Author: Vardanian Garo

Kafkaesque, in a good way

The repertoire for soprano and solo violin isn’t
large, but it does contain the masterful ‘Kafka
Fragments.’

MUSIC REVIEW

Los Angeles Times
January 9, 2007

By Mark Swed, Times Staff Writer
([email protected])

Ever claustrophobic, Kafka could not stomach big words. "If uttered by
a young woman, breathlessly," the marvelous Italian writer Roberto
Calasso notes in his magisterial recent study of the writer, "he had
the impression that they emerged ‘like fat mice from her little
mouth.’ "

That image alone should be enough to scare composers away from setting
Kafka texts, what with music’s fondness for fattening every
syllable. And how many young sopranos are willing to accept rotund
rodents as a side effect of song?

No Kafka-inspired opera has stuck. It might be tempting to argue that
Kafka simply does not call for music, were Gyorgy Kurtag’s "Kafka
Fragments" for the unusual combination of soprano and solo violin not
a masterpiece. Introducing a performance of the hourlong cycle at the
Colburn School’s Zipper Concert Hall on Sunday afternoon, violinist
Movses Pogossian aptly noted the difficulty in discovering just where
the Czech writer ends and the Hungarian composer begins.

Written in 1986, "Kafka Fragments" was immediately recognized as
something special. But so demanding on performers and so draining on
listeners is this cycle of 40 short musical incidents (ranging from
around 15 seconds to 7 minutes) that it was rarely encountered until
recently.

Two years ago, Peter Sellars staged it for soprano Dawn Upshaw and
violinist Geoff Nuttall as the devastating psychosexual inner life of
a wife cleaning house, watching Iraq disintegrate on television and
falling apart. Last year, in honor of Kurtag’s 80th birthday, ECM
released a new recording by Juliane Banse and Andras Keller of the
"Fragments" as intensely focused understated drama.

Pogossian, an Armenian violinist, and a young American soprano, Tony
Arnold, are now touring the "Fragments" in preparation for another new
recording on Bridge Records. Their powerful performance Sunday was
part of Dilijan, a chamber music series for which Pogossian is
artistic director.

Dilijan, named for a resort town in Armenia, has the mission of
furthering Armenian music, and Pogossian began the program with three
short works connected in one way or another to Armenia. All three were
also meant to further the soprano/violin duo repertory, of which there
isn’t much.

But first some praise for Pogossian, who is a terrific violinist. He
has the flair and the huge technique of a Romantic-era specialist, a
virtuosity and magnetism that he applies to newer music. Dilijan is an
ambitious and interesting series, which draws excellent musicians. But
its main flaw is that it thus far doesn’t seem to promote itself
outside the Armenian community. That is enough to fill about half the
415-seat Zipper. These concerts, and particularly Pogossian, deserve
much wider exposure.

The three introductory pieces were intriguing if minor. John
Asatryan’s "Dou Merzhetsir" was an arrangement for violin and soprano
of a somber work by a midcentury Armenian composer. Paolo Cavallone’s
"Frammenti Lirici" and Artur Avanesov’s "In Luys" were world premieres
by young composers. The first is an Italian avant-gardist’s
deconstruction of an Armenian tune used in Berio’s "Folk Songs." The
second is a rhapsodic rendering of Kilikian folk song with an
especially memorable violin part.

"Kafka Fragments" is a journey, and that is how Arnold and Pogossian
approached it. Arnold is an impressive singer, with operatic
projection and tremendous flexibility. She has recently made a very
good recording of George Crumb’s "Ancient Voices for Children," which
has been nominated for a Grammy. In the first half of the program she
was commanding.

The Kafka fragments selected by Kurtag from diary entries are
individual peerings into both the composer’s and the writer’s inner
life. Sunday’s performance seemed to separate the two.

Pogossian’s characterful, concentrated playing conveyed the complex
context that Kurtag give his music, cross-referencing earlier
composers, paying tributes to contemporaries and conveying his own
concentrated inner sound world.

Arnold, though, is more an overt illustrator. Some fragments go off
like bombs. "Slept, woke, slept, woke, miserable life" – the musical
shards are soft, shockingly loud, soft, shockingly loud. She sings
with her body, her face, her eyes, which can be very effective in a
Schubert song cycle.

But what I most missed was the deeper meaning of this journey. Arnold
appeared unchanged by Kurtag and Kafka. An hour passed by the
clock. Many small stories were told, many fat mice flew out of her
mouth. Then time was up. It should feel as though time slows down.
Unlike Arnold, Upshaw became a new and different, wiser and deeper
woman, and an audience could be altered too, after a clock-stopping
Kafka-Kurtag immersion.

Still, the dedication and attention to detail by Arnold and Pogossian
was moving, and I look forward to the recording. All Arnold really
needs is a good drama coach who doubles as a Kafkaesque exterminator.

cl-et-dilijan9jan09,0,441328.story?coll=cl-nav-mus ic

RUSSIA REMAINS ONE OF ARMENIA’S BIGGEST TRADE AND ECONOMIC PARTNERS, VARTAN OSKANIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 09 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. "In 2006, active Armenian-Russian
cooperation continued in strategic, economic and humanitarian
spheres." RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian declared this
at the January 9 press conference. He said that Russia remains
one of Armenia’s biggest trade and economic partners: in 2006
January-November, bilateral trade circulation amounted to 376.9 mln
USD (in 2005, nearly 300 mln USD).

