Category: News

Kommersant, Russia
Jan 28 2005
Doing unto Others: The Price of the Question
World Practice
There have been too many coincidences to think that it is accidental.
Mikhail Saakashvili is making the rounds in Strasbourg with new peace
proposals for South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and what do you know?, at
the very same time the leaders of the two unrecognized states, Eduard
Kokoity and Sergey Bagapsh, turn up in Moscow and shriek in chorus
that the peace proposals are practically a declaration of war and
hitting him on both fronts at once. The next day, the UN Security
Council discusses Abkhazia on Moscow’s initiative and without any
representation from Georgia. It becomes clear that Russia sees no
reason for the Georgian ambassador to be present at discussions of
the Abkhazian problem. But you have to think that the problem has a
little to do with Georgia too.
Bagapsh, leader of sunny Abkhazia, has declared how happy he is to
have met Kokoity in snowy Moscow and that he intends to `coordinate
actions’ with the presidents of unrecognized Transdniestr Republic
and Nagorny Karabakh. Very touching, of course.
We have already forgotten our righteous anger over the intriguing of
outside forces in Ukraine. And it didn’t stop us from thinking that
our own actions were only for the sake of greater stability in
Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Azerbaijan and everywhere else. We know
best, of course, what the former Soviet republics and their citizens
really need. They couldn’t cope without us. We are a great power and
they are our buffer zone and underbelly. The present Russian-Georgian
collision has dispelled any doubts. The linchpin of Moscow’s position
among the former Soviet countries will be Abkhazia, South Ossetia
and, unseen, Transdniestr, Eastern Ukraine and area in similar
circumstances. It sounds scary, but it seems to be what’s happening.
We don’t have any other ways of keeping the West away yet. At least
in those places we still pull some weight. We have our own people. We
lost Aslan Abashidze in Ajaria, but there’s still Kokoity and
Bagapsh/Khadzjimba and Igor Smirnov in Transdniestr. We can give
Arkady Gukasyan in Karabakh a go if need be to. And there’s still
Viktor Yanukovich. He’s not finished yet and is putting gout signals
that he could use a hand – a sure sign of life.
It would seem that it is a no-lose, irrefutable position. But we have
to be morally prepared for to pay the high price of having our own
weapons used against us. They’ll use our experience and know-how.
There are lots more places to do it in. Just the North Caucasus, with
its eternal reputation as a tinderbox, is enough. Then we’ll remember
the old truth that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw
stones.
by Sergey Strokan

AT THE NKR GOVERNMENT SESSION
STEPANAKERT, January 28 (Noyan Tapan). On January 26, the first 2005
session of the NKR Government chaired by the republic’s Prime-Minister
Anoushavan Dayelian took place. In his speech, the head of the
Ministers’ Cabinet focused at the achievements of the previous year,
noting that the growth of the domestic gross product had comprised
17,5% or 42 billion drams in comparison with 2003 and this index would
be raised to 48 billion drams this year. According to the Information
and Analytical Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, the document “On the Events Providing
the Execution of the Budget of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic for 2005”
was adopted at the session. The Government adopted also a number of
decrees, in particular, on the creation of the Staff of the NKR
Ministry of Town-building. Bills on making amendments and supplements
in the NKR Law “On State Pensions” and on making supplements in the
NKR Law “On the Repressed”, as well as bills related to culture and
sport were adopted. The members of the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a
number of programs including those of the activity of the NKR
Government and the NKR Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport for
2005. Resolutions related to the authority of a number of stock
societies, privatization of state and municipal property were also
adopted.

Agence France Presse
28 janvier 2005 vendredi 11:56 AM GMT
Le pape souhaite une paix stable au Nagorny-Karabakh
CITE DU VATICAN
Le pape Jean Paul II a souhaité une “paix stable” au
Nagorny-Karabakh, en recevant vendredi au Vatican le président
arménien Robert Kotcharian.
“Je souhaite une paix véritable et stable dans la région du
Nagorny-Karabakh”, a-t-il déclaré, en soulignant que celle-ci “ne
pourra venir que d’un refus ferme de la violence et d’un dialogue
patient entre les parties, grce à une médiation internationale
active”.
“Le Saint-Siège qui, au cours des siècles n’a pas manqué de dénoncer
la violence et de défendre le droit des faibles, continuera à
soutenir tout effort destiné à btir une paix solide et durable”, a
ajouté le pape polonais.
Il a ensuite rappelé que des rapports d’estime et d’amitié lient
l’Eglise catholique à l’Eglise apostolique arménienne, une entente
“qui aura certainement des retombées positives pour la coexistence
pacifique du peuple arménien tout entier confronté à de nombreux
défis sociaux et économiques”, a-t-il dit.
Le pape a souhaité, sans autres précisions, que le statut de l’Eglise
catholique dans le pays soit éventuellement “perfectionné”, là où la
situation le demande.
Le président arménien avait rencontré jeudi le président italien
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi qui lui a promis l’appui de l’Italie dans son
rapprochement avec l’Union européenne.
Enclave à population majoritairement arménienne en Azerbaïdjan, le
Nagorny-Karabakh a été le thétre d’un conflit meurtrier au début des
années 1990 au moment de la désintégration de l’Union soviétique. Il
reste, depuis un cessez-le-feu en 1994, sous le contrôle des
Arméniens, qui l’avaient emporté sur le terrain.
