Category: News

UN expects Azeri government to be more involved in helping refugees
ANS TV, Baku
26 Nov 04
Presenter Natavan Babayeva Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev today
received a delegation led by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud
Lubbers.
At a press conference, Lubbers said that UN resolutions are
meaningless if they are not observed.
Correspondent over video of the press conference I highly value the
programmes implemented by the Azerbaijani government to improve the
living conditions of refugees, and this is the cause for the recent
decrease in aid, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers said
at the press conference on the results of his visit to the region.
Lubbers with Azeri voice-over It is good that despite facing economic
difficulties Azerbaijan spends its profits from oil on refugees. The
international community is somewhat tired. There are two reasons for
that. First, the international community sees that Azerbaijan has
restored its economic and financial strength. We expect the government
to get more involved in this. In spite of that, we will stay in
Azerbaijan and continue our operations as a UN body and with a limited
budget.
Around 70 humanitarian organizations operate in Azerbaijan but among
them the UN office in Azerbaijan has a special role, the head of the
State Commission for Refugees and Involuntary Migrants, Ali Hasanov,
said. It is with the assistance of this body that programmes worth 66m
dollars are being implemented, he said. There is a need to continue
this cooperation, Hasanov said, because correspondent stops in
mid-sentence :
Hasanov Those territories will sooner or later be freed from
occupation. Those people will start returning. In that case we will
have to ask for and benefit from the international experience of the
UN office.
Correspondent In turn, Lubbers said that the main issue now is
achieving the political settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
and returning refugees to their land. But no matter how important
political debates are, they do not help to resolve the conflict, end
of quote. Lubbers also expressed his concern that UN resolutions are
not being implemented.
My task is to help the people who have been subjected to violence,
Lubbers said. He did not forget the 30,000 Armenians living in
Azerbaijan. The Nagornyy Karabakh conflict has worsened their
situation as well and as a humanitarian organization we would like to
help them, he said. Seeing that the idea elicited dissatisfaction from
Azerbaijani journalists, Lubbers said that he was surprised that so
many Armenians live in Azerbaijan. He also added that one may be proud
of Azerbaijan because of the 30,000 Armenians.

SECOND HIGH VOLTAGE POWER TRANSMISSION LINE LAID BETWEEN ARMENIA AND IRAN
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29. ARMINFO. The second high voltage (220 KV) power
transmission line between Armenia and Iran is to be launched Nov 30
2004, says the director general of the High Voltage Power Transmission
Lines (HVPTL) company Sahak Abrahamyan.
The 82 km line was laid on Iran’s $8.4 mln credit. Its capacity is 200
MW. The line connects Shinuar and Agarak towns in Sunik and is
expected to redouble electricity flows between Iran and Armenia.
The general contractor is Sanir (Iran), the client HVPTL. The project
is based on the energy cooperation memorandum signed by Armenia and
Iran in July 2002. The Iranian credit is to be repaid in electricity
supplies. Dec 1 the sides are to sign a memorandum to lay the third
high voltage line.
Sanir is also the general contractor of the project to lay the
Armenian section of the Megri-Kajaran 42 km gas pipeline. The work is
to be started Nov 30 2004.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Georgia: Abkhaz war veteran group warns winner of disputed presidential poll
Apsnypress news agency, Sukhumi
29 Nov 04

Excerpt from a statement adopted at a meeting of Abkhaz war veterans
in Sukhumi on 29 November, carried by the Apsnypress news agency
Since the October 2004 presidential election an extremely complex
political situation has developed in Abkhazia. [Passage omitted: the
election was marred by irregularities]
It must be noted that not a single ethnic group voted overwhelmingly
for any of the candidates, except for the Megrelians [Georgians from
the western region of Samegrelo] and Georgians, about 85 per cent of
whom voted for one candidate [Sergey Bagapsh]. Such unanimity can only
be explained by the use of certain election and, more generally,
geopolitical methods [as received]. The identity of the authors of
these methods is apparent from what happened in the not too distant
past in Serbia, Armenia and Georgia. These Western, or, to be more
precise, American methods are aimed at undermining the influence of
Russia, America’s main rival in this part of the world.
Given the fact that the Russian Federation has been our military and
political ally in recent years, what is at stake here is not only the
presidency but the country’s future strategic course. We must be very
thorough in dealing with this issue. This course can only be changed
by citizens of Abkhazia, people who have Abkhaz passports and have
renounced the citizenship of the enemy state [Georgia] and are ready
to serve in the Abkhaz army.