In V.Oskanian’s words, in 2006, direct contacts between RA marzes and
RF regions also became rather active. A number of mutual visits took
place. The Minister emphasized that RF’s Armenian community makes
considerable contribution in deepening of Armenian-Russian relations.

Meanwhile, it was mentioned that the year 2006 grew gloomy due to a
number of murders of Armenians in Russia. During Armenian-Russian
top-level meetings the Armenian party repeatedly emphasized
the necessity to exclude these manifestations. Consultations
between Foreign Ministries were held in June last year for the
purpose of discussing the issue of violence towards Armenians in
Russia. V.Oskanian said that this issue remains in the center of
attention of RA Foreign Ministry.

California Courier Online, January 11, 2007

1 – Commentary
L.A. Times Article on Amb. Evans’
Dismissal Raises Important Issues
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

2 – Turkish Scholar to Speak at CSU,
Fresno About Armenian Genocide
3 – ANCA-WR Establishes Haroutioun
Kasparian Endowment Fund
4 – Glendale Invites Nominations
For Art Achievement Awards
5 – Ara Najarian Named
To Metrolink Board
By Supervisor Molina
6 – Armen Keuilian is Appreciated
By Students at Anaheim Hills
7 – ‘The Case of Misak Torlakian’ to be
Discussed at Glendale Library, Jan. 17
*********************************************** *******************
1 – Commentary
L.A. Times Article on Amb. Evans’
Dismissal Raises Important Issues

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

The Los Angeles Times, in its last Sunday’s edition, provided major coverage
to a news story of special importance to the Armenian-American community: the
callous dismissal by the Bush administration of John Evans, the US Ambassador
to Armenia, simply for having uttered the words Armenian Genocide, in public!
Readers may recall that the Times also published two powerful editorials, on
March 22, 2006 and July 16, 2006, condemning the firing of Amb. Evans.
Maura Reynolds’ January 7, 2007 insightful article titled, "Genocide question
hits home," covered extensively the various twists and turns of this shameful
episode, ending with the "hold" placed by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) on
the nomination of Ambassador-designate Richard Hoagland.
Reynolds’ lengthy article raises several significant issues:
She writes that unnamed U.S. "policymakers" have called Amb. Evans’ statement
on the Armenian Genocide "a misjudgment that could fuel anti-Western
sentiment in Turkey." This is utter nonsense as the overwhelming majority of the
Turkish public harbors nothing but contempt for the United States and considers
this country as one of Turkey’s main enemies, according to several recent opinion
polls. Such a negative sentiment has no relationship whatsoever with anything
Amb. Evans may have said. Furthermore, why should Amb. Evans’ words generate
"anti-Western sentiment in Turkey," when already the U.S. House of
Representatives has adopted two resolutions in 1975 and 1981 recognizing the Armenian
Genocide and Pres. Reagan has issued a presidential proclamation in 1981
explicitly mentioning the Armenian Genocide.
In keeping with her newspaper’s policy on the proper qualification of the
Armenian Genocide, Reynolds confirms that "historians have long used the term
‘genocide’ to describe the murderous campaign against the Armenians in Turkey.
Nearly the entire population of Armenians was executed, starved or forced into
exile on the orders of the ruling Young Turk Party. Outside Turkey, there is
little debate over the facts of the use of the word ‘genocide.’"
She goes on to report that because the Turkish government disputes the use of
that term, "American officials have used all sorts of others – ‘mass
killing,’ ‘massacres,’ ‘atrocities,’ ‘annihilation,’ – but have stopped short of
‘genocide.’" This U.S. position is inconsistent. Sudan also denies that genocide is
being committed in Darfur. Yet, that did not stop the U.S. government from
qualifying it as genocide!
Reynolds quotes an unnamed "senior State Department official" as saying: "We
have never said it wasn’t genocide. We just haven’t used that word." This
statement makes it clear once again that the United States government does not
deny the facts of the Armenian Genocide. It simply, and cowardly, shies away from
using that term due to political considerations. The U.S. official goes on to
say that Turkey should accept the genocide through internal debate, not
