Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

GOING TRIBAL DURING ELECTIONS
By Patrick Azadian

Glendale News Press, CA
April 9 2007

I had promised myself to take a break from writing about the elections
after April 3.

And once again, I am breaking a promise to myself.

But one more week and I’ll be back at my drab "Can’t we (all) just get
along?" routine. Besides, based on the election results, it doesn’t
really seem we are all getting along anyway.

Why the bleak forecast?

I am basing my opinion on the most prominent features of the recent
Glendale municipal elections.

The first feature has to do with the lack of support for candidates
with vision and potential for broad support. With the exception of John
Drayman in the City Council race, Mary Boger in the Glendale Unified
School District race and Tony Tartaglia in the Glendale Community
College board race, all other candidates with a solid background and
universal appeal registered below-par results.

Track record, the potential to build bridges, solid goals and the
willingness to run a campaign did not seem to count for much during
these elections – and neither did the late hours spent at their
campaign headquarters by some candidates.

Take Elizabeth Manasserian, for example; she came in with 14.1%
of the votes (pre-provisional). She trailed Todd Hunt by 7.3%.

Nayiri Nahabedian, the pre-provisional winner of one of the seats,
came in at 21.5%, a slim 0.1% advantage to Hunt.

A quick look at Hunt’s candidate statement reveals his main credentials
for the position. The first is: "I was born and raised in Glendale
and have lived here for over 40 years." And the second has to do with
his desire to provide all kids in this district the best education
possible. That sounds simple and genuine.

Yet, an unbiased evaluation of his credentials and campaign efforts
compared to Manasserian’s and Nahabedian’s should conclude that the
latter two were both better qualified for the position than Hunt.

Despite their "quirky" last names, Manasserian and Nahabedian deserved
better.

Then there was Rafi Manoukian. Although some may claim that Manoukian
was a victim of anti-incumbent feelings, and there was a fresh wind
of change sweeping Glendale, the re-election of Dave Weaver puts the
validity of those slogans to rest.

Eric Hacopian, a veteran political consultant who worked on Manoukian
campaign, has said that Weaver "got lucky and he got the right last
name." Whether Hacopian’s assessment is correct, what hurt Manoukian
most was the split in votes within the Armenian-American community.

The Armenian community cannot blame the divide-and-conquer phenomenon
on any source but itself. If indeed Manoukian was the candidate who
understood the needs of this particular community best, it was the
community’s naivete that was instrumental in his defeat.

This brings us to the next feature of these elections: Chahe
Keuroghelian. At 11.8% of the votes, Keuroghelian showed strong
promise. His campaign resonated well in south Glendale and registered
a 38.6% of the votes at the Church of Perfect Liberty polling station,
south of Colorado Street. With his efforts directed almost entirely
to the Armenian-American residents, it is not difficult to see that
it’s unlikely to win elections purely on ethnic votes.

Furthermore, with the exception of Manoukian (20% of the votes at the
same polling location), Keuroghelian was one of the few candidates
who reached out to the south.

Maybe council members and future candidates can do the same. For
someone with Drayman’s vision, this should be natural. I won’t be
surprised if he quickly reaches out to all segments of our city.

Based on his own statements about having support from across the
spectrum, however, Weaver does not seem to have much work to do in this
department. Voting along the ethnic and socio-economic lines was not
a surprise. What was a surprise was the degree in which candidates’
qualifications were not questioned as long some had the right look and
the right last names. Rewarding candidates who were not as committed
to their own campaigns with our votes did not set a good precedent.

And sadly, that sounds like a case of reverse affirmative action.

Did we all put a little too much emphasis on our tribal instincts? I
think so. But, then again, I could be wrong. Besides, the truth is
not an absolute, but what the majority agrees on.

The Scotsman, UK
April 7, 2007, Saturday
1 Edition

Size, beauty and a sense of history are reasons why I call capital
home I have a giddy appreciation of Edinburgh and all it has to offer

by Lee Randall

PEOPLE keep asking: "Now that you’re getting divorced, are you
planning to go home?" I always pause, mildly confused, then joke that
with my lousy health I can’t be parted from the NHS. OK, maybe it’s
not such a joke. I am still paying off the New York hospital that
saved my uninsured self with an emergency appendectomy in 1995 (the
other dollars 20k in doctors’ bills I settled by liquidating
retirement accounts). But the reason this persistent question baffles
is because, as far as I’m concerned, I am home.

I was 15 the first time I visited Edinburgh and even then – it’s one
of those curious, clinging memories – I felt this was a liveable
city. Yet it seemed inconceivable that such a change of address would
ever happen. When life surprised me by bringing me to Britain to live
after all, I settled in Glasgow and thought, well, that’s that. Don’t
get me wrong, Glasgow’s another great city. Maybe it’ll lure me back
one day. Maybe London will call, or my beloved Durham. But, right
now, there’s nowhere else I’d rather live – not even mad, magical New
York.

