some things that perhaps have never existed in our political
culture." Those comments prompted some local media outlets to speculate
that opposition parties might be invited to join the government in
an effort to muzzle their criticism of government policies.

Some analysts refused to buy into the notion of opposition leaders
taking over cabinet portfolios. "The talk that certain opposition
members would get positions was absurd from the outset," scoffed
political analyst Suren Sureniants, a member of the political council
of the opposition Republic Party. "Horses are not changed during
a race."

Sureniants, and other local observers, contend that the 2007
parliamentary elections were a de facto first round for next year’s
presidential election, a race in which Prime Minister Sarkisian has
announced his intention to take part. "Now he will try to consolidate
the system, for which the status quo was preserved in order to ensure
his victory," said Sureniants, referring to Sarkisian. "Only if it
happens, will it become clear whether Serzh [Sarkisian] is capable
of making reforms or not."

One of the few cabinet changes that attracted attention was the
replacement of former Environment Minister Vardan Ayvazian, who
has been embroiled in several scandals related to corruption and
the awarding of mining licenses to relatives. Though losing his
ministerial post, Ayvazian was appointed chairman of parliament’s
Committee on Standing Economic Affairs.

Perhaps with an eye to next year’s presidential vote, both Sarkisian
and fellow pro-government political leaders stress that the new
government will prove sensitive to popular demands. "I think we should
all periodically move on to another area of work in order for those
following us to bring new ideas, and for vigor not to decrease,"
Sarkisian said.

Editor’s Note: Marianna Grigoryan is a reporter for the online daily
ArmeniaNow in Yerevan.

YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR WAR IF YOU WANT PEACE

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
11-06-2007

Interview with the NKR Minister of Defense, Lieutenant-General Movses
Hakobian. AA: Do the militaristic statements by Azerbaijan worry you?
Movses Hakobian: We know the war will start at the very moment when the
political and military leadership of Azerbaijan is sure that their
force is stronger. The Azerbaijani high-ranking officials state their
military expenditure exceeds our state budget. These statements are
obviously for internal consumption because the size of military
expenditure does not guarantee success. During the war Karabakh was in
blockade, there was no bread to eat, we did not have weapon, but we won
the war. Today we have an army armed with modern weapons, the air force
is upgraded every day, a powerful engineering system is set up at the
border. The Azerbaijani army outnumbers our army but our army is ready
to counteract through all the possible ways, and in case Azerbaijan
wages a war, it will be beaten. AA: What will be primary for the
minister of defense? Movses Hakobian: Certainly, balance among the
armies of the region. AA: What is your vision of the army in the
nearest future? Movses Hakobian: Better prepared, equipped with modern
weapons and equipment. I think the social state of the service
personnel is also highly important. We have to confess in the post-war
years we had to focus on armament and equipment, military
infrastructures, and now we have shortcomings in the social security of
the personnel, especially conscripts. We have made considerable efforts
in the past few years but it is not enough. I think every effort is
appreciation and gratitude for the contribution of the people who
fought in the war and now serve in the army. Of course, the social
problems of the families of killed azatamartiks are primary, which is
also important for the education of the new generation. AA: Which is
the most important lesson for Lieutenant-General Movses Hakobian?
Movses Hakobian: The most important lesson is that there must be no
war, and as a general, as a minister of defense, all of us should work
towards peace, but peace is possible if the army is strong and
effective. There is a saying: `it you want peace, be ready for war.’
The minister of defense was brought up in a traditional Armenian family
and decided to become military when he visited Chardakhlu, the native
village of Marshal Baghramian and Marshal Babajanian in the ninth
grade. He studied at the military college in Alma Ata and served in
Afghanistan, which gave him the right to serve at home, the 366th
regiment of Stepanakert. He hardly avoided trial for helping the
azatamartiks ` the `Afghani’ background and the Medal of Red Star
helped him. Then he led a squad of volunteers during the military
actions.

AA.
11-06-2007

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

June 9, 2007

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN RESPONDS…

Yerevan–Excerpted below are Heritage Party chairman Raffi K.
Hovannisian’s replies to questions received recently from various
Armenian news agencies.

1. How effective will the new coalition government be, especially
against the background of widespread violations of the fundamental
principles of a rule-of-law state?