outside pressure. This is yet another meaningless statement. If the United States,
which had no part in the commission of the genocide, is reluctant to call it
by its proper name, how can anyone expect the country that committed that crime
to do so?
Interestingly, the Associated Press, in a story it carried on Dec. 26, 2006,
quoted from a letter by Under Secretary of State Nick Burns to Sen. Menendez,
as saying: "Despite some claims to the contrary, neither Ambassador-designate
Hoagland nor the administration has ever minimized or denied the fact or the
extent of the annihilation and forced exile of as many as 1.5 million ethnic
Armenians in the final years of the Ottoman Empire." The comments made by Nick
Burns to the AP are very similar to the statement made to the L.A. Times byan
unnamed "senior State Department official." This raises two questions: 1) if
the unnamed official is indeed Nick Burns, why did he choose to be off the
record for the LA. Times, after signing his name to the letter to Sen. Menendez?
and 2) if what the official said is the policy of the U.S. government on this
issue, why is it off the record?
Reynolds then relates her brief conversation with Amb. Evans. He candidly
tells her that his direct reference to the Armenian Genocide "was not a slip of
the tongue. I knew it was not the policy of the United States" to use that
term. "Ninety years is a long time. At some point you have to call a spade a
spade." Amb. Evans is then quoted as saying that by July 2005 "it was absolutely
crystal clear" that he would be forced out of his job.
The L.A. Times reporter also describes how the American Foreign Service
Association granted him its "constructive dissent" award, and then rescinded it
under pressure from the State Department!
Reynolds then explains the "hold" placed by Senator Menendez on the
nomination of Ambassador-designate Richard Hoagland. With the start of a new session of
Congress, Pres. Bush’s nomination of Hoagland has expired. Rather than
renominating him, the President is likely to submit to the Senate the name of a new
nominee, which is what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen.
Menendez requested last month in a joint letter to the Bush administration.The
new nominee may not face the same level of opposition assuming that he or she
does not engage in genocide denial when answering the Senators questions.
The objection to Hoagland was made for three reasons: 1) to send an
unequivocal message to the Bush administration that its position on the Armenian
Genocide is unacceptable; 2) to indicate the displeasure of the Armenian American
community at the dismissal of Amb. Evans, without making the slightest effort to
explain to the community the administration’s reasons for such a harsh
measure; and 3) to let the State Dept. know that Amb. Hoagland could not serve in
Armenia, since some of his replies to the Senators’ questions bordered on
genocide denial.
Those who are either opposed to the Armenian community’s efforts to bring
about the recognition of the Genocide or are too weak-willed to take on theState
Department’s unacceptable policy, use two groundless reasons for continuing
to support Hoagland’s nomination: 1) that the Senate should approve Hoagland’s
nomination so Armenia can have an American Ambassador. My answer is that
Armenia had a perfectly fine U.S. Ambassador (John Evans). If having a U.S.
Ambassador in Yerevan was so important, the Bush Administration should not have
dismissed him so unjustly; 2) that the Armenian government has already given its
consent to accepting Amb. Hoagland, after Senate approval. My answer is that the
Armenian government is in no position to reject an American Ambassador.
Armenian officials already expressed discreetly their displeasure at the forcing
out of Amb. Evans by delaying for several weeks their preliminary acceptance of
Amb. Hoagland and by awarding Amb. Evans an unprecedented presidential medal.
Armenian-Americans, as citizens of this great country, have both the right and
obligation to inform the elected officials of their views on any issue.
On a more positive note, Amb. Evans is being honored by the USC Institute of
Armenian Studies at a gala banquet in Los Angeles, on March 4. There shouldbe
a large turnout at this event in order to express the appreciation of the
Armenian community for a high-ranking diplomat who sacrificed his career by
defending the truth on the Armenian Genocide, and to send a message to Washington
that the community will stand by its true friends and oppose those who go
against its interests.