What makes somewhere a liveable city, as opposed to a holiday
paradise or the ideal dirty weekend destination? That’s a tough
question and maybe one that can only be answered personally, one
gal’s meat being another’s poison, and all. Why did a day trip to
Verona leave me with the same sense that a person could easily build
a life there, even though Venice is much more fun?

Partly, it’s a sense of scale. Edinburgh is navigable and accessible.
I’ve not explored it end to end yet, but I’ve covered a lot of
ground, much of it on foot. While Manhattan’s not tremendously large
either, people tend to stick to their neighbourhoods, much as they do
in London. One of the things I loved about living in Hoboken was that
it comprised only a square mile, so you could inhabit it entirely.
Plus, the gossip in me loves the slightly inbred, small-town quality
of such cities. In a good mood, I welcome the sight of the same old
faces at parties and business functions – familiarity that breeds
contentment. In a bad mood, I just stay home.

Then there’s Edinburgh’s breathtaking beauty. VisitScotland should
give me a commendation for the way I go on about it to anyone who’ll
listen. Every morning, crossing the Meadows, I gaze left across the
greensward and then right, taking in Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s
Seat, which also forms a dramatic backdrop to our offices, making it
a more looming constant in my life than the equally imposing castle.

And walking home the other night from the National Gallery, I was
struck for about the millionth time by the soft, opalescent quality
of the light. At 8:30pm, the sun was mostly down, but night had yet
to fall. It was the end of a glorious day that had seen the city’s
parks buzzing with life (I love parks that are properly used – that’s
what they’re there for!). Now, the Meadows was winding down, but
there were still bongo players clustered on the grass and some
joggers livening the place up. In the azure sky a single star (was it
Venus?) blazed with a diamond’s intensity. Bliss.

Edinburgh is also a city of sly sideways views. Down an alleyway
you’ll catch a sudden glimpse of history, an unexpected bow window, a
hidden garden. Walking to an interview in Polwarth I stood on the
canal bridge for ages, entranced by the presence of water, a disused
barge, an old boathouse. On Sunday I entered a building I’d presumed
to be a deserted outpost of Holyrood Palace and discovered Miss
Havisham’s restaurant – actually the Armenian Aghtamar Lake Van
Monastery in Exile, populated, for one night, with a marvellous group
of eccentric academics gathered for a plentiful meal and a spin round
the dance floor led by a man in a woolly hat. How does this place
exist? Thank goodness it does!

I haven’t even mentioned the festivals or the year-round cultural
feast on offer, the good shopping and dining, the views over the
Firth of Forth, or the psychedelic blast when you’re on the Mound
overlooking the blaze that is Winter Wonderland lit up at nighttime.
Nor have I described the absurdity of fuming in a slow Tesco queue,
only to feel my anger dissolve when the cashiers and customers
spontaneously broke into song. It was Yellow Submarine.

I suppose in spring a (not so) young woman’s fancy turns to thoughts
of love. In this transitional phase of my life, those twitterpations
are finding an outlet in this giddy appreciation of my home. And
that’s Edinburgh.

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF TOMORROW

ArmRadio.am
07.04.2007 13:30

The election campaign of the May 12 parliamentary elections is starting
on April 8. All 24 parties and 1 alliance have equal right to use free
and paid air time on Public TV and Public Radio. I compliance with
RA Electoral Code, the Central Electoral Commission will publicize
the procedure and schedule of provision of free and paid air time on
April 8.

The political parties can use also the paid air time of private TV
Companies. The elections propaganda can be carried out through public
arrangements, distribution of print or video materials.

The electoral campaign will continue through the 10th of May:
any propaganda is prohibited on the day of voting and the day
before. Electoral commissions are due to control the commitment to
the set procedure of propaganda.

Publishing of results of public opinion polls on the rating of
candidates, parties and alliances is prohibited on May 5-12 at 20:00.

Let us remind that 25 parties have submitted necessary documents to
the Central Electoral Commission, all of which were registered. The
CEC registered 134 out of 141 majoritarian candidates that submitted
documents.

The candidates, parties and alliances can withdraw their candidacies
before May 2.

ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTER, NATO CHIEF DISCUSS TIES

Arminfo
5 Apr 07

Yerevan, 5 April: NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
positively assesses Armenia’s fulfilment of the Individual Partnership
Action Plan with NATO, Scheffer said at his meeting with Armenian
acting Defence Minister Serzh Sargsyan held in Brussels on 4
April. Sargsyan is in Brussels with a working visit to attend a NATO
meeting in the format of Armenia-NATO 26+1.

According to Armenian Defence Ministry press service, Scheffer said
that he was informed about the political developments in Armenia and
hoped that regardless the position Sargsyan is to hold NATO-Armenian
relations will continue to develop.