In the present situation, we deem it essential that:
(a) under no circumstances should force be used and any step taken by
either side should be within a legal framework;
(b) the results of the presidential election held in the republic of
Abkhazia should be declared null and void;
(c) within 24 hours, the blockade of all state-owned installations,
including government buildings, the Abkhaz state television and radio
committee as well as all television masts, should be lifted and the
appropriate state agencies should take over the guarding of these
installations;
(d) the formation of a new central electoral commission should begin,
with due account being taken of the interests of public and political
forces;
(e) the process of issuing passports of the republic of Abkhazia
should begin;
(f) a new presidential election should be called in the republic of
Abkhazia.
We appeal to S.V. Bagapsh not to hold an illegal inauguration on 6
December. If he does not take our views into account and proceeds
with his inauguration, we, reservists and special detachment
commanders, will only obey the first president of Abkhazia,
V. Ardzinba.
[dated] 29 November 2004, Sukhumi

DIFFERENT ARMENIAN COMMUNIST PARTIES CELEBRATE SOVIETIZATION OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29. ARMINFO.”Every Armenian family has been
celebrating November 29 for 70 years now as one of its favorite
holidays – the day of sovietization of Armenia. Only those nations
take lessons from their history which respect it,” the leader of
United Communist party Yuri Manukian told a press-conference today.
In his words, Armenia will inevitable return to socialist way of
development. “The communist ideology will by no means be defeated. We
are witnessing only temporary retreat from socialism. Armenian nation
can not live for a long time under such an extreme division of society
into poor and rich,” he said. Manukian expressed concern over the
splitting of communist movement in the country. “We put flowers in
front of the monument to Stepan Shaumian and Alexander Miasnikian
today and there were two other bunches already. However, this did not
make me happy because the supporters of high ideals have not become
stronger with that,” Yuri Manukian said.
Yesterday, the activists of Yerevan city committee of Communist party
of Armenia celebrated 84th anniversary of sovietization in the
republic already yesterday from the ranks of which Yuri Manukian was
expelled in 2001. -A-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YEREVAN SEEKS FOR NAGORNO KARABAKH RESOLUTION WITHIN MG AND WITH THE
PARTICIPATE OF KARABAKH: ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29. ARMINFO. Today the chairman of National Assembly
of Armenia Arthur Baghdassarian met with the advisor on international
issues at the Italian ministry of defense, ambassador Pietro Erkolle
Ago.
According to NA press services, the interlocutors discussed the pace
of fulfilment of Armenia’s commitments in front of CE. NA chairman
briefed on the current and future work. He mentioned that PACE has
twice adopted a resolution on Armenian parliament’s performance in
terms of CE commitments. The two also conferred on regional
conflicts. P. Ago informed that a special discussion will be held in
Rome in Jan on resolution of frozen conflicts, including Nagorno
Karabakh. NA chairman mentioned that Armenia seeks a solution to
Nagorno Karabakh conflict within OSCE Minsk Group and with the
participation of Karabakh. At the same time Armenia is against changes
in the conflict resolution formats. A. Baghdasarian said that Azeri
initiative to raise the question of Nagorno Karabakh in UN is not
constructive. In terms of conflict regulation, the sides underscored
deepening of democratic processes and integration into European
structures which will reform the societies in legal and institutional
terms. The sides agreed that Turkey’s more neutral disposition will
largely contribute to conflict regulation. The sides underscored
mutual contacts and discussions of issues with the participation of
different layers of society. The two also discussed other issues. -A-

SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF CALIFORNIAN UNIVERSITY OF LOS ANGELES DEVOTED
TO JERUSALEM OF GREAT SUCCESS LOS ANGELES, November 29 (Noyan
Tapan). Ph. D. Richard Hovhannisian, the Head of the Department of
Contemporary Armenian History of the Californian University of Los
Angeles (UCLA), devoted the 15th scientific conference of the
“Provinces and Towns of Historical Armenia” series organized by him to
Jerusalem. As is well known, the previous scientific conferences of
this series concerned Western Armenia and other areas of today’s
Turkey populated by the great number of the Armenians: from
Van-Vaspurakan till Constantinople and from Izmir till the Black Sea,
as well as Nor Jugha.