************************************** ************************************
2 – Turkish Scholar to Speak at CSU,
Fresno About Armenian Genocide
FRESNO – Dr. Taner Akçam, often described as the first Turkish scholar to
call the 1915 massacres of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks a genocide, will speak
at California State University, Fresno at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21.
Akcam, a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, will speak about
his new book, "A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of
Turkish Responsibility" in the Leon S. and Pete P. Peters Educational Center, which
is in the Student Recreation Center (at Shaw and Woodrow avenues). The
lecture is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in Lot V.
Akçam made use of Turkish, European and American records to tell the full
story of what the Ottoman Turks actually planned, intended and did to their
Armenian population.
One of the very few Turkish historians to acknowledge the genocide, he
follows the chain of events that led to the killings and reconstructs their
systematic orchestration by government officials, civil servants, party loyalists,
state-run local militias and the army.
A sociologist and historian, Akçam was born in the province of Ardahan,
Turkey in 1953. He became interested in Turkish politics at an early age. As the
editor-in-chief of a student political journal, he was arrested in 1976 and
sentenced to 10 years in prison. Amnesty International adopted him as one of its
first prisoners of conscience, and a year later he escaped to Germany, where he
received political asylum.
In 1988, Akçam began work as a research scientist at the Hamburg Institute
for Social Research. While researching the late Ottoman Empire and early
Republic, especially the history of political violence and torture in Turkey, he
became interested in the Armenian Genocide. In 1996 he received his doctorate from
the University of Hanover with a dissertation entitled "The Turkish National
Movement and the Armenian Genocide Against the Background of the Military
Tribunals between 1919 and
1922." He has been a visiting associate professor of history at the
University of Minnesota since 2002.
Akçam is the author of 10 books and numerous articles in Turkish, German,
English and other languages. Copies of "A Shameful Act" will be on sale at the
lecture.
For more information contact the Armenian Studies Program at 559.278.2669.
************************************************** ***********************
3 – ANCA-WR Establishes Haroutioun Kasparian Endowment Fund
GLENDALE – The establishment of the Haroutioun Kasparian
Endowment Fund was announced by the Armenian National Committee of America – Western
Region (ANCA-WR) last week. The endowment fund will be used to educate Armenian
American youth on issues related to the Armenian Cause. The endowment fund
will amount to $50,000 when it is fully funded.
Los Angeles resident Kasparian, a lifelong supporter of the
ANCA-WR, passed away on June 23, 2006. Among his memoirs, Kasparian wrote the
following: "I would like to convey, after my passing, that you [the Armenian people]
must love the Armenian Church because it is the Armenian Nation. And the
nation has an obligation to work for Hai-Tahd [the Armenian Cause] which isboth
our national pride and obligation."
"Haroutioun Kasparian was an Armenian American patriot,"
remarked ANCA-WR Chairman Raffi Hamparian. "He and his family have in the past and
will remain model ANC activists, always ready to lend a hand to advance the
Armenian Cause and participate in the miracle of American democracy. I will
forever miss Haroutioun and know that his endowment fund will make sure that a new
generation of Armenian Americans picks up the torch he held high for decades."
Haroutioun Kasparian was born on April 23, 1930 in Athens,
Greece. Born of parents who had survived the Armenian Genocide, Kasparian lost his
father at a young age and began working to support his family at the ripe age
of eleven. In 1946 his family moved to Soviet Armenia, where he lived for 22
years. During his time in Armenia he continued his education and fell in love
with and married Elizabeth Papazian. The couple had two children, a daughter
Arsho and a son, Vram. Due to the hardships of living in Soviet Armenia,
Kasparian fled the country in 1968 after a decade of attempting to immigrate to the
United States.
Arriving in America, Kasparian quickly found employment and began a
remarkably successful career in business.
Kasparian was an active member of the Armenian Church, a fervent
supporter of Homenetmen and a staunch patron of the Alex Pilibos School in
Hollywood. He was a deacon and among the first contributors to St. Garabed
Armenian Church in Hollywood. His wife Elizabeth has been a strong supporter of the
Armenian Relief Society "Mayr" Chapter. His son Vram was among the first
Homenetmen scouts in the Los Angeles area and his daughter Arsho has been a
consistent supporter of Alex Pilibos.
In all ways, Haroutioun Kasparian was proud of his Armenian heritage and was
especially proud of young Armenian Americans who supported the work of the
ANCA and other worthwhile Armenian causes. The ANCA-WR Haroutioun Kasparian
Endowment will forever honor this special Armenian American.
************************************************** ************************
4 – Glendale Calls for Nominations
For Art Achievement Awards
GLENDALE – The Cultural Affairs Section of the City of Glendale’s Parks,
Recreation and Community Services Department and Arts and Culture Commission
invites the public to submit nominations for the Glendale Diamond Awards
for Achievement in the Arts.
The Diamond Awards, in its second year, will recognize those artists,
arts organizations, community members and
businesses who have contributed substantially to the cultural life of the
community. Anyone can make a nomination by the deadline on February 7, 2007.
Recipients of the Diamond Awards will be publicly recognized at an event onMay
3.
Nomination forms and guidelines can be received by calling (818) 548-2780
or (818) 548-2781 or downloaded from the City’s website at

