Category: News

NEW IRANIAN AMBASSADOR HANDS CREDENTIAL TO KOCHARIAN
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS: Ali Reza Haqiqian, the newly
appointed ambassador of Iran to Armenia, handed today his credentials
over to president Kocharian. Kocharian’s press office said the new
ambassador conveyed the warm greetings of Iranian president Mohammad
Khatami to Kocharian. The ambassador was quoted as saying that Iran
appreciates highly Armenian president for keeping the bilateral
relations in the focus of his attention. He also added that
Kocharian’s visit to Iran in 2001 is perceived in Iran as a turning
point in mutually beneficial cooperation.
Congratulating the ambassador on taking a new tenure president
Kocharian said the ambassador received a serious legacy. He also
assessed the current level of diverse Iranian-Armenian relations
positively, saying they should be developed further. He said
concurrently with active political contacts economic interaction is
moving towards a qualitatively new phase, encompassing infrastructure
development with several major projects underway.
The new ambassador said he will exert all efforts to see all
majorjoint projects materialized. The two men also said the upcoming
visit of Iranian president to Armenia in autumn will give a serious
boost to bilateral relations. Also regional issues, the Karabagh
conflict regulation were discussed. Iran-Armenia relations were
considered a weighty factor for regional stability and peace.

PEACE BROKERS SAY PEACE MUST BE REACHED BY ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS: Back from Nagorno Karabagh the
international peace brokers of the OSCE Minsk group told journalists
in Yerevan on July 14 that they were not going to bring any new
proposals for the conflicting sides, saying it is up to Armenia and
Azerbaijan to decide what kind of a final deal to strike to end the
long-running dispute.
The French, Russian and U.S. co-chairs reiterated that all the
details of the peace deal are to be achieved by Armenia and
Azerbaijan. They also said that the participation of Nagorno-Karabagh
in the peace negotiations shouldbe decided by both sides.
Henry Jacolin, the French co-chair said that the OSCE and its Minsk
Group didn’t exhaust all resources to resolve the conflict, and
defended the current format of the talks.
Steven Mann, the U.S envoy to Minsk Group, downplayed allegations
that Nagorno-Karabagh conflict could pose a risk for the construction
of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. The French co-chair said also
that the next meeting of Armenian and Azeri foreign ministers will
take place in late August.