–It is still early to offer a substantiated response. A healthy
foundation will support effective work; a partisan basis will beget
parochial politics-as-usual.

2. How would you evaluate the lack of solemnity, one might even say
the theatricality of the National Assembly’s first session?

–Heritage was not present. The ultimate assessment belongs to the
nation.

3. When does the Heritage fraction of Parliament plan to report to
work? How would you interpret the pedantic statements made to the
state media by Tigran Torosyan about Heritage’s lack of a legal
motivation–and political experience–for its non-participation in the
first session?

–I have no desire to answer the honorable Mr. Torosyan point by
point. Let me simply say that the characterizations attributed to him
by the media do not reflect the true spirit and substance of our
telephone conversation.

We have already publicized Heritage’s letter to him. For us and our
brand of politics both the legal and the moral underpinnings are
essential and inalienable. First, pursuant to the National Assembly’s
rules and regulations, we were obliged to give advance notice to the
Speaker of the impossibility of our participation and the reasons
therefor. If there is a more appropriate addressee, as the gentleman
seems to believe, let it be known and we will happily resend our
letter of notification.

Second, on the issue of the timing of the first session, reference is
being made to the Constitution and the National Assembly’s rules, but
nobody seems to want to note that neither of these documents makes
mention of June 7. On the contrary, an elementary mathematical
addition of the Thursdays referred to therein results in a clear
determination of May 31. If the relevant state body–whichever one it
is–makes a capricious interpretation and changes the date for the
first session, then at the very least it must give due notice of that
change, however unconstitutional it might be. Rumors, presumptions,
and press comments are not official methods of notice in a lawful,
democratic, and sovereign state. This is not to mention the lack of
information as to the time and means for receipt of the parliamentary
credentials as well as a variety of other organizational shortcomings.
At the bottom of all this is the imperative of dignity for the
Republic, its citizens and public servants.

And, finally, the validity of the parliamentary elections is currently
at issue before the Constitutional Court. It is precisely on the basis
of jurisprudence, ethics and, yes, political science that Heritage has
considered and made its civic decision to wait until the Court’s
verdict and not, by our conduct, to prejudice it. All other
insinuations, judgmental diatribes, and sponsored gossip are worthy of
a banana republic, but should have no place in our country.

Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
20 Concord Lane, Cambridge MA 02138
617 871 6764

Contact: Nachu Muthu- 617 871 6764
[email protected]
g

INTERVIEW WITH PROMINENT ARMENIAN PLAYWRIGHT BERGE ZEITUNTSYAN by
Bianca Bagatourian

On Aug, 13, 14, 15th, 2007, the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
(ADAA) will hold their Second Annual ADAA/Fountain Theatre Armenian
Play Reading Series at the Fountain Theatre in Hollywood’s
Little
Armenia. This year, they will be presenting the plays of Berge
Zeituntsyan, one of the leading contemporary playwrights in Armenia
today. The plays will feature prominent Armenian actors of the stage
and screen including Michael Goorjian, Magda Harut, David Hedison,
Karen Kondazian, Buck Kartalian, Greg Zarian, Anahid Shahrik and
more. (For tickets, call the Fountain Theatre box office) Mr.
Zeituntsyan writes commentaries, short stories, novels and plays. He
frequently contributes to the press on issues of current concern.
This interview was conducted with Mr. Zeituntsyan when he was
recently visiting Los Angeles in April.

Do you think drama is important to Armenia in the present and in the
future and how does it differ with other genres like fiction?

Playwriting is vital. It is important to communicate with a live
audience of 300-400 people. The playwright can instantly touch on
painful subjects. He takes the pulse of the society. And it is
immediate. Particularly as you have only 60-70 pages in a play as
opposed to a novel that goes on for 500 pages.
Why is playwriting not a popular form in Armenia? We have very few
playwrights compared to novelists and poets.

Because we haven’t had a State. And not too many professional

actors, Just one or two. Adamian, Papzian. They were stars. The rest
were amateurs. There wasn’t much of civic culture so theaters
did
not exist and there wasn’t the economic support for dramas to be

written. This really didn’t develop until the Soviet Period when
the
tradition really took off.

Did any of the 19th century Armenian playwrights influence your work?

Shakespeare.
And your favorite play?