The scientific conference, which was presided over by Archbishop
Torgom Manukian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, was also held
under the patronage of other departments of the Californian
University: the Center of Middle East Researches, the Center of
European and Eurasian Researches and the International Institution, as
well as under the patronage of the “Srbots Targmanchats Sanuts” Union
of Jerusalem on November 6-7.
On November 6 morning, when Ph. D. Hovhannisian was opening the
seminar with an opening address, the hall with capacity of 450 places,
was crowded.
John Garsuel (Malaga, Spain) made a report about the Armenian mosaics
of Jerusalem. After 13-year laborious work he described 2,000 samples
of them, publishing the two-volume edition devoted to them (1972).
Former dweller of Jerusalem Abraham Terian (New York) touched upon the
collection of the manuscripts of the St. Hakobiants cloister, their
number made 3.9 thousand. He said that the first written document
concerning the presence of the Armenians in Jerusalem dates to the 6th
century.
Klod Mutafian’s report (Paris-Nord University, Paris) entitled
“Armenian Princes and Jerusalem Kings of the10th-12th Centuries”, as a
matter of fact, was devoted to the Armenian princesses of Cilicia:
Arta, Morpia, Melisant, who became Jerusalem queens after their
marriage. According to Mutafian, Melisant’s possible meeting with
Catholicos Grigor III Pahlavuni (1141) might be a reason for the
reconstruction of the St. Hakobiants cloister.
Sergio Laporta (Jerusalem) spoke about the relations between Mets Haik
and the Jerusalem Patriarchate (the 14th century). The attempts of the
Catholicosate of All Armenians of Cilicia for joining the Romanian
Church were the reason of the opposition of the conservative clergymen
of Eastern Armenia. Jerusalem was part of this opposition. In 1311,
its head Bishop Sargis rose against the decisions of the 1307 Adana
Synod, separated from the Cilician Kingdom and the Catholicosate,
started cooperating with the Mamelukes and founded the
Patriarchate. So, according to the speaker, Jerusalem preserved the
Orthodox nature of the Armenian Church.
Roberta Ervain ( New York) made a report on Patriarch Grigor Paronter,
one of the most interesting persons of Jerusalem (1613-1645). He
enlarged Armenia’s presence in Jerusalem through the purchase of new
territories, fundraising, organization of pilgrimages. By his own
example he restored the spiritual atmosphere at the cloister by
approving a 8-hour prayer. Grigor Paronter also established the
community of celibate women and men.
Emma Kostandian (the National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan) told about
the relations between Khrimian Hayrik and Jerusalem. In particular, in
1852, Khrimian Hayrik visited Jerusalem and wrote the “Invitation to
the Promised Land” poetical work. Being the Patriarch of
Constantinople, Khrimian Hayrik was in correspondence with the
Patriarch of Jerusalem. Khrimian Hayrik was expelled by the Turkish
authorities to Jerusalem in 1890. He left Jerusalem in 1892, when was
elected Catholicos of All Armenians.
Vahram Shemmasian (the Californian State University, Northridge) made
a report, which was full of figures and facts concerning the fate of
4,000 Armenians from the string of death of the Genocide who survived
in Palestine. They were moved to the migration area of the Said harbor
on the eve of the English capture and lived there till 1919 autumn,
when they received an opportunity to come back to their birthplaces.
On November 7, the scientific conference re-opened with the report of
Vardan Matevosian (Der Salvador University, Buenos Aires, and the
Hovhanian Gymnasia, New Jersey) that was devoted to Patriarches
Eghishe Durian and Torgom Gushakian, two progressive figures of
Jerusalem of the 11th century.
Armenian of Jerusalem Petros Ter-Matosian (a person working for
doctor’s degree of the Columbia University, New York) presented the
history of the Armenians of Palestine of 1917-1948, when their number
reached from 3,000 to 15,000 on the eve of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
Another Armenian of Jerusalem Oshin Keshishian, editor of the
“Armenian Observer” English-language weekly newspaper (Glendale
College, Los Angeles), in his speech spoke about the literary work of
Jerusalem, presenting the creative activities of Duryan, Oshakan,
Berberian, Yeghivard, Shen Mahi, Aneli, Vahram Mavian and others.
Participants of the sitting were informed about the current situation
of the Armenian Community of Jerusalem. Silva-Natali Manukian (the
California University, Los Angeles) presented the project of the
restoration of the “Gyulbenkian” Matenadaran of the Patriarchate,
which started in 1995.