The Diamond Awards will be given annually in the following award
categories:
1. Emerging artist (12 – 18) – performing, visual, media or literary
arts.
2. Artist (19 and over) – performing, visual, media or literary arts.
3. Lifetime Achievement.
4. Arts organization, either non-profit or profit.
5. Community Partner – business or individual
All nominations will be reviewed by a committee of community representatives
and arts professionals; recommendations will be reviewed by the Arts and
Culture Commission. Not every category will be awarded each year.
Winners the first year included the following: David Vartanyan,
Young Artist; Mikayel Avetisyan, Artist; Lark Musical Society, Arts
Organization; Ted Osborn, Special Recognition; Edwin & Hilda Navasartian, Arts Partners –
Individual Jane Friend, Lifetime Achievement
To receive a copy of the guidelines and nomination form, call (818) 548-2780
or (818) 548-2781 or visit the City’s website.
********’***************************************** ************************
5 – Ara Najarian Named
To Metrolink Board
By Supervisor Molina
LOS ANGELES-City of Glendale Councilmember Ara Najarian was named to the
Metrolink Board of Directors by L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who also
serves as the Chair of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority.
Also named to the board is Baldwin Park Councilmember, Anthony J. Bejarano.
Councilmember Najarian is a member of the Metro Board of Directors, the
current Vice-Chair of the Glendale Redevelopment Agency, and past chair of the
Glendale Transportation and Parking commission. A graduate of Occidental College
and USC, Najarian has a law practice in Glendale where he makes his home with
his wife and two children. He was elected to the Glendale City Council in
2005.
Metrolink continues to be one of the nation’s fastest growing commuter rail
services, operating over seven routes through a six-county 512 route-mile
network.
****************************** ********************************************
6 – Armen Keuilian is Appreciated
By Students at Anaheim Hills
By Diane Reed
The Orange County Register
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Armen Keuilian is no ordinary teacher.
At 60, his middle school pupils adore him as if he were a rock star or a
legendary athlete.
They wave and call to him on the El Rancho Charter School campus in Anaheim
Hills. "I love you, Mr. K. I love you, Mr. K." It happens hundreds of times
each day.
"I can’t even take my wife, Jeannie, to the movies around here," he smiled.
"Because someone always stands up and shouts ‘I love you, Mr. K.’"
That’s how Keuilian’s first book got its title.
"I Love You, Mr. K" debuts Dec. 15 at $19 per copy. Although it is
self-published, his pupils – past and present – have vowed to make it a best seller.
"I’m going to get Mr. K on ‘Oprah,’" said pupil Bianca Bracero, 13. "I’ve
already e-mailed her hundreds of times."
Keuilian is a French and Spanish teachers, but pupils say languages are
secondary to the six principles he teacher: respect, honesty, integrity,
compassion, honor, and love.
"The dos and don’ts," former pupil Taylor Moore calls them. "I’ve learned a
lot of life lessons from him."
Former pupils often come by to tell him how he has changed their lives.
"I measure my success now by their achievements," he said.
His nonfiction book chronicles 10 years as a teacher and the joy of helping
3,000pupils set and attain their goals.
"My book is about love – agape love," he said. It has nothing to do with this
other kind of thing that’s going on (between teachers and students) these
days."
It is also about hate – the kind his father suffered after being orphaned by
Turks who massacred hundreds of thousands of Armenian Christians, including
his grandmother. Keuilian’s family fled to Jordan, then immigrated to the U.S.
El Rancho Principal John Besta considers Keuilian a rare find.
"I was very fortunate to hire Armen," Besta said. "He was not your average
new teacher."
He answered the call to teach at 50. He was nine credits shy of a college
diploma when he dropped out and went into business with his brothers.
"It took me 27 years to go back and get my degree," he said.
"At his (teaching) interview," Besta said, " what I saw in his eyes was
passion. This man was committed to his work. This was a man that you would want
to teach your child."
************************************* **************************************
7 – ‘The Case of Misak Torlakian’ to be
Discussed at Glendale Library, Jan. 17
GLENDALE – Attorney Vartkes Yeghiayan’s book "The Case of Misak Torlakian,"
will be discussed at a Jan. 17 lecture at the Glendale Public Library, 222 East
Harvard St, Glendale, starting at 7 p.m.
The free event is cosponsored by the Friends of the Glendale Public Library,
the Glendale Bar Assn and the Armenian Bar Assn.
"The defendant is acquitted at the expense of the state treasury. In
accordance with the decision of the jury, the defendant is not guilty of the
punishable act with which he has been charged."
The charge was murder.
The defendant, Misak Torlakian, shot Bibhub Khan Javanshir outside the Per
Palace Hotel in Constantinople (Istanbul) on July 18, 1921, yet he was found not
guilty.
"The Case of Misak Torlakian," a new book by Attorney Vartkes Yeghiayan and
Ara Arabyan, reveals the trial transcript concerning the Armenian Ottoman
subject who was tried and aquitted by a British Military Court on the charge of
murdering the Ex-Minister of the Interior of Azerbaijan.
The book provides an examination of the legal process of a British Military
Court after the Armenian genocide. History, theology, philosophy, physiology,
psychology and politics were used by the attorneys during the trial. As a
result, the landmark legal case became not just a murder trial, but also a study
of the political, social and economic strategies in the Middle East and a
discussion of the rivalries between Armenians, Azeris, Turks, the British and
Bolsheviks for control of oil.
The author, Glendale attorney Vartkes Yeghiayan, recently reached a $20
million settlement between new York Life Insurance and the heirs of Armenian
genocide victims and Armenian charitable organizations.
*********************************** ***********************************
************** ************************************************** **********
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Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted through this
service. Information in that regard should be telephoned to (818) 409-0949;
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******************************* *******************************************