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER DISCUSS A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES
MOSCOW, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian delegation, headed by
prime Minister Andranik Margarian that arrived in Moscow on July 12
afternoon on a two-day official visit, laid a wreath on July 13
morning at the Monument toUnknown Soldier, followed by a meeting of
Russian and Armenian prime ministers at the Russian Government. Later
members of Russian and Armenian delegations joined the bilateral
talks.
Prime Minister Andranik Margarian first extended his
congratulations to his Russian counterpart-Mikhail Fradkov, for the
invitation to visit Moscow. Noting that the talks between the two
countries’ delegations usually proceed in the atmosphere of
friendship, frankness and constructiveness, the head of the Armenian
government assured of Armenia government’s readiness to continue
development and strengthening of cooperation between the executive
bodies of the two countries . Andranik Margarian expressed hope that
the friendly relations between the prime ministers of the countries,
both on personal and official levels, will continue with Mikhail
Fradkov as well.
Armenian prime minister expressed his satisfaction over high level
Armenia-Russian cooperation in all areas. According to him, Russia
continues to remain Armenia’s biggest trade and economic partner,
which is promoted alsoby the work of the joint Russian-Armenian
intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation. Margarian
expressed hope that the appointment of a new Russian co-chair of the
commission and its regular meeting will promote coordination and quick
solution to all existing problems in bilateral cooperation.
During the talks the two sides discussed a wide variety of issues,
referring also to the pace of implementation of obligations, set by
the Assets for Debt agreement. Andranik Margarian noted that Armenia
is interested in rapid upgrading and resumption of operation of
enterprises handed over to Russia (to settle Armenia’s $96 million
debt), adding that Armenia is doing everythingto promote it. Russian
prime minister also assured that Russia is likewise interested in this
issue, noting that they are inclined towards a broad andlong-term
interaction in the industrial area through mutually profitable
investments and other means. Mikhail Fradkov informed about the
intention of appointing Russian transport minister Igor Levitin a new
Russian co-chairman in the intergovernmental commission for economic
cooperation. The sides expressed hope that a regular meeting of the
commission will be held before the end of the year.
Russian and Armenian prime ministers discussed also prospects for
deepening cooperation in the area of small and medium-sized
enterprises. Establishment of joint ventures, attraction of Russian
investments in Armenia’s food processing industry, increasing the
volume of agricultural products exportsand imports was mentioned as a
key condition for interaction in agriculture.
A special focus in the talks was on the issues on developing
cooperation in transport and communication. The two sides underscored
that currently there exist a range of unresolved questions, which
impede interaction developments between the sides. Particulalry,
Armenia’s involvement in North-South transport corridor, opening of a
railway ferry line Kavkaz-Poti, the necessity of reopening the
Abkhazia section of the railway were mentioned.
Andranik Margarian and Mikhail Fradkov also referred to one of
themajor directions in bilateral economic cooperation-energy sector
and interaction in gas industry. Armenian prime minister proposed to
discuss possibilities of participation of Russian companies in the
implementation of Armenian gas projects. They also spoke about the
future operation of the fifth unit of Hrazdan Power Plant in Armenia.
Speaking about education and science cooperation, the sides noted,
particulalry the necessity of establishing close cooperation between
the two countries in fundamental and applied researches, information
technologies and establishment of cultural and research centers. The
talks also dwelt on establishing closer contacts between
administrative units of Russia and Armenia, development of cooperation
in military-political, military-technical and other areas.
Noting that current years was rich in bilateral cooperation
eventsand high-level meetings, Russian prime minister noted that the
recent visits to Russia by Armenian president and foreign minister,
followed by the visit byprime minister were also its proof, adding
that the dialogue between the two countries was filled with new
content. He spoke with satisfaction about theincreasing trade volumes,
noting at the same time that having in mind available potential it is
not yet sufficient. Mikhail Fradkov expressed hope that thevisit by
Andranik Margarian will give a new impetus to further development of
Russian-Armenian economic cooperation.
At the close of the meeting Armenian prime minister thanked his
counterpart for constructive and effective dialogue, expressing hope
that the meeting will become an important move towards deepening
Russian-Armenian economic cooperation, inviting Mikhail Fradkov to pay
a visit to Armenia at a suitable time.
Before the end of the talks Armenian education and science minister
and his Russian counterpart signed an agreement on cooperation in
education. Then prime ministers held a joint news conference, during
which Andranik Margarian first thanked his counterpart for the
invitation and the warm welcome. Assessing highly the progress in
cooperation between Russian and Armenian governments, he expressed
confidence that it will continue with the same pace, basing on
centuries-long friendship between Russians and Armenians and the two
countries’ strategic interaction. Margarian also mentioned with
satisfaction the high level of cooperation between the two countries
in all areas, saying that Russia continues to remain Armenia’s main
trade and economic partner.
He said the talks encompassed a wide scope of issues and several
agreements were reached for further development of cooperation. He
added that he and Russian prime minister agreed to hold frequent
meetings, to have more active contacts which will help efficient
solution to issues demanding constant attention. The Armenian prime
minister also spoke about Nagorno Karabagh conflict regulation,
economic and other issues.
Then an official dinner was given in the honor of the Armenian
prime minister by Russian prime minister Fradkov. Armenian prime
minister also attended the Armenia pavilion at the Pan-Russian
Exhibition Center. The Armenian side proposed that an agreement on
long-term lease of the pavilion be signed, asits operation has
increased the trade turnover between the countries by $3 million.
Today Andranik Margarian is scheduled to meet with the chairman
ofRussian state Duma (parliament) Sergey Mironov.

BRITISH AMBASSADOR ATTENDS LAUNCH OF GOVERNMENT INFORMATION CENTER
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS: Today Manuk Topuzian ,Government
Chief of Staff, opened a new Information Center in Government Building
Number 3 in the presence of the British Ambassador, Thorda
Abbott-Watt. The Information Center has been funded by the British
Department for International Development’s Armenia Public Sector
Reform Project (APSREP). It is one of eight new business initiatives
funded by the project to be implemented over the next two years.
The main role of the Information Center is to make government
administration more accessible to the public by welcoming visitors and
helping them with their enquiries. The Center covers seven ministries
including Health, Education, Labor and Social Issues and the National
Statistics Service. TheCenter is on the first floor of the
building. The staff are trained to handle enquiries and able quickly
to communicate with the Public Relations Departments of the
Ministries. APSREP has also provided the Public Relations Departments
of the Ministries of Education and Social Security with new computers
and telephones.
There are ramps at the roadside and main entrance to provide access
for the disabled and small meeting rooms in the foyer for those who
have difficulty climbing the stairs. Signs point the way to the
various sources of information. Information boards displaying ministry
service charters and citizens rights are also under preparation, and
will be installed over the next 6 months.

OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen bring new proposals to Baku
BAKU. July 15 (Interfax-Azerbaijan) – The co-chairmen of the OSCE
Minsk Group have brought new proposals on a Karabakh settlement to
Azerbaijan, Russia’s representative in the group, Yury Merzlyakov,
said in Baku on Thursday.
“There are new ideas, but we have to negotiate with the Azerbaijani
administration first. The new ideas have been discussed with the
Armenian authorities, and now they will be introduced to Azerbaijan,”
he said.
A decision on Karabakh’s involvement in the negotiations is up to the
negotiating parties, he said. “To my mind, all parties must take part
in the negotiations,” he said.
Merzlyakov is visiting Azerbaijan together with France’s co- chairman
Henri Jacolin. U.S. co-chairman Thomas Mann has left Armenia for
Tbilisi as the American representative for the settlement of conflicts
in the South Caucasus. He will meet with Georgian officials to discuss
the situation in South Ossetia and come to Baku afterwards.
Baku lost control of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjoining districts in
a conflict with Armenia in the 1990s.
The UN Security Council has denounced the occupation of Azerbaijani
lands and demanded that Armenia withdraw its forces.
The U.S., Russian and French co-chairmen of the OSCE’s Minsk Group are
working to settle the conflict.

Favorable conditions developed for settling Karabakh conflict – Minsk group
15.07.2004 12:20:00 GMT
Yerevan. (Interfax) – Favorable circumstances have been developed to
settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said OSCE Minsk group
co-chairman Yury Merzlyakov.
“The co-chairmen think that we should take advantage of the favorable
situation that has currently developed, and if the Karabakh issue is
to be resolved, it should be done now,” Merzlyakov told a press
conference in Yerevan on Wednesday.
He said the fact that presidential elections in Azerbaijan and Armenia
have concluded creates a favorable situation for settling the
conflict. “The new aspect of the situation is that, after a 1.5 year
recess, the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have
restarted,” Merzlyakov said.
The French co-chairman of the Minsk Group, Henry Jacquelyn, said that
it would take time to achieve a long-term peace and settle the
conflict.
U.S. Minsk group co-chairman Stephen Mann said the main responsibility
for settling the conflict lies with the conflicting sides and the
Minsk group is ready to aid their efforts. For example, the question
of inviting Nagorno-Karabakh to negotiations is to be decided by the
conflicting sides themselves, he said.
Merzlyakov noted that “the Karabakh side signed the cease fire
agreement that has remained in effect from 1994 until today.”
Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas in
bitter fighting with Armenia in the 1990s. The UN Security Council has
denounced the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and demanded the
withdrawal of Armenian troops from the area. Co-chairmen of the OSCE
Minsk group representing the United States, Russia and France are
attempting to help resolve the conflict.
The Minsk group’s co-chairmen also reported that the next meeting of
the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers will take place in
August, and the next negotiations between the two countries’
presidents will take place during the September summit of CIS
presidents in Astana.
The Minsk group co-chairmen will leave Yerevan for Baku on Thursday to
meet with Azerbaijani authorities.
The international mediators visited Stepanakert on July 13-14, where
they met with the authorities of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-
Karabakh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EG trial ‘unlikely to be fair’
15/07/2004 14:38 – (SA)
Cape Town – The DA says it “cautiously welcomes” an announcement by
Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma that government
officials will travel to Equatorial Guinea to monitor the trial of
eight South Africans accused of plotting to overthrow the regime in
that country.
“However, the DA remains deeply concerned about the prospects of a
fair trial actually taking place,” Democratic Alliance foreign affairs
spokesperson Douglas Gibson said in a statement on Thursday.
This is in contrast to reports earlier in the day that the eight
alleged mercenaries will receive a fair trial, following assurances
made in this regard to President Thabo Mbeki by his counterpart in the
West African country, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
According to South Africa’s foreign affairs, officials from their own
and three other local government departments – justice, safety and
security, and correctional services – will go to the former Spanish
colony and monitor the trial of the eight alleged mercenaries.
The trial will take place within a month, but no firm date has been
set.
Gibson said Equatorial Guinea had a notorious history of gross human
rights violations.
“President Teodoro Obiang Nguema has for many decades been viewed as
the one of the worst dictators in the world.
“He has instigated waves of repression, including killings and torture
in prisons, which has resulted in Equatorial Guinea becoming one of
the most corrupt, oppressive and anti-democratic states in the world.
“In April this year, Jan Henning of the national prosecuting authority
stated that South Africa should take no part in legal proceedings in
that country, as there is no chance that a fair trial can take place.
“This assessment has been echoed by Amnesty International, who stated
in May this year that it has ‘documented for years the routine use of
torture in detention facilities in Equatorial Guinea’.
“Furthermore, Amnesty raised the concern that ‘accused persons in that
country are subjected to trial proceedings which routinely fail to
meet international standards of fair trial’.”
A further cause for concern was that when the death penalty was
imposed in that country, it was swiftly applied.
“These grave concerns about Equatorial Guinea’s justice system are
borne out by the fact that since their arrest more than four months
ago, the alleged mercenaries have not appeared in court, nor been
allowed access to their lawyers. This in itself constitutes a serious
violation of the men’s basic legal rights,” he said.
Eight South Africans and six Armenians, accused of being the advance
party in a planned coup, are being detained in Black Beach Prison,
outside Equatorial Guninea’s capital city, Malabo.

