Category: News

REVIEWS: CLASSICAL – Andromeda Liberata Barbican London
The Independent – United Kingdom
Dec 16, 2004
Roderic Dunnett
FANS OF Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and The Four Seasons are waking up to the
fact that he was as prolific a composer of operas as Handel. In this,
they’re not far behind the performers: European ensembles – perhaps
judiciously – have been equally slow to reacquaint themselves with
the Venetian’s operas.
Still, 18th-century scholars – HC Robbins Landon and Jonathan
Keates among them – have always realised the potential riches to be
unearthed, as have the Italians since the composer Gian Francesco
Malipiero restored Vivaldi and other Italian Baroque masters in
the 1920s. But recently the sizzling Savaria Baroque Ensemble from
Hungary only produced a lacklustre revival of Vivaldi’s Il Tigrane
(Armenian shenanigans from Nero’s time) at St James’s in Piccadilly.
Andrea Marcon’s Venice Baroque Orchestra, which brought Vivaldi’s
Andromeda Liberata (whose authorship is partly disputed) to the
Barbican, is as deft if not as refined a group but here managed a much
better orchestral showing. There was much to admire in the searing
strings, the desirable lute playing and some fine oboes and horns. The
punters clearly adored it, and thronged to pay pounds 22 for the CD.
You’d think it was Handel. It wasn’t. Ultimately, Venice Baroque’s
over- forceful display proved scarcely better than the (that day)
subfusc Hungarians. Why? Because Marcon thundered through most of it
like a bull in a china shop. Would Vivaldi really have wanted Czech
soprano Katerina Beranova to roar the words “A mother in anguish,
I sighed”? Or as wonderful a Yugoslav mezzo as Marijana Mijanovic
to deliver “Ruscelletti limpidetti” – “Murmuring streamlets” – like
Niagara Falls in spate?
Any fault must lie with the Swiss-trained conductor, whose delivery
lacks the finesse he brings to scholarship and ensemble-coordinating:
Croatian countertenor Max Emanuel Cencic overcame Perseus’s initial
Romanesque stolidity to shine in “Sovvente il sole”; Beranova thundered
admirably in her own genuinely fiery arias; and Enrico Onofri brought
his apt Italian tenor to Daliso’s cheerful “Cupid’s dart” ditty.
The evening’s only revelation was the recently unchained Andromeda,
the Leipzig-trained Simone Kermes. Here at last was the loveliness,
the sensitivity, the rage and some gorgeous high notes in “Un occhio
amabile”, “Mi piace e mi diletta” and “Che e fenice”, which highlights
the opera’s links to Venice.
Lastly, the lavatories. The Barbican started the rot, and now the
new Covent Garden and – worse still – the new ENO offer only warm
water in their washrooms. “It has something to do with the way they’re
plumbed,” ventured Sir John Tusa, the Barbican’s general director, when
taxed with the question over the bar. Talk about a tepid truism. One
expects greater consideration for ticket-buying punters from our
finest artistic institutions. Replumb, please, all three.

Belarus, Azerbaijan sign military cooperation agreement
Belapan news agency
16 Dec 04
Minsk, 16 December: An intergovernmental agreement between Belarus
and Azerbaijan on military and military-technical cooperation was
signed in Baku on 15 December in the course of a two-day visit to that
country by a Belarusian military delegation led by Defence Minister
Col-Gen Leanid Maltsaw, foreign news agencies reported.
The document was signed by Maltsaw and Azeri Defence Minister Col-Gen
Safar Abiyev.
[Passage omitted: Abiyev briefed Maltsaw on Azerbaijan’s stance on
the conflict with Armenia.]
The Belarusian defence minister said that Belarus is ready for
cooperation with Azerbaijan in all areas, including the defence
sector, based on the two countries’ mutual interests. Speaking about
the settlement of the Armenian-Azeri conflict in Nagornyy Karabakh,
Maltsaw said that his country stands for the settlement of this
problem on the basis of international law.
[Passage omitted: Maltsaw had talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev see report by Turan news agency, Baku, in Russian 1719 gmt 15
Dec 04.]
The reaction of Armenia – Belarus’s partner in the Collective Security
Treaty Organization – to the stepping-up of Belarusian-Azerbaijani
contacts in the defence sector is not yet known.

Police in Slovakia break up gang of immigrant smugglers
The Associated Press
12/16/04 07:27 EST
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) – Railway police in Slovakia broke up a
gang of people smugglers who helped illegal migrants get into Austria,
officials said Thursday.
The 15-member gang was made up of Russians, Azerbaijanis, an Afghan,
an Armenian and Slovaks. One of the Slovaks was the head of a refugee
camp who illegally issued leave tickets to refugees.
The gang charged the migrants between US$200(euro150) and
US$600(euro448), said the head of Slovakia’s railway police, Tibor
Gaplovsky. Police estimate that the group earned some two million
koruna (US$69,300s, euro51,700).
The gang used trains or taxis to transport the refugees or just
walked them over to neighboring Austria. Police have been monitoring
the gang since 2003, and they estimated that the gang has helped at
least 115 migrants to get to Austria. Dozens of others were detained
in Slovakia.
An estimated 30,000 to 40,000 illegal migrants pass through
Slovakia on their way to the West every year, and nearly a third
are intercepted by police.