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Jan 4 2007

Turkish foreign and security policy analysis (II)
Huseyin Bagci

[email protected] January 2007

In the second part of last year there was a big expectation that a
"train crash" was imminent in Turkish-European Union relations since
Turkey was accused of failing to do its best to carry on the reform
process in the first part.

Turkey’s reform fatigue is a fact. After hard negotiations with the
EU over the course of the last couple of years, the Turkish
government concentrated on reducing anti-EU sentiments among the
people in light of the sharp fall in public support for the EU bid,
which was estimated late last year as 35 percent, a all-time low.

The Turks distrusted EU decisions and considered the Union one-sided
and against Turkey’s national interests, which gave great strength to
the country’s anti-EU forces. EU politicians’ statements concerning
Turkey’s membership in certain countries were met by great anger, and
the government had to face accusations that it, for instance, gave
unilateral compromises to the EU on political issues. So the
screening process finished in October and state institutions found
the opportunity to see their weaknesses and strengths in the course
of negotiation process. It was beneficial for all as almost all
delegates in Brussels during the screening process admitted that both
the EU and Turkey recognized each other and that it’s healthier for
both sides to go on with this level of knowledge during the process.

Another turning point was June 12, when the Greek Cypriot
administration, together with Austria, tried to make life more
difficult for Turkey during negotiations on the first chapter. The
Turks considered this ”Chinese torture,” and lost their confidence
in the EU. Since then the reform process lost its allure for Turkey.
In other words, the Turkish psyche saw a great change since June,
which considerably disappointed the Turkish government. Probably
without the initiative of British Ambassador to Ankara Peter
Westmacott, the Turkish government wouldn’t have stuck with the
process. The EU was seen as having been taken "political hostage” by
Greek Cypriots, and more of this would do harm to Turkish-EU
relations.

The Turkish public showed another interesting reaction to the EU.
Turks came to wonder why the EU shows little interest in elections
system, trade unions and social policies but is fond of harping on a
couple of political issues like the so-called Armenian genocide
claims, the Cyprus issue and the Kurdish problem.

EU policies were questioned in the second part of the year under the
Finnish presidency in particular. In the last six months, there was a
cat and mouse gave with Turkey, and it was under strong political
pressure. The case of novelist Elif Safak as well as Nobel winner
author Orhan Pamuk caused ill winds between the EU and Turkey due to
penal code Article 301. Both were acquitted, allegedly due to intense
EU pressure. Pamuk’s Nobel even didn’t change the atmosphere in the
country, and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer didn’t congratulate Pamuk
even while the government did.

State policy somehow succeeded in staying pro-EU until it faced a
nasty experience which rekindled debates between the government and
the military in early October. Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar
Buyukanit criticized a report released by the Turkish Economic and
Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) on civilian-military relations —
actually a purely academic paper — as the report, funded by
foreigners, pointed to the military’s dominance of Turkish politics.

In the EU’s fall progress report, there was constructive criticism of
Turkey’s policies and it became clearer that the EU had no intention
of totally breaking off the negotiation process. French and German
pressure on Turkey to fulfill the additional protocol, which would
lead to de jure recognition of Greek Cyprus, was rejected by Turkish
government. Clearly the Greek Cypriots’ and Greeks’ concerted action
against Turkey was partially successful, and the last-minute attempt
by the Turkish government to open one harbor and one airport was
rejected automatically.

The final decision of the EU to prevent a train crash and freeze
eight out of 35 chapters was a last-minute solution but a good one.
It was a better alternative than canceling the whole process. Both
sides won three extra years to reconsider their policies. At least
for the first time in many years Turkey wasn’t the main topic of an
EU summit.

What happens now? Turkey will remain a negotiating country and will
also act together with the EU in several fields. Turkey’s role in the
Middle East after the execution of Saddam Hussein will be much
important and the EU, as a global player, will need Turkey more in
the coming years while Turkey will need Europe in order to continue
its reform process.

On Cyprus, there will probably not be a solution, as the Greek
Cypriots want it. No Turkish government would see the Turks there as
minority. So Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President
Mehmet Ali Talat will take a further initiative like the very last
one to open another gate for civilians to the Greek Cypriot side. The
EU will eventually lift end the unjust isolation.

The Turkish government’s policy of finding a solution to the problem
based on the UN framework means that there is no solution. This
government under Erdogan was probably the first and last government
to be so close to a solution. It’s become clear that the Greek
Cypriots aren’t interested in a solution. This tactic, "no solution
is the solution," will continue.

The new members, Bulgaria and Romania, will enrich the EU but there
will be other problems in the further enlargement process. It would
be in Turkey’s interest to support the enlargement of the EU to
include the remaining Balkan countries even if Turkey’s membership
process takes longer. A more stable Balkans is in Turkey’s interest.

In the final analysis, except for the Cyprus issue, Turkish-EU
relations were less fragile compared to the past. Turkey faces two
elections in 2007, after which we will see how the next government
handles Turkish-EU relations.

Another fact remains, however: the general orientation remains EU
membership and for the EU to anchor Turkey as much as possible to
Europe. In other words, there’s nothing new in the West except for
some unwanted remarks from certain EU politicians.

ARMENIAN STATESMEN VISIT ERABLUR PANTHEON

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. High-ranking Armenian officials
visited on December 30 the Erablur Pantheon. The Armenian President
Robert Kocharian, the RA National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian,
the Prime Minister Andranik Margarian, the Defence Minister Serge
Sargsian, the top officials of the RA armed forces, the Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian, the Minister of Territorial Administration
Hovik Abrahamian, Yerevan’s Mayor Ervand Zakarian and a number of
other high-ranking officials paid a trubute of respect to the martyrs
of the Artsakh war and laid wreaths at the graves of Commander
Andranik and Sparapet Vazgen Sargsian.

ARMENIA WANTS TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND OPEN BORDERS WITH TURKEY

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 25 2006

Turkey has received offers from the government of Armenia which has
remained outside of the important projects, carried out in region,
on establishment of diplomatic relations and opening of borders,
correspondent of AzerTAc to Turkey reported.