Last rappaurteur Sosi Andezian (the National Center of Scientific
Studies, Paris, and the French Studies Center, Jerusalem) made a
report entitled “The Central Role of Jerusalem for the Armenians of
the World”.
After the report Hindlian several times stressed his viewpoint that it
is high time for the Patriarch, who mentioned that the forces of the
unity are insufficient for the resolution of problems, to turn to the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and other Armenian instances for the
achievement of joint aid.
In his concluding speech Ph. D. Richard Hovhannisian said that this
series will be interrupted next April, because an international
symposium will be organized on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide at the California University of Los Angeles on
April 2-3.
Participants of the symposium were received by the Srbots Targmanchats
Sanuts Union on November 5 evening, and by members of the Armenian
educational establishment at Alek Baghdasarian’s apartment on November
6 evening.
After the symposium participants with other invitees were present at
the reception dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Society for
Armenian Studies held at the “Charles Young” hall of the
University. The reception was organized in honor of founders of the
Society Tigran Gulumjian, Richard Hovhannisian (the only present),
Nina Garsoyan, Robert Thomson and late Avetis Sanjian.

CATHOLICOS OF GREAT CILICIAN HOUSE HAS MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF ARF
BUREAU, ARF ATTENDANT ORGANIZATIONS AND RAP
ANTELIAS, November 29 (Noyan Tapan). Armenia-Diaspora relations, as
well as the programs and issues regarding the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide were discussed during the November 18 meeting of
Catholicos of the Great Cilician House Aram I with Hrant Margarian, a
representative of the ARF Bureau, and members of the Bureau.
The same day, Supreme Patriarch Aram I visited the central
administration of the Union of Armenian Relief headed by Chairwoman
Maro Minasian. The guests submitted programs regarding Armenia,
Karabakh and Javakhk. Patriarch Aram I expressed gratitude for the
benevolent work carried out by the Union of Armenian Relief.
According to the press divan of the Catholicosate of the Great
CIlician House, members of the Ramkavar Azatakan Party visited
Catholicos Aram I the day before. They discussed concerns and goals of
the Ramkavar Azatakan Party. His Holiness stressed that the
Catholicosate of the Great Cilician House is the house of all the sons
and all the organizations of the Armenian nation.

PREMIERE OF FILM ABOUT DOVLATOV TAKES PLACE IN MOSCOW
MOSCOW, November 29 (Noyan Tapan). The premiere of the “Intimate City”
documentary of Estonian film-maker Kristina Davidiants tookplace in
Moscow on November 10. The same day the premiere was also shown via
the Estonian TV.
According to the “Yerkramas” (“Krai”) newspaper, the film is devoted
to the Tallinn period of the life of Sergey Dovlatov, a writer of
Armenian origin, and based on the chapters of the “Compromise” story,
in which the real events are described and real personages act.
In 1972-1976, the writer lived in the Estonian capital and worked for
the “Soviet Estonia” newspaper. The film-maker succeeded in meeting
with many of characters of Dovlatov’s “Compromise”, as well as with
the writer’s friends and colleagues. The film is constructed on the
contrasts of Dovlatov’s text and the telling of the observes. The
records of RFE/RL, in whose air Dovlatov read the extracts of
“Compromise”, are used.
In 2004, “Intimate city” was included into the competitive show of the
Moscow International Film-Festival, participated in the Days of “Films
of Russia, the CIS and Baltic States” in Stuttgart, received a special
reward of the jury of “Gold Apricot” during the film-festival in
Armenia.
The premiere took place in Moscow with the support of the Armenian
Diaspora.

ARMENIANS BITTEN BY TURKS IN FRANCE
A1+
29-11-2004
Five young Armenians were bitten by Turks Monday in Valance, France,
Liberty radio station reports.
The fight was broken out on national ground. Four of the five were
taken to hospital with injuries.
French Armenians opened a point for collection of signatures against
Turkey’s likely EU membership. Two dozen Turks reportedly made
offending remarks toward Armenians, then, threw bottles at them and
eventually resorted to violence.
Armenians complained about that to the law enforcement. Instead of
interfering, the police advised to close the point.
This is the first time Armenians’ sentiments have expressed this way,
Liberty radio station says.