Hamlet. I like that play because it so open for interpretation. There

are many possibilities. For example, To be or not to be, can be
interpreted in many different ways. I also love Chekov. Especially
The Three Sisters.

I can see obvious influences of Beckett and Ionesco in your work.
Were they not also available to other writers?

I tried to self-educate. I read books which weren’t readily
available in Armenia. I think it is very important for people to look

outside their narrow sphere of existence and look beyond. This helps
them to write through a world perspective. Checkov and Maupassant.
That is how I educated myself in a more European fashion. No writer
should stay in the narrow confines of his own environment. He should
be writing in a world context as opposed to the one he lives in.
What inspires you?

Life. Reality. My wife and my children. I have to say that!

You write in such different veins. Your new play, Jesus of Nazareth,
is in a realistic strain compared to Born and Died and The Saddest of

Sad Men which are more absurd. Is it easy for you to switch back and
forth stylistically?

Usually writers write in fiction form first and then turn it into
drama. But I do the contrary. Why? Because as a playwright, when I
see on stage the performance of my play, I learn a great deal more
about myself and my characters. Then I can perfect them and the
piece. When I finish a play, I like to work with the same people.
Usually, directors don’t like to have the writer looking over
their
shoulder, but I have three directors which I choose to work with
regularly and they allow this because they realize it is a
collaborative effort. They realize I am there to learn too. Sometimes

the directors will suggest a change and I will disagree. Usually, in
this way, I fine tune the play but I don’t make too many
changes.
For example in Jesus of Nazareth, the directors suggested that I
should add two monologues and so I found two themes from the book
`World Mythology’ and after adding monologues based on
these
themes, I realized that it did make the piece much richer. This is a
sly maneuver for a playwright. To have the opportunity to watch the
performance before others and improve it.
What is the favorite play that you have ever written?

The Legend of the Destroyed City. It is a historical play set in the
fourth century and it begins with a tourist who goes to Europe. A
guide shows him a free city with no laws where anyone can do as they
like. This made me think that in the time of Arshak the king, in the
fourth century, we had just such a city. Armenia was surrounded by
the Byzantines on one side and the Persians on the other. The king
was weak so he made a city for the lawbreakers where everyone could
do as they pleased. This made him a stronger king. Everyone was
equal. But, slowly the city of Arshakavan became very corrupt.
Corruption entered the city and that was the reason for it’s
downfall. He was a harsh king but he was ahead of his time in mind
but not in spirit and this tension between the two is what brought
about his downfall. This is also made very clear in this play.
Are you working on any new plays now?

I’m thinking about some. About what to do. Armenia is in
transition
now. There’s a Chinese saying, `If you want to harm
anyone, make
them live in transition.’ So, we are in a bad situation now.
Society
is not sitting around and waiting for the next play. The demand for
writers has diminished. In the Soviet period, they would publish tens

of thousands of copies of a new play. Now, the regular run is five
hundred. There is economic difficulty. And material values have now
become the priority and spiritual values have taken a back seat. All
this doesn’t mean that the Soviet time was better. In some
areas,
some things were better. There was a certain stability and now it is
in this state of transition. It was a narrow path and the new path is

not yet created. So, there was more culture in that time.
Let me say something amazing. Armenia, compared to most of the other
republics, had more freedom under Soviet rule. Unfinished Monologue
was produced in Soviet times, pre-Perestroika. When they went to
perform it in Kiev, the people there were astonished that this was
allowed. There was obviously a more controlled structure in the Ukraine.
Have you ever thought of leaving Armenia?

No. I feel every writer must live on his own soil. No matter how bad
the situation. He must be there to feel the situation. Armenian
culture and scholarship is centered in Armenia and that is where it
grows.

We are very pleased to be presenting three of your plays in August at

the Fountain Theatre in Hollywood and we hope you will be able to
come back and see them.