In the letter of Minister of Defense of Armenia Serzh Sarkisyan,
published in magazine "The Wall Street Journal", it is stated: "We
intend to establish with Turkey diplomatic relations, not putting
forward the basic condition of genocide". Noting, that "we wish to
look forward", the Armenian minister expresses hope that discussions
carried out by Turkey with the European Union give reason for that.

At the same time, marking, that to keep in the agenda of so-called
"genocide" is necessary from the point of view of memory of the past
and prevention of similar crimes against humanity. Serzh Sarkisyan
also marks: "In case Turkey will open the borders, Armenia from the
geo-politic point of view becomes closer to the Europe, and we do
not wish to remain forever enemies with Turkey".

Political analysts of Turkey mark, that the Armenian lobby functioning
in America and Europe is behind this offer, and the basic purpose of
it consists that Armenians wish the railway Kars-Akhalakalaki-Gumru to
function. The Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway, the construction
of which will begin in the spring of 2007, has caused serious concern
in Armenia.

Turkish politicians mark, that discussion of the given offers is
possible only after execution of the conditions of Ankara, that
is, when will be put an end to the aggression of Armenia against
Azerbaijan, to territorial claims to Turkey and propagation of
so-called "genocide".

ENTERPRISES RECEIVING SUPPORT OF SME DNC MANUFACTURE 50 NEW PRODUCTS IN 2006

Noyan Tapan
Dec 25 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Under the program of promoting
products and services of small and medium entrepreneurship (SME)
subjects, the SME Development National Center (SME DNC) of Armenia
in 2006 provided assistance to 187 SME subjects, including 144
on production packaging, labeling and design, 6 – on creation of
Internet sites, 35 – on participation in exhibitions, and two – on
itroduction of international standards on quality management. Gegham
Petrosian, Deputy Executive Director of the SME DNC, stated this
during the December 25 press conference. According to him, the
results of the monitoring implemented under the above mentioned
program show that 150 jobs were created in 2006 at 187 SME subjects
that received assistance. Besides, these SME subjects increased the
assortment of their production, presenting about 50 new goods on
the market. The speaker noted that the SME DNC initiated a program
on innovations, and research and development of new technologies’
use and new goods’ production at SMEs subjects in Yerevan and
marzes. The program will start in 2007 to assist 10-15 SME subjects
with innovations, introduction of new technologies and production of
new goods. G. Petrosian noted that advisory and technical assistance
has already been provided to SME subjects that operate at Yerevan’s
Andron Scientific Research Institute-Technopark CJSC.

PETROS MAKEYAN DOES NOT EXCLUDE POSSIBILITY OF GEORGIAN VARIANT OF POWER SHIFT IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The only achievement of Armenia in
2006 was chess victories, but the authorities try to use even them for
their own purposes. Petros Makeyan, Chairman of the Democratic Homeland
Party, declared this at the December 22 meeting with journalists. In
his words, we can consider as positive the circumstance that the
Nagorno Karabakh war was not resumed in 2006, which, however, is not
the achievement of the Armenian authorities. As P.Makeyan affirmed, the
recent murder of Nalbandian village head has a political character. In
his words, all recent scandalous murders are "brawls within the
power." "Under these conditions when the authorities started to
shoot at one another for retaining the power, the opposition should
understand that they should put aside all ambitions and cooperate
for the sake of their goal in order to take the country out of
this situation," P.Makeyan said. Speaking about the plans for 2007,
P.Makeyan said that the Alternative initiative and the Democratic
Homeland Party making part of it will struggle "for seizing the
power in Armenia." In his words, they should pass several stages
for achieving this goal, one of which is moving political processes
from the sphere of charity to political sphere. P.Makeyan said that
they should do the respective work with the public. In particular,
in early February of the coming year the Alternative plans to hold a
large rally in Yerevan. In the words of the Democratic Homeland Party
chairman, the situation’s outcome is possible both during elections and
before or after them. He did not exclude the Georgian variant of power
shift, as well as the Armenian variant of 1990-s when the power levers
and resources were completely in the hands of Soviet authorities,
but the Armenian National Movement managed to gain victory.

UK church leaders pledge to be ‘voice of the voiceless of Bethlehem’

Independent Catholic News, UK
Dec 23 2006

Leaving Bethlehem this morning after a three-day pilgrimage, the UK’s
church leaders pledged themselves to continue to be a "voice for the
voiceless" on behalf of the beleaguered people of the town.

The Rt Revd David Coffey, president of the Churches Together in
England, was speaking on behalf of the Archbishops of Canterbury and
Westminster, and the Armenian Patriarch of Great Britain, after they
received symbolic Bethlehem passports.

The passports are an initiative of Open Bethlehem, a campaign which
began in 2005 to draw the world,s attention to the plight of the
town, which is in economic meltdown following the construction of a
30-foot-high wall by the Israeli army. The Israeli measures imposed
since 2000 have led to a catastrophic decline in the number of
pilgrimages to the town, on which its economy depends.

According to a 2004 UN report unemployment and poverty have caused
more than 400 Christian families to leave Bethlehem in search of
livelihoods abroad.