Bakou considère toujours que l’enclave fait partie de l’Azerbaïdjan
et a menacé de recourir à la force pour reprendre le contrôle du
territoire.
Des négociations de paix se déroulent par intermittence depuis dix
ans avec la médiation du groupe de Minsk (Etats-Unis, Russie,
France), qui opère sous le mandat de l’Organisation pour la sécurité
et la coopération en Europe (OSCE).

82% OF EXPOSED CASES OF VIOLATION OF AGRARIAN RULES ELIMINATED IN 2004
YEREVAN, January 28 (Noyan Tapan). 185 cases of violation of agrarian
rules were registered as a result of 965 check-ups conducted in 2004
by the State Inspection on Farming of the RA Ministry of Agriculture,
which is less by 7 cases in comparison with last year’s
index. According to the Inspection, 152 cases, or 82%, out of the
indicated violations were eliminated (about 86% – in 2003). 68 cases
of violation of rules of production and import of sapling materials
and seeds, 66 cases of violation of rules of use and preservation of
pesticides, 20 cases of violation of rules of struggle against
diseases and weeds, 21 cases of violation of rules of land cultivation
were registered last year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
01/28/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Pope Calls For Real Peace in Karabakh 2) Hovhannisian Addresses Possible Consequences of PACE Resolution 3) Ecologists Want Government Control of GM Food in Armenia 4) Eight Armenian-Americans File for April 5 Glendale City Council Elections 5) Return to the Promised Land: London Armenian Film Festival 6) Captivating Workbook Makes Math Fun for Kids 7) New Children's Book Teaches about Love and Morality in Armenian 8) Elizabeth Jones's Diary: Over the Edge of Reason 9) Vizhetzoom 1) Pope Calls For Real Peace in Karabakh (AP, AFP)--Pope John Paul II told Armenia's president on Friday that the Holy See supports all efforts for a peace settlement in Mountainous Karabagh Republic. The pope's call for "real and lasting peace" in the region was a major theme of John Paul's talks with President Robert Kocharian, on a visit this week to the Vatican and Italy. "I hope that a real and stable peace will spring forth in the Nagorno-Karabagh region where you, Mr. President, come from," the pope said in a speech in Russian read for him by an aide. He called for "the decisive rejection of violence and a patient dialogue between the parties, under active international mediation." John Paul, who visited Armenia in 2001, sent his greetings to Armenians all over the world, describing them as people "always linked to their culture and Christian traditions." Kocharian was scheduled to meet later Friday with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, then travel to Venice for visits over the weekend to an Armenian monastery and church. He held talks with Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi on Thursday. 2) Hovhannisian Addresses Possible Consequences of PACE Resolution YEREVAN (RFE/RL-Yerkir)--National Assembly Vice Speaker Vahan Hovhannisian said on Friday, that the resolution on Mountainous Karabagh, adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe earlier this week, is completely void of the causes of the conflict in the region, making it difficult to reach a final settlement. "The most dangerous thing about the resolution is that it seems to devaluate the work done by the Minsk Group," said Hovhannisian. Peace proposals put forward by the French, Russian and US co-chairs of the group since 1998 have been largely accepted by the Armenian side. Hovannisian, a member of the government coalition's Armenian Revolutionary Federation, also revealed that the Armenian government failed to heed his party's warnings about Azerbaijan's efforts to expand the circle of international organizations dealing with the conflict. "We had long been warning that discussions [on Karabagh] in that forum, hold little promise for us," he told reporters. "However, no attention was paid to that. There was confidence that everything would be done within the framework of the [OSCE's] Minsk Group." The non-binding PACE resolution accuses Armenia of occupying parts of Azerbaijan. He added that parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian has agreed to an ARF proposal to set up an ad hoc commission to coordinate the work of Armenian delegations at various inter-parliamentary organizations. The proposal was made after the PACE debate on Karabagh last Tuesday, he said. 3) Ecologists Want Government Control of GM Food in Armenia (RFE-RL)Environmental and consumer rights organizations are sounding the alarm over the virtual absence of government controls on the spread of genetically modified (GM) food in Armenia. Biotech crops, widely cultivated in the United States but banned across Europe, have been rapidly spreading around the world. According to some studies, last year saw a 20 percent jump in their production levels compared to 2003. Armenia has no laws or government policies regulating imports and domestic production of GM foodstuffs, the impact of which is still a matter of great contention. Local environmentalists say the apparent government complacency could lead to negative consequences. "The danger facing both nature and human beings is enormous. We are violating the most important laws of nature," warned Karine Danielian, a former environment minister who now heads the Association for Sustainable Development, a non-governmental organization opposed to genetically engineered crops. Anush Galstian of the Armenian Ecological Club, another NGO, shared Danielian's concerns, arguing that the authorities do not even check the genetic origin of crop seeds imported to the country. "We don't have laboratories to conduct such studies," she said. "Nor do we have laws obliging every importer of foodstuffs to go through such procedures." "We have yet to clarify what we are importing and growing," Galstian added. The Armenian Ministry of Environmental Protection did recognize the problem in 2003 when it received a $156,000 grant from the United Nations to develop a "national framework for biological security." Artashes Ziroyan, a ministry official who runs the project, told RFE/RL that the document has already been drawn up and will serve as a basis for a special law to be drafted by the government. Ziroyan could not say whether GM seeds are already used by Armenian farmers and, if so, to what extent. According to Melsida Hakobian, chairman of the Association of Consumers, the unusually big size of some vegetables sold in the markets indicates their GM origin. "The farmers do not know what [genetic engineering] is," she said. "But when we explain the risks involved, some of them start having second thoughts. But other say proudly, 'See how big our tomatoes are'." The possibly negative effects of biotech crops has prompted concern from environmentalists and farming specialists around the world. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a UN agency based in Rome, held a special conference on the problem this week. In a statement released afterward, FAO called for thorough consultations and checks on the impact that GM food might produce on natural resources such as soil and water, as well as of rural livelihoods. "The need to monitor both the benefits and the potential hazards of released GM crops to the environment is becoming ever more important with the dramatic increase in the range and scale of their commercial cultivation, especially in developing countries," Louise O. Fresco, assistant director-general of the agency's agriculture department, was quoted by the Associated Press as saying on Thursday. 4) Eight Armenian-Americans File for April 5 Glendale City Council Elections GLENDALE--(Glendale ANCA)--City Hall was buzzing with campaign talk late Thursday afternoon as candidates stopped by to turn in their nomination papers. Only City Council, College Board of Trustees, and City Treasurer candidates were required to meet the 5:00 pm deadline Thursday. Glendale School Board and City Clerk candidates are given until February 1st to finish filing. Nevertheless, numerous candidates were present from both City Clerk and School Board races, getting their own completed paperwork out of the way. As of 5:00 pm, 20 of the 25 candidates for City Council had completed their paperwork and petitions. Among those who have completed paperwork is Anahid Oshagan, the only Armenian-American woman running for City Council as well as Ara Najarian, current member of the Glendale College Board of Trustees. Also among the 20 names were all three City Council members who are up for re-election: Mayor Bob Yousefian, Frank Quintero and Dave Weaver. Numerous candidates had started their campaigns for the 4 open city council seats prior to the filing deadline, hosting campaign kick-off parties and starting campaign websites. The fourth lowest vote getter in the April 5th election will be elected to complete the final two years of former Councilmember Gus Gomez's term, who left the seat on January 3, 2005 after being elected Superior Court Judge for Los Angeles Country. Gus Gomez's wife, Glynda Gomez is one of 20 candidates competing for the open seats. The complete list of candidates (in alphabetical order) includes: Vrej Agajanian, Aram Barsoumian, John Drayman, Hovik Gabikian, Glynda Gomez, Shirley Yap Griffin, Chahe Keuroghelian, Joe Mandoky, Larry Miller, Ara Nadjarian, Richard Seeley, Pauline Field, Garry Sinanian, Anahid Oshagan, John Stevenson, Odalis Suarez, David Weaver and Bob Yousefian. All three current members of the College Board of Trustees who are up for re-election filed their paperwork. In addition to the three current members, Linda Sheffield also filed her papers. Ms. Sheffield's entrance into the College Board race will force the college to contribute around $80,000 to the City Of Glendale for Election costs. The current Board members who are up for re-election are Dr. Armine Hacopian, Anita Quinonez Gabrielian, and current Board President Victor I. King. In the race for City Treasurer, Ronald Borucki, current City Treasurer as well as Phillip Kazanjian submitted their paperwork. The City Clerk will verify the petitions to certify that the candidates have been nominated by a minimum of 100 registered voters. The list of qualified candidates and the order in which the names will appear on the ballot will be announced on Feb. 2. In the school board race, 5 people have already submitted their paperwork including current President Greg Krikorian as well as current member Chuck Sambar. In the contested City Clerk race only 4 of the 10 potential candidates have submitted their final paperwork although that number is expected to go up by the February 1st deadline. 5) Return to the Promised Land: London Armenian Film Festival The first major season of Armenian cinema, and only the second ever in the UK in 25 years The London Armenian Film Festival will feature works from the country itself and from the extensive global Armenian diaspora, offering an eye-opening glimpse into a culture that is all too little known in Britain. Armenians have been prominent players in international cinema for as long as the medium itself, whether as actors, producers, writers or directors. However, the focus of this season is distinctive. Showcasing shorts, features, documentaries and artists' film, Return to the Promised Land: the London Armenian Film Festival presents works that deal directly, but in always invigorating and imaginative ways, with Armenian history and identity. Themes of exile, migration, place and belonging are constantly being revisited in fresh and dynamic ways, as different communities consider what such important issues mean to them. Such concerns change of course depending on whether the film-maker lives in contemporary Armenia or in the many countries, especially Canada, France and the United States, that have significant, and very successful, diaspora populations. Among this latter group, perhaps the work of Toronto-based auteur Atom Egoyan which has bought Armenian issues to wider public attention, most notably in his features Calendar and Ararat, the latter being the most prominent film yet made on the Armenian Genocide and its huge repercussions on subsequent generations. This theme has also been dealt with by the Berlin-located director Don Askarian, whose Komitas creates a poetic biography, reflective and surprisingly calm, of the life of the iconic composer Komitas, who was driven into silence and insanity as a result of the horrors he witnessed. But the works are also celebrations--of endurance, resistance, continuity and of the extraordinary culture itself. Nowhere is this more abundantly clear than in the undisputed classic that is Sergei Paradjanov's The