It is difficult. But Born and Died, one of those plays you are
presenting, has never been produced anywhere so this will be a world
Premier at the Fountain Theatre. Out of the eleven plays that I have
written, this is the only one that has never been produced. The other

play you are presenting, The Saddest of Sad Men, had it’s first

performance in Armenian in 1974 and had it’s last performance in

Arabic in Egypt in 1991. This is the one play that has been
translated in the most languages, even in Hungarian. In addition to
that play, there is also a novella that goes with it which has been
translated into French. The third play, Unfinished Monologue is about

corruption in the system. This was of course, met with a lot of
opposition, until now. It was once printed in the Soviet newspaper
that Berge Zeytunstyan was a secret agent for Anglo European
literature sent to infiltrate us. If this was in Stalin’s time,
this
kind of remark could have finished me off.
I was particularly taken with Born and Died. Was this play a metaphor

of the oppression that Armenia was under?

How should I know! People are always asking me questions about what
does this mean or what is that. It is whatever you want it to be. You

must not ask a writer such questions. And don’t always believe
what
they say either. This play was written for Vigen Chaldranyan. And
Mickael Boghosian was in my mind too. Chaldranian suggested I write
something using a monologue of Gogol and I thought it might be
interesting to write a play which would be a rehearsal of this work
of Gogol’s monologue. Although, later I thought it would also
have
been interesting to have them rehearse a straight play and contrast
it with the absurd reality of life. So life would be absurd and the
play would be reality. The play would be more reasonably logical.
This was an experimental play.At the end, there is resolution. We see

their fundamental differences are resolved.

Is there a dream play you wish to write?

Oh, there are a lots and lots of things I want to write. There
aren’t enough theaters to produce them. Currently, three of my
plays
are in repertoire and a fourth would be too much. There aren’t

enough theaters to write for. My plays are performed quite often,
from 1979 until now. All Rise, Court Is In Session, has been done
every year in the Sundukian Theater. In the dramatic theater, The
Great Silence has been performed since 1983. This one is also a great

crowd pleaser I’ve been very lucky!.
Can you name some other leading playwrights in Armenia?

Gourgen Khanjian, Anahit Aghassarian, Garine Khoudikian. Aghassi
Ayvazian is best, not as a playwright, but as a novelist. Writers
don’t like to say nice things about each other. The book by
Peter
Cowe and Nishan Parlakian, Modern Armenian Drama, covers pretty much
most of the playwrights in Armenia today.

What would be your advise for other playwrights in Armenia?

I have tried to teach at the Institute of Theatrical Arts and
introduce a course of dramaturgy. I like to do workshops mainly. Two
of my students, Hasmig and Mariam, are now working in Moscow. I would

suggest they read anything they like to read. And to look outside
their own sphere.

Thank you very much, Mr. Zeituntsyan, it has been an honor and a
pleasure.
THE END

Bianca Bagatourian is a playwright and president and co-founder of
the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance. ,

IN BRIAN FALL’S WORDS, CURRENT DOCUMENT ON NAGORNO KARABAKH PROBLEM CREATES VERY REALISTIC OPPORTUNITY IN RESPECT OF REACHING AGREEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Jun 08 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The document submitted for the
negotiations being conducted between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
Nagorno Karabakh settlement creates very realistic opportunities in
the respect of reaching an agreement. Brian Fall, representative
of United Kingdom to the South Caucasus, expressed such opinion
in his conversation with Samvel Mkrtchian, head of RA mission in
NATO. Quotting the Potsdam May 30 statement of G-8 Foreign Ministers,
he stressed that the international community expects serious progress
in the negotiations.

According to RA Justice Ministry, as Mr Fall affirmed, settlement of
NKR conflict will inevitably contribute to formation of the South
Caucasian region as a political unit, will promote united economic
progress.

Details of Armenia-NATO cooperation, current and future programs were
also presented to Mr Fall.

GRANDMASTER PLOTS STRATEGY AGAINST PUTIN’S ‘DEADLY’ REGIME
by Sebastian Smith

The Australian (Australia)
All-round Country Edition
June 6, 2007 Wednesday

GARRY Kasparov is running an hour late. But when he finally appears,
exuding nervous energy, the chess genius turned Kremlin opponent
sounds like a man with no time to lose.

"We have a chance to save the country," he declares. "This regime is
deadly. The regime survives, the country dies."

On the eve of the Group of Eight summit starting in Germany today,
Kasparov urged world powers to join his campaign against Russia’s
President Vladimir Putin, whom he likened to the rulers of Belarus
or Zimbabwe.

"Putin can’t be treated as the leader of a free country," Kasparov,
44, says at his Moscow office, 1.6km from Red Square. The West "must
draw a line in the sand".