President wraps up visit to Great Britain
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 16 2004
President Ilham Aliyev wrapped up his official visit to Great Britain
on Tuesday.
On the last day of the visit Aliyev met with British Prime Minister
Tony Blair. Prospects for bilateral relations, regional and
international cooperation and Azerbaijan’s integration into Europe
were discussed.
The parties gave a high assessment to the current level of ties and
discussed ways of settling the Upper Garabagh conflict.
During his two-day visit President Aliyev attended a conference
entitled “Azerbaijan’s investment opportunities – 2004” and the
signing ceremony of an agreement on financing Azerbaijan’s share in
the Shahdaniz project. He also met with the British Foreign Minister
and presidents of BP and the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development.*

USA plans to provide equal aid package to Azerbaijan, Armenia
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 16 2004
The US Congress intends to provide equal assistance to Azerbaijan and
Armenia next year, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish told
AssA-Irada on Wednesday.
The aid, to be allocated by foreign institutions, is a part of the
assistance rendered to Azerbaijan in the area of security and fighting
global terrorism, the ambassador noted.
Harnish also underlined that the United States earlier assisted
Azerbaijan in implementing programs concerning the country’s southern
borders and training of peacekeepers.
“We highly appreciate cooperation with Azerbaijan in the area of
security and fighting global terror,” said Harnish, adding that the
US administration plans to continue collaboration in this area in
the future.*

Section 907 to be repealed after Garabagh conflict is settled
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 16 2004
The US Department of State will fully repeal the Section 907 it
passed on Azerbaijan after the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper
Garabagh is settled, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish
told journalists on Wednesday.
Harnish said that the execution of Section 907 has been regularly
suspended by the US President every year since January 2002, which is
certainly based on Azerbaijan’s efforts at fighting global terrorism.
“The US is very pleased that meetings between the Azerbaijani and
Armenian foreign ministers on settling the Upper Garabagh conflict
continue and that further steps will be taken in this area in January.”
Harnish voiced a hope that such meetings will lead to a fair, long-term
resolution of the conflict through negotiations.*
From: Baghdasarian

OSCE to send monitoring mission to Upper Garabagh
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 16 2004
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will send a
monitoring mission to Upper Garabagh to check reports from Baku about
Armenia’s establishing settlements in the area, Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists in London.
“The main thing is to define the format of this mission and the
date of arrival. We would like it to begin as soon as possible,”
Mammadyarov said.
An agreement to organize a monitoring mission was reached with Armenia
during talks between the Armenian and Azeri foreign ministers in
Sofia and Brussels earlier this month, he said.
The co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group directly engaged in settling the
Upper Garabagh problem should join the monitoring mission, he said.
Mammadyarov urged Armenia to assume a constructive position in the
talks. “On the one hand, we are in talks, but on the other Armenia
is building illegal settlements in the occupied territories. If this
continues, serious negotiations are out of the question,” he said.
Mammadyarov welcomed the agreement with Armenia to continue the
negotiating process.

Will Armenia send military contingent to Iraq?
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 16 2004
Armenia will dispatch a 50-member military contingent, comprising
doctors, field engineers and drivers, to Iraq in February 2005,
according to the Armenian press reports.
The Armenian officers will serve within the Polish military contingent
120-140 kilometers south to Baghdad. The issue on sending military
contingent to Iraq was discussed at the Armenian parliament in November
on the initiative of President Robert Kocharian, the reports said.
Meanwhile, Polish Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdziñski told Reuters
that Poland will reduce its military contingent in Iraq from 2,500 to
1,700 servicemen following the elections to be held in this country
in February 2005.
Foreign media reported earlier that Poland intends to withdraw its
military contingent from Iraq by the end of next year.*
–Boundary_(ID_XbAacmTbkCDJxvktu24QFg)–

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
MEDIA ALERT
December 16, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
RE: The New York Times publishes Assembly “Letter to the Editor”
———————————————————————-
The Armenian Assembly of America would like to call your attention to a
“Letter to the Editor,” which was submitted to The New York Times by
Assembly Executive Director Ross Vartian and published on December 16,
2004. The letter was written in response to a December 9, 2004 Times
article entitled, “Young Armenians, a Promised Land Without Promise.”
The letter may also be accessed at the following link:
Opportunity in Armenia
To the Editor:
“Young Armenians, a Promised Land Without Promise” (Yerevan Journal,
Dec. 9) leaves the impression that young professionals in Armenia are
getting ready to pack up and jump ship because of a sinking economy
and a lack of opportunities.
In fact, after significant economic liberalization, Armenia’s
gross domestic product grew by 13 percent in 2002 and 15 percent
last year. Armenia has one of the most vibrant and fastest growing
economies among the states of the former Soviet Union.
Armenia has the only fully accredited American university in the
former Soviet Union – the American University of Armenia, which has
the academic backing of the University of California system; the
most sophisticated high-tech base in the region; and for good or ill,
the highest growth in commercial and residential real estate.
Ross Vartian
Executive Director
Armenian Assembly of America
Washington, Dec. 14, 2004
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-109
–Boundary_(ID_FtE+vDqSy8Og4GMU3FovYw)–