Color of Pomegranates. Unique in world cinema, this cine-poem creates tableaux of unsurpassed beauty and insight around the writings and times of the celebrated poet Sayat Nova. In a cinematic sense, it can be said to contain the enduring spirit of Armenian identity. Multi-layered approaches like Paradjanov's have also influenced Canadian resident Garine Torossian, one of the few Armenian women film-makers, who brings a resolutely contemporary tone to her textured and articulate short works around diaspora relationships to the homeland. The festival will also screen lost gems and work by overlooked directors of great skill. Tigran Xmalian, who opens and closes the season with his two recent features, also runs the Capital's Yerevan Film Studios and is a key figure in maintaining and developing an active film culture in Armenia today, despite the serious economic pressures the country as a whole is facing. Meanwhile, director Haroutiun Khachatryan creates meditative documentary dramas that feel closer in mood to the resurgent Iranian cinema. Less concerned with conventional narrative, they look at landscapes and lives with a philosophical and empathetic eye. The festival also features works of Artavazd Pelechian, whose collective works might last no longer than three hours, but the short films of are among the most astonishing in the history of cinema. His profoundly intense examinations of human and cosmic themes, largely wordless, are edited with a mastery of scale and rhythm which makes all life on earth swarm and bloom through the celluloid. The festival runs February 11 17 at London's Ciné lumière Pierlequin Lighter than Air Armenia | 2000 | b&w | 102 mins | dir. Tigran Xmalian, with Vladimir Msrian, Hrach Harutunian, Anush Khorenian Xmalian's charming feature is a surreal, bittersweet love story to his homeland and culture. Moving from the 1960s to the '90s and centered around the iconic figure of a clown who was beloved of Armenian audiences, Pierlequin creates a world of tenderness and magic among the challenges facing contemporary Armenia. Gariné Torossian Artists' Film Program Short Films Program | 90 mins Toronto-based Gariné Torossian will present a selection of her strikingly multi-layered shorts. Like Egoyan, Torossian's work is informed by migration and she has turned to experimental film-making to conjure the primary forces of the Armenian diaspora. Vodka Lemon Armenia / France / Italy / Switzerland | 2003 | col | 89 mins | dir. Hiner Saleem, with Romen Avinian, Lala Sarkissian, Ivan Franek | cert. PG A laconic love story focused on a solitary widower and a woman tending a roadside bar, Vodka Lemon is a droll and charming hymn to endurance and fellowship, building its off-center world calmly and steadily, much in the manner of Otar Iosseliani. Calendar Canada / Armenia / Germany | 1993 | col | 74 mins | dir. Atom Egoyan, with Atom Egoyan, Arsinée Khanjian, Ashot Adamian | cert. 15 Provocatively, Egoyan takes the lead role in this fascinating meditation on relationships - to one's lover, country, history, memory and to images. A witty, playful and always intriguing exploration of his abiding themes, this was, before Ararat, Egoyan's most explicitly 'Armenian' feature. Armenian National Cinema A broad consideration of the unique qualities of Armenian cinema, both within the country and diaspora, and reflections on its place in soviet and world cinema, and on the difficulties facing contemporary production in the country. With Armenian cinema specialist Nora Armani, film-makers Gariné Torossian and Tigran Xmalian and film critic Artsvi Bakhchinyan. Moderator: Gareth Evans, editor of Vertigo magazine and festival co-programmer. Artavazd Pelechian Short Films Program | 120 mins Among the most astonishing short works in the history of cinema, the profoundly intense films of Artavazd Pelechian are visionary examinations of human and cosmic themes. Largely wordless and rhythmic, they are edited with a mastery of scale and rhythm which makes all life on earth swarm and bloom through the celluloid. Return to the Promised Land Armenia | 1991 | b&w & col | 80 mins | dir. Harutiun Khachatryan Katchatryan's audacious film is a strikingly photographed study of an Armenian farmer and his family surviving in a harsh landscape in an abandoned, snow-clad village. As the first crops come to life, the village children smile again and dance to the tunes of the visiting tightrope walkers and musicians. However, danger still lurks in the distance. Preceded by 2 short films: Terra Emota & Lux Aeterna Arm/Fr | 1999 | 10 mins each | both dir. Levon Minassian and Serge Avedikian Impressionistic dispatches from the fault line: an earthquake in 1988 devastated Gyumri, Armenia's second city. Levon Minassian was in the city at the time and caught the destruction on film. Ten years later, he returns to find a city still dealing with the legacy of such a disaster. Last Station Armenia / France / UK | 1995 | col | 93 mins | dir. Harutiun Khachatryan and Nora Armani, with Nora Armani, Gerald Papasian, Armen Djigarkhanian A stage couple from the Armenian diaspora travel the world performing a play about their national identity and history. Shot on location with its real-life protagonists, Last Station skillfully mixes documentary and fiction to explore love, exile and the artistic dilemma of belonging. The Color of Pomegranates Armenia / USSR | 1969 | col | 78 mins | dir. Sergei Paradjanov, with Sofiko Chiaureli, Melkon Aleksanyan, Vilen Galstyan | Director's Cut | cert. 12A Paradjanov's extraordinary film, unique in world cinema, is a visual poem loosely inspired by the life and death of Armenian poet-troubadour Sayat Nova. A work of astonishing beauty, mystery and dreamlike authority. Ararat, Genocide Remembrance and Armenian Cinema A consideration of the legacy of the Armenian genocide and its cinematic incarnations. Is it even possible to represent such a vast and traumatic subject on film? With Nouritza Matossian (biographer of Arshile Gorky and consultant to Ararat), critic Artsvi Bakhchinyan, genocide historian Ara Sarafian and Nora Armani. Ararat Canada / France | 2002 | col | 115 mins | dir. Atom Egoyan, with Arsinée Khanjian, Charles Aznavour, Elias Koteas, Marie-Josée Croze | cert. 15 Perhaps Egoyan's most personal work, this multi-layered examination of the legacy of genocide is a dramatic and intriguing hall of