Shortly after walking through the checkpoint on Thursday, a visibly
shocked Archbishop of Canterbury said the wall symbolized "all that
is wrong in the human heart".

"Your visit reassures us that we are not forgotten," Leila Sansour,
Open Bethlehem,s chief executive, told the four pilgrims.

She said the passports signalled "our hope that you will continue to
be ambassadors for Bethlehem after you return home. She asked that
"whenever you travel you will speak about Bethlehem and remember us,
a people who long to travel in dignity and freedom."

There has so far been only one passport given: Pope Benedict XVI
received the Bethlehem passport in December 2005 from the Palestinian
president, Mahmoud Abbas.

"We are fortunate to have such distinguished ambassadors to speak
for us," Sansour said.

The passport asks the bearer to "remain a true friend to Bethlehem
through its imprisonment and that he or she will "strive to keep the
ideals of Bethlehem alive as long as the wall stands."

Mr Coffey in turn presented Leila Sansour with a Christmas card signed
by hundreds of people in Durham, in north-east England. The card shows
Mary and Joseph approaching Bethlehem but finding the town imprisoned
behind a wall.

‘We support your struggle for peace with justice’ – were the words
on the inside of the card.

The Open Bethlehem delegation included a representative of the Governor
of Bethlehem, as well as the coordinator of a network of Christian
organizations in Bethlehem and a representative of the World Council
of Churches.

The church leaders spent yesterday visiting Christian and humanitarian
projects in Bethlehem, including Bethlehem University (where 70 per
cent of the students are Muslim), the Holy Family hospital and the
Arab Rehabilitation Society, a hospital for the disabled.

At the university, the church leaders received from the students a
piece of a demolished house belonging to the family of one of the
students, as well as a candle and a handpainted tile.

Rather than hand over the stone from the demolished house to his
advisers, Dr Williams kept hold of it throughout his visit to the
university.

The students spoke of life under occupation, the sense of imprisonment,
and their anxieties about their future.

Text of Leila Sansour’s address:

"Your Grace, Your Eminence, Your Beatitude, Reverend Coffey:

As you end your pilgrimage to our city, my friends and I from
Bethlehem,s civil institutions wish to send you on your way with our
most heartfelt regards. Your visit was timely, not only because it is
Christmas, the time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. But
also because our city today is very isolated. Your visit reassures
us that we are not forgotten.

On Thursday the Mayor of Bethlehem awarded you the freedom of our
city. Today, on behalf of the Governor of Bethlehem, I would like to
present you with a Bethlehem passport to signal our hope that you will
continue to be ambassadors for Bethlehem after you return home, and
that whenever you travel you will speak about Bethlehem and remember
us, a people who also long to travel in dignity and freedom.

This passport has so far only been given to one, very distinguished
person His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, who received it from our
president, Mahmoud Abbas. We are fortunate indeed to have such
distinguished ambassadors to speak for us.

The passport is an initiative of Open Bethlehem, a campaign to keep
Bethlehem free and open. The presence of the four of you here has
brought these aims closer. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you
for your time, dedication and prayers. We thank you for the warm bonds
with the people of Britain which it will help to forge; and we thank
you for bringing closer the peace and justice for which we all long."

Text of response by Rt Revd David Coffey:

"I know I speak for all the pilgrims when I say your words were
very moving. Each day we have been given treasures, and this is a
very special treasure that we take away with us. We bring something
very modest in return but nonetheless very meaningful to us. There
are many towns and communities who have pledged their support for
Bethlehem. This says: ‘Christmas greetings from the people of Durham
to the people of Bethlehem’. It says we support your struggle for
peace with justice; it carries the names and addresses of people who
have signed it.

What we have found here in Bethlehem is a people with identity, a
people with a story. And although we don,t know the stories of all
these people, they are real people, and they say they support you.

As we return, we do pledge to continue to be a voice for the voiceless
and we will continue with stand you in prayer at the end of our
pilgrimage."

Source: Open Bethlehem/ACN

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 22 2006

SPEAKER OF AZERBAIJAN PARLIAMENT MEETS DIRECTOR OF THE OSCE OFFICE
FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
[December 22, 2006, 22:01:46]

Speaker of Azerbaijan Parliament Ogtay Asadov on 22 December met with
Christian Strohal, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights.

Chairman of the Milli Majlis said that after gaining its
independence, one of the priorities of country~Rs policy has been
integration to all international organizations, including the OSCE
and its Parliamentary Assembly, the Euro-Atlantic structures.
President Ilham Aliyev successfully pursues this policy, he
emphasized. ~QAppropriate structures of the OSCE has played great role
in preparation of the Election Code of the Azerbaijan Republic and
improvement of many other legislative acts~R.

Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
Ogtay Asadov highlighted on the problem, noting that the conflict can
only be solved in the frame of Minsk Group and on international legal
principles, in the frame of territorial integrity and inviolability
of borders.

Mr. Christian Strohal expressed readiness for further cooperation
with the Republic, noting this would be mutually beneficial.

In meeting, also exchanged were views on a number of other questions
of mutual interest.