Analysis: Europe will likely give Turkey lukewarm welcome
By Gareth Harding, Chief European Correspondent
Published December 15, 2004
World Peace Herald, DC
Dec 16 2004
BRUSSELS — For over 40 years, European leaders have dithered,
delayed and ducked the question of whether to open membership talks
with Turkey. On Friday, it is decision time. In all likelihood,
the prime ministers and presidents of the Union’s 25 states will say
“yes” to Ankara, but it is likely to be a grudging, lukewarm welcome,
reflecting widespread public unease about the poor, populous Muslim
state joining the Brussels-based bloc.
The EU is suffering from enlargement fatigue after the entry of Malta,
Cyprus and eight central and East European states in May and ahead
of Bulgaria and Rumania’s accession in 2007. A European Commission
opinion poll published last week showed that only half of those
interviewed favored a further expansion of the club, with majorities
in France, Germany, Austria, Finland and Luxembourg opposed to any
new countries joining.
When it comes to Turkey in particular, the public mood is even more
skeptical. A survey carried out by French daily Le Figaro Monday
showed 67 percent of French voters and 55 percent of Germans against
Turkish membership of the EU, with majorities in favor in Britain,
Italy and Spain.
Critics argue that Turkey is too big, too poor and too Muslim to
join the rich, compact and largely Christian EU. They also claim it
is not European — over 95 percent of its territory lies on the Asian
landmass, has a poor human rights record, is in denial about its role
in the Armenian genocide of 1915-1917 and refuses to recognize Cyprus
— an EU state since May.
“Accepting Turkey as an EU member state would be to accept the risk
of Europe becoming a League of Nations or a Euro-Asian World Trade
Organization,” said French lawmaker Jacques Toubon during a debate in
the European Parliament Wednesday. “In short, Europe would be open,
but without strength or power.”
After EU legislators voted to start membership negotiations with
Turkey in a non-binding resolution, another French deputy Francois
Grossetete said: “It is incomprehensible to want to integrate a
country which is not situated in Europe, that does not share the
same values as ours and that occupies, and does not even recognize,
a full member of the Union — the Republic of Cyprus.”
However, supporters of Turkey’s entry into the club it first applied
to join 43 years ago, say the inclusion of Europe’s largest armed
forces would strengthen the EU’s fledgling defense arm, its booming
economy and young workforce would shore up the slow-growing and
rapidly aging Union and its pivotal geographic position could serve
as a bridge to the Muslim world and act as an anchor of stability in
a volatile region.
“Turkey … I think will be a very, very powerful partner in
Europe in the 21st century,” said Britain’s Europe Minister Denis
MacShane. European Commission President Jose-Manuel Barroso told EU
parliamentarians it was time for the Union to “honor its commitment
to Turkey” and announce the opening of accession negotiations.
Both sides agree on one thing — Turkish membership of the EU
would change Europe for good. Turkey’s population is likely to hit
80 million by 2015 — the earliest date it is likely to join —
boosting the bloc’s numbers to almost 600 million after the entry of
Bulgaria, Rumania and Croatia later this decade. As voting strength
in the Council of Ministers and the EU Parliament — the club’s two
legislative bodies — is based largely on population, Turkey would
overtake Germany to become Europe’s largest and most powerful state.
The EU, a small, prosperous club of western European states for almost
half a century, would also see its point of axis shift radically
eastwards. With the entry of Turkey, the bloc would share common
borders with Syria, Iran, Iraq, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan,
become a major player in the Caspian Sea and south Caucasus regions,
and increase its clout in the Middle East.
The stakes certainly could not be higher as EU leaders prepare to
meet in Brussels Thursday and Friday. German Foreign Minister Joschka
Fischer compared the Turkish decision to the collapse of communism,
saying it was “one of the EU’s biggest challenges since the fall of
the Iron Curtain in 1989.”
The Turkish government confidently expects EU leaders to say agree to
membership talks on Friday, but is wary of heads of state placing extra
obstacles in its path. Ankara wants talks to start “without delay”
in 2005 and refuses to accept any other option but full membership
of the Union. It is also against linking its EU aspirations to a
deal on Cyprus, arguing that it lobbied — unsuccessfully — for the
unification of the divided island in an April referendum.
Under pressure from Austria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Cyprus,
which are tepid about Turkey’s entry, EU leaders are expected
to agree tougher conditions for Ankara’s accession than for any
previous newcomers. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will
be told his government must recognize Cyprus, that the negotiations
are “open-ended” and that they can be broken off in the event of
backsliding on political and economic reforms.
EU leaders dislike making hard choices, preferring cleverly worded
compromises and political fudges to clear decisions. But on Friday,
they know that four decades of prevaricating and procrastination
will have to come to an end and Turkey must be given an answer —
whether it likes it or not.