Many in Russia see this small, compact man with bushy eyebrows as,
at best, a quixotic figure.

Judging by polls indicating widespread support for Putin, Kasparov’s
crusade to prevent Putin from easing a successor into the Kremlin in
the March 2008 presidential elections looks doomed. Putin recently
scoffed at Kasparov’s opposition coalition, the Other Russia,
as marginal.

Yet in Russia’s strangely unbalanced political landscape, the chess
grandmaster has emerged as the most prominent opposition leader in
the country.

Young Putin supporters dressed in white coats may hound Kasparov
as a lunatic, but the Kremlin appears genuinely rattled and Western
capitals are watching closely.

Born to Armenian and Jewish parents in what was Soviet Azerbaijan,
Kasparov ruled world chess for two decades before retiring in 2005
to focus on Russian politics, which he already knew as a supporter
of Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s.

He concedes Other Russia is small, weak and poorly financed.

"For our organisation, political survival — and for some members
not only political survival — is a major issue," he says.

The Kremlin has de facto control over almost all television and vast
security forces, including the OMON riot police used in vast numbers
against tiny Other Russia protest marches. But in such weakness
Kasparov sees possibilities that might seem fanciful were they not
from the mind of an undeniably great strategist. The inability so far
of Russia’s fragmented opposition to unite around a single candidate
for next year’s presidential election is good, he says.

"When you are facing overwhelming force — again, that’s my chess
experience — you don’t want to simplify your position. You don’t
want to make it plain," he says.

"You want to keep it complicated because any mistake that cannot be
reversed could blow you off the board."

Kasparov and his activists have faced police beatings or arrest while
trying to hold peaceful demonstrations. Many have been detained or
prevented from travelling even before reaching protests.

"They’re stepping up the pressure on us," Kasparov says. "It’s a
nightmare and not everyone can keep up. We have reports of people
giving in."

Several bodyguards accompany him everywhere in Russia, even in Moscow.

His wife and seven-month-old daughter live in New York.

"Not that you can protect yourself against a real assassination
attempt but, still, that creates extra problems," he says.

"The rule here is that there are no rules. No rules is a rule, too."

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT: THE LAST FOUR YEARS WERE THE MOST FRUITFUL FOR ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2007-06-06 16:15:00

The last four years were the most fruitful for Armenia, which were
marked with effective reforms and unprecedented growth of economy,
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said today over the last sitting of
the present Armenian government, press-release of the government says.

The president said that the achievements made possible resolving of
significant social problems. He thanked the government for the joint
work and added that several members of the government will work in
the executive power, others – in the parliament. "The last election
showed that we are ready and able to have serious success in the
process of democratization.

The present government made a great contribution in this process and
may be proud of that",- Kocharyan said.

He also added that not so many reforms were implemented in all the
directions. The life quality of population was not equally improved at
all the territory of Armenia. "I think these are the problems which
a new government should deal with. It is obvious that the government
will have the majority in the parliament and this will promote its
effective activity",- the president said.

GREAT DANCE MASTER TO BE 80 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR

Panorama.am
15:26 02/06/2007

Vanush Khanamiryan, great master of dance, will celebrate his 80th
birthday this year. "I was only 63 when they said you cannot dance
any more and appointed another person as the head of State Assembly
of Dance,’ Khanamiryan told a press conference today, saying this
dance group was his "second home."

Khanamiryan directed the group for 25 years.

Khanamiryan said Friendship Dance Assemble will stage a concert at
Opera House on November 7 to the honor of his 80th birthday. He said
one of his students, Samuel Nazaryan, will also organize a concert
in Marcel.

Panorama.am

16:52 04/06/2007

DEMOCRATIC PARTY SAYS ELECTIONS DEGENERATIVE

`Until today we are analyzing what has happened,’ Aram
Sargsyan, leader of Democratic Party, said in his
first ever speech after the elections. After the
analysis the party concluded that `the moral
atmosphere in the country demonstrated a trend toward
higher degeneration.’ In his words, the elections were
based not on programs and ideas but `election bribes
and pressures.’ Sargsyan also blamed opposition in
failing to conduct a centrally administered monitoring
of the elections.

Source: Panorama.am