NATO’s special representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Robert
Simmons, who also attended the meeting, positively assessed Armenia’s
fulfilment of the plan. The parties discussed issues related to reforms
in the defence sector, the national security strategy, cooperation and
Armenia’s participation in peacekeeping missions. "I hope that positive
trends will continue, and we can expand cooperation," Simmons said.

"Certainly, an efficient army is the main guarantor of our security. In
addition to this, relations with NATO and our participation in the
CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization] make our security
system complete," Sargsyan said.

On the same day, Sargsyan met EU Commissioner for External Relations
and Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who welcomed Armenia’s
efforts in the new European Neighbourhood policy. The parties pointed
to the importance of holding forthcoming parliamentary election in
line with European standards.

Serzh Sargsyan was appointed prime minister by a presidential decree
on 4 April.

Armenian National Committee of East San Fernando Valley
c/o Manug Haladjian
11719 Moorpark Street
Studio City, CA 91604
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
April 5, 2007

Contact: Manug Haladjian
Tel: 818 500 1918

ANC of East San Fernando Valley CA Hosts Open House for Local Officials

STUDIO CITY, CA – The Armenian National Committee of East San Fernando
Valley, California (ANC East SFV) hosted an open house for local
community officials to meet members of the East San Fernando Valley
Armenian American community on Friday, March 16th at its Studio City
Armenian Center. Officials that were in attendance included Los Angeles
City Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, President of Neighborhood Council of
Studio City Rafi Kuyumjian, and from the office of Congressman Howard
Berman, Robert Blumenfield.

The purpose of the event was to present to city officials various
community initiatives that have been completed and those that are still
underway. For the past few years, the ANC has assisted with registering
voters and providing information on key initiatives, as one of the ANC
East SFV’s goals is to educate and convey the importance of Armenian
American constituents to candidates running for office. The event also
provided an opportunity for members of the extensive and growing local
Armenian business community in the East San Fernando Valley to meet and
acquaint themselves with city officials.

"Events like this allow us to work with our elected officials to give
our community a chance to meet and interact with their representatives
in government," remarked ANC East SFV Chair Manug Haladjian.

The event also featured a presentation by the Armenian Relief Society’s
local East San Fernando Valley Chapter regarding their social services
and community outreach activities. ARS-Western Region Chairwoman Sonia
Peltekian joined the local ARS leadership for the presentation.

Following the presentation traditional food was served allowing the
guests to enjoy Armenian hospitality.

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.

###

ATTEMPTS TO ENSURE SECURITY OF ONE STATE AT EXPENSE OF THE OTHER ARE CHIMERICAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.04.2007 14:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Russia proposes to launch a process of joint
assessment of the missile and nuclear threats Europe and CIS can
face," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a lecture
at the Yerevan State University. Russia hopes to resume a dialogue
on anti-missile defense with NATO, according to him.

"We eye the one-sided decision to install U.S. anti-missile defense
devices in Central and Eastern Europe as a risk for Russia and whole
Europe. When we are told about technological breakthrough without
presenting any arguments, we can say one thing: this should not be
done by undermining strategic stability and creation of security
deficit in the other states," the RF FM said.

He also said that the attempts to ensure security of one state at
the expense of the others are chimerical.

"The understanding achieved by the Russian and U.S. Presidents will
allow resuming of collective discussions on anti-missile defense
between Russia and NATO," Sergey Lavrov said.

FIGHTING FOR ARMENIA
Alexander Mkrtchian for RIA Novosti

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 3 2007
Moscow

In all civilized countries people see elections as an opportunity to
improve their lives, to build a stronger state and improve security.

Similar attitudes prevail in Armenia today because the outcome of the
forthcoming parliamentary elections will largely determine changes in
government and society, prospects for settling the Karabakh crisis,
and success of the efforts to overcome the consequences of the Armenian
genocide. These are major regional and international issues.

But ordinary Armenians have more faith in real power than promises.

It is no accident that the public preferences are with the parties of
power – the Republicans and the newly-established Prosperous Armenia
Party (PAP). The opposition parties are obviously weak.

The PAP was set up with the support of the current administration
and is headed by local oligarch Gagik Tsarukian. In the forthcoming
presidential elections, he is unlikely to put up a serious fight
against the only favorite Serzh Sarkisian. Even the name of Prosperous
Armenia sounds more like a declaration. In effect, its leader is a man
whose business has prospered largely due to the benevolent attitude
of the current authorities.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation deserves special mention. This
party has made a great contribution to the success of the Karabakh
movement; it is widely respected by the numerous Armenians who live
outside the CIS, and has been trying to restore its positions in
Russia and other former Soviet republics. It looks like this party
will receive about 10% of the votes and have a voice in parliament.

It will probably support the Republican presidential nominee Serzh
Sarkisian, and a Russia-oriented strategy.