mirrors, in which history and memory, reality and fiction all prove unpredictable and fluid. Komitas West Germany | 1988 | b&w & col | 96 mins | dir. Don Askarian, with Samuel Ovasapian, Onig Saadetian, Margarita Woskanjan A portrait of the great Armenian composer who was traumatized into silence following the 1915 Genocide, Komitas is an episodic and poetic meditation that seeks to find a visual language, somewhere between Tarkovsky and Paradjanov, to convey the suffering of an entire people. Lovember Armenia | 2004 | b&w | 99 mins | dir. by Tigran Xmalian In Xmalian's latest lyrical feature, an odd young couple - a nurse and a street musician - meet first as the witnesses of accident. Troubles pursue them and they decide to challenge fate in an extraordinary way by giving birth to a new God. Dialogue-free, the film is threaded through with the music of Prokofiev. For more details, visit <; 6) Captivating Workbook Makes Math Fun for Kids By Ani Shahinian Asbarez Staff Writer Though most might not necessarily use the words "fun" and "math" in the same sentence, Viken "Vik" Hovsepian and Michael Hattar have found a way to not only make mathematics understandable, but also attention-grabbing. Their workbook, "Math is Fun," printed by Harcourt School Publishers, was written for the sole purpose of encouraging students to explore math problems they may encounter in everyday life. As the subject may not be the easiest for many students, it is nevertheless the teacher's job to make it seem simple and fun. "Math is Fun is for the use and benefit of young students who are eager to learn, as well as for entertainment of mathematics instructors in teaching the subject," say the authors. The booklet contains a select number of fascinating problems and puzzles that Hovsepian and Hattar have compiled and created over the years--as they say humorously, "with lots of sweat, lots of tears, lots of love, and maybe even a little blood." Viken Hovsepian, a graduate of UCLA, has taught many age groups--from 3rd grade to the college level. He is currently a mathematics instructor and department chair at Glendale Unified School District's Hoover High School, as well as a Professor of Mathematics at Rio Hondo College and Pasadena City College. He is one of the writers of the current k-12 California Mathematics Framework and Math Content Review Panelist for the State of California. Michael Hattar has also been a mathematics instructor from grades 8 through college. He is the winner of numerous educator awards, and is currently a Professor of Mathematics at Don Bosco Technical School, Mount San Antonio College, and Rio Hondo College. Imagine this: It's a regular school day at Hoover High School and you're sitting in Mr. Hovsepian's math class. US billionaire and philanthropist Kirk Kerkorian shows up as a guest in his classroom, accompanied by GUSD Board President Greg Krikorian, Superintendent Dr. Michael Escalante, and Hoover High School Co-Principals Hasmik Danielian and Kevin Welsh. Kerkorian presents a challenge to the students--without giving too many details, he mumbles something to Hovsepian in Armenian about the possibility of an all expense paid trip to Europe, along with matching funds as a donation to Hoover High. The catch: You'll have two payment options and must choose the best one, present it in writing, using mathematical analysis, in the next 10 minutes. Two students win and pack their bags as they head off with Mr. Kerkorian. Although this dream come true didn't actually happen, it is one of the exciting mathematics fantasies included in the latest edition of the workbook. For more information email: [email protected] or [email protected]. 7) New Children's Book Teaches about Love and Morality in Armenian LOS ANGELES--Author and educator Jeanette Kassouny's new children's book "Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" (Children's World and Stage) is the most recent in her latest compilation of short stories. Published in Los Angeles, "Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" is targeted for children and teenagers 7-14 years old. It contains 16 short stories and 7 plays, all of which have subtle messages of ethics, morality, and love of Armenian culture and heritage. Jeanette Kassouny is an author and educator whose passion for children is the inspiration behind her many teaching and literary accomplishments. Kassouny's talent became evident early on when she began writing short stories, several of which were published in many literary magazines. After receiving a BA in Education from the American University of Beirut, she embarked on her professional teaching and writing career, while also serving on the editorial committees of many prominent publications. In addition to winning numerous prestigious teaching and literary awards, Kassouny's compilation of short stories and plays has been published in various publications. AIM Magazine says,"More quality and accessible Armenian can be found in Kassouny's new book of plays. Even if you don't run an elementary school, get this book and watch the kids acting out characters and scenes in Armenian." "Mangagan Ashkharh Ou Pem" contains over 20 color illustrations created by artist Dicran Kassouny. Copies of the book are available at your local Armenian bookstores or from the author's website at: Abril Bookstore (818) 243-4112 Sardarabad Bookstore (818) 500-0790 Berj Bookstore (818) 244-3830 8) Elizabeth Jones's Diary: Over the Edge of Reason By Skeptik Sinikian WARNING TO READER: What you are about to read is filled with a dose of sarcasm that is above the daily required intake. Should you feel any of the following side effects: nausea, anger, desire to bang your head against a wall, call your elected officials immediately. When thinking of the historic Armenian region of Artsakh, it is not uncommon that one is confused by all of the alternative names floating around. For years, Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) was the popular nom de guerre. This was followed by a rejection of the Russified Nagorno in favor of the more politically correct "Mountainous," or "Lernayin" in Armenian. Whatever name you chose, one that never came to mind was the epithet that US Assistant Secretary of the State Elizabeth Jones used a few weeks ago during a policy briefing. Apparently Jones referred to Mountainous Karabagh's leaders as "criminal