California Courier Online, December 2, 2004
1 – Commentary
Turkish Official Accuses U.S.
Of Committing Genocide in Iraq
By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
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2 – Glendale Public Library Receives 12,500
Armenian Books from Defunct College
3 – Ararat-Eskijian
Museum Hosts
Dec. 12 Lecture
4 – Memorial Tribute For Archbishop Mesrob
Ashjian Will be Held Dec. 10 in Glendale
5 – Kassakhian Will Run for Glendale
City Clerk in April Election
6 – Free Flu Shots
Offered Dec. 4 for
Glendale Community
7 – Simonyan to Box Vasquez
Dec. 28 for IBF Title
*************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Turkish Official Accuses U.S.
Of Committing Genocide in Iraq
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Turkish officials seem to have the nasty habit of accusing everyone else of
genocide, except their own country — the real culprit!
A couple of years ago a major controversy erupted when Bulent Ecevit, the
former Prime Minister of Turkey, accused Israel of committing genocide
against the Palestinians. Even though Ecevit and other Turkish leaders
repeatedly and profusely apologized for the use of this very offensive
word, they paid a heavy price for that indiscretion. They ended up
antagonizing their supporters in Israel and in the American-Jewish
community.
A similar scenario is developing now, except that this time the Turks are
accusing the United States of genocide.
Mehmet Elkatmis, Chairman of the Turkish Parliament’s Human Rights
Commission, accused Washington of committing genocide in Iraq, and behaving
worse than Adolf Hitler. The Los Angeles Times reported the Turkish
official’s words last week under the headline: “Turk Compares U.S. to
Hitler.” The Times quoted Elkatmis as saying: “The occupation has turned
into barbarism. The U.S. administration is committing genocide in Iraq.
Never in human history have such genocide and cruelty been witnessed. Such
a genocide was never seen in the time of the pharaohs nor of Hitler nor of
Mussolini.” Elkatmis is a prominent member of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.
Elkatmis was further quoted by the Anatolia news agency as saying: “The
Americans first committed genocide against the American Indians, then
against the Vietnamese; they used the nuclear bomb in Japan, and are the
main culprits in the Palestinian tragedy. The Americans are guilty of
crimes against humanity since hundreds of thousands of people were killed
in Iraq. It is time for the world to think of taking actions to prevent
such unspeakable cruelty, barbarism and terrorism.” Elkatmis even raised
the specter of Americans using chemical and nuclear weapons in Fallujah,
Iraq, given the large number of civilian casualties in that city.
The Times said the American Embassy in Ankara rejected these accusations,
saying “they were potentially damaging to Turkish-U.S. relations.” The
newspaper quoted a U.S. diplomat as saying: “Such unfounded, inaccurate,
exaggerated claims are not good for relations, especially at a time of
strain when Turkish public opinion is so critical of what the United States
is trying to do in Iraq.” According to the Turkish media, a U.S. Embassy
spokesman said: “The Turks know well the meaning of genocide and are
appropriately very sensitive when that word is used. Therefore, they should
not resort to exaggeration in their criticisms.”
These anti-American accusations have created a new crisis in U.S.-Turkish
relations, exacerbating the tensions caused by the Turkish government’s
earlier refusal to allow U.S. troops to enter Iraq from Turkey. While
anti-American sentiments have been growing in Turkey, accusing the U.S. of
genocide could antagonize the Bush administration.
Elkatmis is not the only Turkish official, however, to make such
anti-American statements. Bulent Arinc, the Speaker of the Turkish
Parliament, said that he agreed with Elkatmis and accused the U.S. of
violating international law. Prime Minister Erdogan himself “called on
Muslims to unite in the face of ‘ruthless’ U.S. power,” according to
Bloomberg. He also described the insurgents killed by U.S. troops as
“martyrs.” The Turkish press reported that Erdogan, during a recent phone
conversation with Vice President Dick Cheney, harshly criticized the U.S.
attacks on Fallujah. U.S. officials described Erdogan’s highly critical
words to Cheney as “going outside the bounds of proper diplomatic
discourse.”