The prospects of Russian-Armenian strategic partnership are rather
bleak since the modern geopolitical alignment of forces in the Caucasus
does not favor Armenia and Russia. The U.S., Europe and Turkey are
confidently paving the way for NATO into Central Asia through Georgia
and Azerbaijan. The West has been closely watching the Caspian
oil-and-gas projects and construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines, railways and highways bypassing
Armenia, and may decide to stage a major geopolitical experiment in
the region.

The United States and its allies want to stay in the region in the
long term not only because the Caspian is rich in energy and Central
Asia in strategic raw materials but also to gain control of the
most important territories and communications, exert pressure on the
oil-bearing Iran and eradicate Russia’s traditional influence there.

Regrettably, Orthodox Georgia is turning into a vehicle of
implementing Western strategy and geopolitics in the Caucasus and
Central Asia. Hence, fighting for Armenia will determine who controls
the South Caucasus, and can exert certain influence on Asia Minor.

For this reason, the West and Russia are equally interested in Robert
Kocharian’s successor.

For us the best choice will be Serzh Sarkisian, defense minister and
secretary of the Armenian Security Council. As a government official,
he has climbed the career ladder starting from the bottom, and held
key positions in security-related bodies of Nagorny Karabakh and
Armenia. He knows the domestic situation well and has built a good
working relationship with his Russian colleagues. All these factors
should contribute to the consolidation of strategic partnership.

There is no united opposition in Armenia, which does not mean that
the presidential elections will be uneventful. The Western favorite
is Vardan Oskanian, who has been Armenia’s foreign minister during
all these years.

In order to promote their strategic partnership Russia and Armenia
should look for new opportunities to expand trade and economic
relations, and military-technical and cultural cooperation. Armenia
requires additional security guarantees in the event of an armed
provocation in the Karabakh conflict area. In turn, Armenia should
have a clear-cut concept of national security. Russia, on the other
hand, must clearly see the framework of a common security system in
the region in general, and in Armenia, in particular.

The inter-government commission on economic cooperation between Russia
and Armenia should probably step up its activities. It could include
reputable representatives of civil institutions from both sides.

Russian companies have bought Armenian energy facilities, and are not
enthusiastic about investing in the local economy, especially in small
and medium-sized businesses. By comparison, in the period between
1992 and 2001,Turkey set up 1,327 businesses of different status on
the territory of its main South Caucasian partner, Azerbaijan.

Armenian society is hoping that the visit of Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov will contribute to the promotion of bilateral ties.

Yerevan understands that the present and future of Russian-Armenian
relations largely determine political stability in the South
Caucasus. Despite intensive activities of NATO and the European Union
in the region, Armenia continues to be Russia’s reliable partner.

Yerevan is maintaining relations of trust with Russia when it comes
to national security, and is trying to avoid problems that may
require force majeure solutions. This is my view of Armenian foreign
policy. Its positive development largely depends on Russia’s position,
and on its predictable and resolute action in the region.

Alexander Mkrtchian is a member of the Union of Armenians in Russia
board.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not
necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

GAGIK MINASIAN RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF CIS INTERPARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY’S PERMANENT COMMISSION OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2007

DUSHANBE, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The sitting of the CIS
Interparliamentary Assembly’s Permanent Commission of Economy and
Finance took place in Dushanbe on April 3, during which Gagik Minasian,
Chairman of the RA National Assembly’s Standing Committee of Financial,
Credit, Budgetary and Economic Issues, was re-elected, in his absence,
Chairman of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly’s Permanent Commission
of Economy and Finance. NT was informed about it from the RA National
Assembly PR Department.

PORT KAVKAZ – POTI FERRY LINK TO BE PUT INTO OPERATION ON APRIL 5

Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Port Kavkaz – Poti ferry link will
be put into operation on April 5. NT correspondent was informed
about it by the RA Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik
Manukian. According to him, initially one ferry will operate, then –
two ones. A. Manukian said that tariffs on cargo transportation by
ferry have already been established. These tariffs are by over 20%
lower than those of "Ukrferry" – the Ukrainian transporter.

PARTICIPANTS OF QUARTER FINAL OF ARMENIAN FOOTBALL CUP TOURNAMENT BECOME KNOWN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 02 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Return games of 1/8 final of Armenian
Football Cup Tournament took place on March 31 and April 1. The
following results were registered: Bentonit – Gandzasar 2 to 0, Ulis
– Ararat 2 to 0, Mika-2 – Shirak 0 to 1, Banants-2 – Kilikia 2 to 0,
Ararat – Pyunik-2 1 to 0, Dinamo – Banants 1 to 3. Banants – Kilikia,
Ararat – Ulis, Shirak – Mika, Bentonit – Pyunik pairs will play in
the quarter final. First games of quarter final are fixed for April
5-6 and the return games for April 10-11.