secessionists," and called for their removal from power. This is one of those things that makes you go "hmmmm." Criminal Secessionists? This made me think really hard. Criminal Secessionists? I knew I had heard that somewhere before. Now, Ms. Jones, if you're reading this, you might want to take notes. Criminal Secessionists. That's odd. The last time I checked the records, when the Azeri government began massacring and beating Armenians in the streets of Sumgait and Baku, the US was nowhere to be found to assist the people of Artsakh. So when these folks actually took up arms to defend themselves, they were God-given, inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, or eating khash for breakfast. Double "hmmmm." So a system of government, that was created to defend the rights of its citizens, abused its powers and tortured the people of Artsakh, eventually leading to wholesale murder. The Armenians of Artsakh peacefully voted to dissolve the Stalinist-imposed borders in a referendum which passed overwhelmingly. In other words, when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Sound familiar? That's because it's from the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE! But I guess revolution, wars of independence are all passé in the National Geographic map age right? I mean, who's ever heard of countries splitting apart and creating new ones out of nothing. What's that you say? Yugoslavia's not around anymore? It's split into HOW many countries? Hmmm...(scratching my head). I guess I don't have the education and superior intellect of Ms. Jones to figure all of this out. Maybe our Government sold the rights to the Declaration of Independence to Microsoft, or Enron, and now any people that want to assert their own rights to self determination have to purchase the use of these rights. I guess that would be the only explanation as to why the Armenian leaders of Artsakh are "criminal secessionists." I can hear the baritone off screen voice of the announcer now. "People of Iraq. This liberation was brought to you by General Electric--"We bring good things to life"--AND the people at Lockheed--"We bomb things back into the stone age." Now here's some news for you Ms. Jones and all your Ivy League, prep school, wannabe pundits and strategists. You cannot take a person's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness away. Remember that the founding fathers of this great nation were also considered "criminal secessionists" by a certain crown wearing, royal pain in the you-know-what named George. But gosh darn it, we took up arms at Bunker Hill, Lexington and Concord, Valley Forge and everywhere else we had, in order to ensure that our God-given rights were preserved. So just remember this, the next time you point a finger at anyone, you have three fingers pointing back at you! God bless the Criminal Secessionists of United States of America and God bless anyone who stands for freedom and liberty! You go Artsakh! (Cue patriotic music..............now!) Skeptik Sininkian is a Yankee Doodle do or die; he's a real live nephew of his uncle Samvel, born on the fourth of July. He can be reached at SkeptikSinikian@ aol.com, or visit his outdated blog at <; 9) Vizhetzoom By Garen Yegparian Yup, I'm doin' it, takin' the plunge, and hittin' one of the biggies, ABORTION. Hell, it might even prompt someone to reply with a letter to the editor! You may have heard it in Armenian as vizhoom, but that's used for "miscarriage" as well, which is a passive event as opposed to the active intervention required for a vizhetzoom. At least among those with any sense, decency, and compassion, I hope no one is left who questions that abortions should be readily available, safe, and private. Certainly there can be no question in cases of rape and incest. And certainly in cases of minors, some parental involvement, engagement, and moral support may be required. Equally certainly the lunatic fringe in this country trying to impose its sense of what's 'right' by banning abortion, ought to find a time machine and return to the period that spawned the Victorian (I'm being nice, I could have said Neandethalyou now those Europe-dwelling pre-humans who went extinct) notions they espouse, just to see how they like life under those circumstances. Finally, abortion ought not become a form of birth control for lack of proper, inexpensive, and readily available means to the same end. This unfortunate situation seems to have existed even in Armenia, and likely most of the former-Soviet zone. It may even persist there to this day. Basically, abortion is here to stay and is not something that should even be a bone of contention. However, there is one circumstance that has stumped me for at least a decade, and for which I've still no solution. When we say it's a woman's body and it's her right to choose, we neglect, overlook, or disregard one very real conditiononly females of the human species can bear children (at least for the foreseeable future, who knows what science will bring us temporally further out), males cannot. So the conundrum is when two consenting adults have conceived a child, especially if both initially intended to rear it, what gives one partner the right to unilaterally decide otherwise? What happens to the other's stake in the matter? Remember, the male has no choice. He can't go off and get pregnant and bear a child. In essence, there exists a biological compact between the two. Conversely, it is absolutely true that it is an onerous imposition on the female. Not being a lawyer, I don't know if case law exists on parallel issues that might shed some light on this, at least in a US context. In oral discussions of this topic, I've encountered many arguments minimizing the import of this circumstance. However, it is an issue, no matter how small a slice of the whole abortion pie it may represent. Let's hear it. What do you think? All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Jan 28 2005
Bagapsh: Secessionist Regions Coordinate Policy

President-elect of breakaway Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh, who is
visiting Moscow, said in an interview with the Echo Moskvy radio
station on January 27 that the unrecognized republics of Abkhazia,
South Ossetia, Moldova’s breakaway region of Transdnestria, as well
as Nagorno-Karabakh, are attempting to carry out a coordinated
policy.