Turkish newspapers have been publishing scores of anti-American
commentaries in recent days. Erhan Bayurt wrote in Zaman: “The U.S. has
openly violated human rights and principles of warfare under international
law.” Another Zaman commentator, Ekrem Dumanli, described how an Islamic
preacher in his Friday sermon cursed both Israel and the United States to
the wild cheers of the gathered worshippers in a Turkish mosque. The
Turkish Daily News reported that 1,500 worshippers leaving Istanbul’s
Beyazit mosque last Friday shouted anti-U.S. slogans and burned American
and Israeli flags. Similar anti-American protests were held in at least
seven other Turkish cities, including Ankara. Nihail Karaca, in her column
in Zaman, described American soldiers as “monsters.” She accused the
American people of being “accomplices in a crime against humanity” by
re-electing George Bush.
It is ironic that while the Bush Administration is overly sensitive not to
offend the sensibilities of the Turks by opposing all references to the
Armenian Genocide, Turkish officials do not seem to have any qualms in
accusing the United States directly of genocide! Why is the world’s only
superpower behaving with such reticence after handing out billions of
dollars in foreign aid to Turkey during the past 50 years? This is a
perfect example of the tail wagging the dog!
It remains to be seen whether the Bush administration would publicly rebuke
these Turkish officials or would it once again act deaf and dumb. If
American officials could muster a little courage to respond to these
offensive Turkish accusations, they could allow a vote on the genocide
resolution in the House and the Senate, thus pointing the finger back to
Turkey as the country that has committed real genocide!
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2 – Glendale Public Library Receives 12,500
Armenian Books from Defunct College
By Josh Kleinbaum
News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE – Whenever the Glendale Public Library tried to add
Armenian-language books to its collection, the library always had to pay a
premium. The books are hard to find, and because they are hard
to find, they are expensive.
This week, the library hit pay dirt.
The American Armenian International College, a school affiliated with the
University of La Verne that has been closed for more than a decade, is
donating its entire Armenian-language collection to Glendale.
The donation of 12,500 books, which Glendale officials value at about
$500,000, will quadruple the library’s collection of 4,000
Armenian-language materials. Because of the size of the donation, Glendale
is expected to share the books with neighboring libraries.
“Forty percent of the population of Glendale is Armenian,” said Cindy
Cleary, assistant director of libraries. “We have 660,000 books in our
collection and only 4,000 are Armenian language. It’s an incredible
resource, not only to Glendale but to the surrounding neighborhoods.”
For some of the city’s large Armenian American population, especially the
elderly who did not grow up in the United States, having more
Armenian-language books will be welcomed.
“Much of the elderly, they may know how to speak English and read a few
things, but their native tongue is Armenian,” said Armen Carapetian,
government relations director of the Armenian National Committee’s western
region. “The books will come in particular use by that segment of the
community. It’s a tremendous gift.”
The library expects to receive the books next week, but Cleary said it will
be six months before any of them are incorporated into the library’s
collection. The city is expected to give some of the books to other area
libraries, including public libraries in Pasadena and Burbank and Cal State
Northridge’s library.
“From the beginning, it was clear that no one institution could take the
entire collection, just because of the size of the collection,” said Beth
Walker, principal librarian for the Pasadena Public Library. “We don’t know
if it’s the largest, but certainly a significant one outside of Armenia.”
The collection of books is primarily eastern Armenian, and includes history
and literature from 1980 to 1992, including translations of classics and
books on the Armenian Genocide.
“There’s a lot of Armenian literature that is in demand and is not
available in the bookstores or other libraries around,” Councilman Rafi
Manoukian said. “A collection of that magnitude certainly will go a long
way in meeting that need.”
For the past 12 years, since the college closed its doors to students in
1992, the collection has remained in La Verne but viewed by appointment
only. Last year, the college’s board members approached the Pasadena Public
Library about a donation. They also had discussions with the University of
Michigan library, which has an Armenian Research Center at its Dearborn
campus.
“The reason we picked Glendale, the whole board agreed to it, it’s a real
hub of a lot of Armenians,” said Jack Jandegian, a member of the college’s
board of directors. “With the supplement of all these books with what
you’ve already got there, it’s going to be a real big asset for the city of
Glendale.”
The college is also donating $25,000 for moving and processing the
collection. The City Council unanimously approved the donation last week.
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3 – Ararat-Eskijian
Museum Hosts
Dec. 12 Lecture
MISSION HILLS, CA – The Ararat-Eskijian Museum will present a lecture in
English on Dec. 12 at the Museum, featuring Knarig Avakian, of the
Institute of History, National Academy of Sciences in Yerevan, addressing
“The Emigration of the Armenians to the United States: Evidence from the
Archives of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople (from the beginning
to 1924.)”
Avakian is the author of “The History of the Armenian Community of the
United States: From the Beginning to 1924.”
The lecture will start at 4 p.m. at the Ararat Eskijian Museum, 15105
Mission Hills Road, Mission Hills.
Admission is free.
For more information, call (818) 838-4862.
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4 – Memorial Tribute For Archbishop Mesrob
Ashjian Will be Held Dec. 10 in Glendale
GLENDALE – A memorial tribute will be held Dec. 10 in Glendale’s United
Community Church for the memory of scholar and author, Archbishop Mesrob
Ashjian.
The Hamazkayin Western Regional Executive and the Land and Culture
Organization are organizing the tribute to their late friend on the
occasion of the first anniversary of his passing.
Open to the public, the event is being held under the joint auspices of
Western Diocese Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and Western Prelate
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian.
The Master of Ceremonies for the evening is Prof. Richard Hovannisian.
The program will include guest speakers Kegham Kevonian, of Land and
Culture Organization, Paris, and
Rita Vorperian, Ph.D. The program includes performances by Hamazkayin
“Kousan” Chorale, conducted Prof. Ara Manash and slide and video
presentations of Surpazan Ashjian’s life.
Organizers said, “Please join us on Friday, December 10, 2004 at United
Community Church, 333 Colorado Blvd., Glendale, at 8 p.m., as we honor
Surpazan’s spiritual strength, humble presence and gentle humor with which
he blessed and touched us all.”
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5 – Kassakhian Will Run for Glendale
City Clerk in April Election
By Josh Kleinbaum
News Press
GLENDALE – Glendale could have a competitive election in April to determine
the city’s chief election official for the first time in more than 75
years. Now, that race has its first competitor.
Ardashes Kassakhian, executive director of the Armenian National
Committee’s Western Region, announced that he will run for City Clerk, a
position that will be vacated in April when Doris Twedt retires at the end
of her term.
“I’ve always had a passion for public service,” Kassakhian, 28, said. “It’s
a noble calling. If you really want to be an active citizen and
participant, you have to take on challenges and you have to address them
head on.”
Kassakhian should have some competition, although nobody else has entered
the race. Candidates do not have to file any paperwork to run for City
Clerk until January. The job’s salary alone — $105,000 per year, minimum
— will likely draw out candidates to make the race competitive.
As an officer for the Armenian National Committee, Kassakhian is a
community activist who has lobbied the federal government for recognition
of the Armenian genocide and urged Glendale’s Armenian community to vote.
If elected, he said he would focus on increasing voter turnout and
advancing the technology inside the clerk’s office.
“He’s a very capable individual, and he knows very well what the job
entails and how to handle it,” said Councilman Rafi Manoukian, who received
support from the Armenian National Committee in his reelection bid.
“Having come from a community activism background, that gives him better
insight into the operations of the city clerk.
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6 – Free Flu Shots
Offered Dec. 4 for
Glendale Community
GLENDALE – The Armenian American Nurses Association has organized free
influenza immunization outreach clinic for the senior members of the
community on Dec. 4, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at St. Mary’s Armenian
Apostolic Church, 500 S. Central Ave., in Glendale.
All seniors 65 years of age and older will be given immunizations.
The event is sponsored by Glendale Adventist Medical Center.
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7 – Simonyan to Box Vasquez
Dec. 28 for IBF Title
EL CAJON, Calif. – International Boxing Federation Association junior
featherweight champion Israel Vasquez will defend his title for the first
time when he meets undefeated and No. 1-ranked contender Art Simonyan, Dec.
28, at the Sycuan Resort & Casino in El Cajon, Calif.
The world championship card will be held in the Spotlight Showroom at the
Sycuan Resort & Casino.
The IBF 122-pound championship will be a belated birthday gift for one
these two boxers.
Vasquez turns 27 on Christmas Day while Simonyan becomes 29 on Dec. 27.
Vasquez, originally from Mexico City but now living in Los Angeles, has a
record of 36-3 with 26 knockouts.
Simonyan, who was born in Armenia but now lives in Glendale, Calif., has a
record of 14-0-1 with seven knockouts. He earned the right to challenge
Vasquez with a 12-round decision over Fahsan Por Thawatchai in a title
elimination bout May 21 in Elk Grove Village, Ill.
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