The leaders of separatist regions of the CIS – Sergey Bagapsh of
Abkhazia, Eduard Kokoity of South Ossetian and Igor Smirnov of
Transnistria – visited Moscow at the same time this week.
Bagapsh said that he did not meet with the visiting leaders of the
secessionist regions in Moscow, however added that `we try to
coordinate all our actions with Transdnestria, South Ossetia and
Karabakh and in this issue we have a full, mutual understanding.’
When asked about the prospects of the breakaway regions’ future,
Sergey Bagapsh said that he is sure these regions will acquire
internationally recognized independence. `I do not only believe in
this, I am sure it will happen… International society should find
some kind of means to do this [recognize breakaway regions],’ he
added.

WE ARE NOT DIZZY OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
28 Jan 05
On January 26 the press conference of NKR minister of defence Seyran
Ohanian took place. Seyran Ohanian regularly meets with journalists
because, as he said, he feels obliged to inform people through the
mass media what happensin the Defence Army. As a rule, at the end of
every year the results of work is summed up at all the military units,
and before answering the questions of journalists the minister of
defence briefly presented the results of work in NKR armed forces in
2004 and the plans for 2005. According to Seyran Ohanian, in 2004 also
the effectiveness of the army was improved. The problem of great
importance in present relationships with the enemy – sentry duty- was
in the center of attention. The minister of defence emphasized that
the previous year for the Defence Army was a year of improvement of
effectiveness and fortification. The minister gave a low assessment
for the effectiveness of the army as there were drawbacks. It was
mentioned that in 2005 more determined and effective actions would be
taken. Recognizing the importance of fortifying the front line the
engineering works which started after the cease-fire and gather
momentum year by year were continued in 2004 for improving security
and living conditions. Today the command of the army reports with
pride that owing to the skillful organizational work of commanders of
all the levels and the conscientious service of the military personnel
they managed to fulfil all the tasks set before them. At the same time
the minister of defence thinks that achievements in engineering works
will have a continuous development in 2005. According to Seyran
Ohanian, the life in the army in 2005 will be the logical continuation
of the year 2004. Teaching will be in the center of attention of the
command.` Through intensive training, overcoming of difficulties,
determined work andgood knowledge in the field of military actions we
will achieve significant success,’ said the minister. `The military
exercises in August showed that the level of mobilization readiness of
the command and the military units is 99 per cent. This means that
the men who formerly fought and the personnel who started service in
the postwar years are well-aware that continuous accomplishment of the
army is a vital necessity,’ said Seyran Ohanian. He added that the
army-people relationship strengthening year be year shows that the
army andpeople are unified and thereby invincible. As to education and
discipline, the minister mentioned that in the past three years there
is progress in this sphere too. The cases of emergency in 2004 had
decreased since the previous year. The drawbacks in this sphere are
the consequences of the actuality that being`a family of men’ army
involves young men with various characters whose ardour, feeling of
self-assertion create obstructions in getting adjusted to army
realities. As a result there are emergency cases which worry the
command. Among the achievements the significant improvement of the
social conditions of servicemen was mentioned. Since January 1 the
salaries of officers, corporals and serviceman on contractual basis
were increased. The volume of building increased by about 300 million
drams. A separate sum of 750 million drams will be provided for
improvement of housing conditions of officers. Like the previous year
this year too 300 million drams will be provided for improvement of
housing conditions of the families of killed and disabled
soldiers. `The social problems of commanders are among the priorities
of the army. The army officers must be sure that the rear is safe in
order to work freely in the military units leading ahead our army,’
said the minister of defence of NKR. For the Defence Army the year
2005 was announced year of `Improvement of effectiveness and
strengthening of discipline’. And the motto of the year `Intensive
training,military skills and stable progress’ show that education in
the army is in the first place. ` The army command is glad but not
dizzy of the achievements. We seek to discover the faults, eliminate
them and take measures to prevent them. The fewer faults there are,
the more effective the army will be. There is progress every year and
not only the command says this but also regular checking shows,â=80=9D
said NKR minister of defence Seyran Ohanian.
LAURA GRIGORIAN.
28-01-2005

NO PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED WITHOUT PEOPLE AND AUTHORITIES OF NAGORNY
KARABAKH: ARKADY GHOUKASSIAN
YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. No problem can be solved without the
people and authorities of Nagorny Karabakh. President of
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghoukassian told journalists in
Yerevan, Friday.
Answering the question on the different variants of settlement of the
conflict, the president reminded that the NKR authorities have
declared more than one that the phased approach is illogical, “as it
is not clear what do we expect in future”. “We have always advocated
the package version, though we don’t exclude settlement of several
problems step by step. But only few problems, the president
stressed. As regards the initiative of “phased package”, Arkady
Ghoukassian mentioned that is an abstract concept, and that’s why “at
the negotiations table we must make clear what does it
mean”. Answering the question may be this initiative supposes, first
of all, clarification of the status of Nagorny Karabakh, the president
mentioned it would be the most local approach. It is necessary to
begin from the reason, and not the consequences of the conflict,
Arkady Ghoukassian stressed. Because the conflict was then when there
were neither refugees yet, nor , he
reminded. “Solving the problem of the status, we shall simplify
resolution to the remaining problems”, the president mentioned.
As regards the informations of the Azerbaijani side on the exchange of
fire, the president mentioned, unfortunately, exchange of fire take
place quite often. “As a rule, just the Azerbaijani side violates the
agreement on cease-fire. But the matter concerns local
skirmish. There are not any active military operations here, and
nothing serious takes place on the border”, Arkady Ghoukassian
informed.

Agence France Presse — English
January 28, 2005 Friday 3:36 PM GMT
OSCE to probe Azeri claims of illegal Armenian settlements in
Nagorno-Karabakh
BAKU
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said
Friday that it had sent a team of investigators to Armenian-occupied
territories in and around Nagorno-Karabakh to verify Azerbaijan’s
claims that Armenia is illegally settling the area which it considers
to be its own.
“The Azeri side raised the issue at the UN and all agreed to verify
the Azeri claim, to see what is actually happening,” the OSCE’s
representative on the dispute, Andrzej Kasprzyk, told AFP.
Azerbaijan has accused Armenia of illegally settling areas its
neighbor captured during a 1990s war for control of the mountainous
region, internationally recognized to be a part of Azerbaijan.
The OSCE mission, which from Sunday will tour Karabakh and seven
other Azeri regions under Armenian occupation, represents the first
international effort to document Armenian settlement of the areas.
The Karabakh war erupted before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1988
and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan became independent, ending
in a ceasefire in 1994 with over one million people displaced and
25,000 killed.
The tense standoff is frequently punctuated by cross-border
shootouts. Azeri media reported that Armenian forces fired on an
Azeri position Thursday, while on Wednesday one Azeri soldier was
reported killed.
Azerbaijan has fought for international recognition of Armenia as the
“aggressor party” to the Karabakh conflict, a charge that Armenian
authorities deny.
“Armenia argues that those territories do not historically belong to
Azerbaijan,” Azeri deputy foreign minister Araz Azimov said Friday.
Azimov called the settlement of the occupied territories a
“calculated plan that is being put into practice with the help and
participation of Armenia.”
Foreign ministry officials gave the OSCE mission a sheaf of documents
including video footage and photos they hope will verify Armenian
settlement of the area at a meeting in Baku.
The Vienna-based OSCE, which includes the United States as well as
European and central Asian nations, is particularly active in
monitoring elections.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

La Padania, Italia
venerdì 28 gennaio 2005
NO ALLA TURCHIA NELL’UNIONE EUROPEA, IL LEADER ARMENO RINGRAZIA LA
LEGA

«Cancellare il genocidio degli armeni. Questo è lo scopo di alcuni
gruppi di pressione favorevoli all’ingresso della Turchia nell’Unione
Europea per ragioni economiche». Di questo hanno parlato l’onorevole
Edouard Ballaman e il presidente armeno Robert Kocharian ieri in
visita ufficiale in Italia. È lo stesso Ballaman a raccontare dei
colloqui avuti con la massima carica politica armena in un clima di
perfetta intesa. «Abbiamo discusso delle responsabilità di Ankara
sullo sterminio che nel 1915 portò al massacro di un milione e mezzo
di armeni residenti in territorio turco – spiega il deputato leghista
-. Proprio in questi giorni si parla della shoah ed ho l’impressione
che per alcuni esistano dei genocidi di serie A ed altri di serie B».
«Il presidente Kocharian mi ha parlato di come negli ultimi anni
abbia registrato uno stallo nell’apertura di alcuni Paesi europei
verso l’Armenia – prosegue l’esponente del Carroccio -. Questo a
causa di una lobby economica favorevole all’ingresso di Ankara in Ue
che mira a cancellare ogni traccia della `questione armena’.
Ricordiamo, tra l’altro, che la Turchia continua a negare le proprie
responsabilità sul genocidio. La storia armena è la storia di un
popolo che ha comunità in tutto il mondo ma ciononostante ha
mantenuto una propria identità culturale ed una profonda memoria
storica che non deve essere dimenticata, anzi, nel caso del
genocidio, deve essere riconosciuta e resa conoscibile a tutti».