GEORGIA TO BY IRANIAN GAS
Azer Tag
[July 15, 2004, 16:22:28]
Georgia has arranged to start importing natural gas from Iran as early
as January-February next year in a bid to guarantee its energy
security and to avoid force majeure, Niki Gilauri, the Georgian energy
minister, referring to ITAR-TASS, AzerTAj reported.
The agreement was reached during Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili’s visit to Iran last week, Mr. Gilauri said.
Georgia currently receives gas produced in Turkmenistan via Russia
under contracts with Russian gas monopoly Gazprom and the Itera energy
group.
Above all, Georgia is worried about accidents occurring along the gas
pipeline that links Georgia with Russia. Gilauri said the
infrastructure to import gas from Iran existed but needed to be
rehabilitated. The pipeline runs across Azerbaijan and used to supply
Georgia with gas in Soviet times. Georgian experts think it would only
take four months at the most to renovate the line at a cost of
approximately $1.8 million.
Gilauri said Iranian gas was of high quality and cost more than
Russian gas. “But from the point of view of diversification it is
very important to find an alternative supplier of this fuel to
Georgia,” he said.
An agreement was also reached to supply Georgian mineral water to
Iran, so Georgia might be able to barter this for gas, Gilauri said.
Georgia received 1.009 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in 2003 – 257
million cu m of it from under contracts with Gazprom’s export arm
Gazexport and 752 million cu m under contracts with Itera.
In other development, Georgian Daily ‘Akhalgazrda Ivereli’ in its
Tuesday edition quoted Niki Gilauri as saying that the country is
interested in purchasing electricity from Iran. “We have the
opportunity to buy electricity from three countries,” Gilauri said
adding, “presently, we are purchasing electricity from Russia and
Armenia.”
He allude to Iran as the third country which is in a position to sell
electricity to Tbilisi.
Iran has rendered a good proposal for exports of 100 megawatts of
electricity to Georgia, he added.
“If Iran electricity’s quality and price are suitable compared to that
of the two other countries, then we will definitely be interested in a
deal,” he said.
The daily further said the Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to
Tehran signed a contract between Iran and Georgia in the recent trip
for transfer of electricity from Iran to the Black Sea nation.
The volume of transactions between Iran and Georgia in 2001 stood at
dlrs 31.2 million, of which dlrs 19.5 million made up Iran’s exports
to Georgia and dlrs 11.7 million being the republic’s exports to Iran.
It reached dlrs 53.8 million in 2003, as Iran’s exports to Georgia
stood at dlrs 38.6 million and imports from the country to Iran toped
dlrs 15.1 million.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Israel expertise benefits businesswomen, farmers
By Christina Tashkevich
The Messenger/GE
Thursday, July 15, 2004, #131 (0655)
>From July 13-15, a seminar for women in small business and management
is being held in Tbilisi thanks to the initiative of The Golda Meyer
Mount Carmel International Training Center from Israel.
The seminar is supported by the Embassy of Israel and the Center for
International Technical Cooperation (MASHAV).
The Israeli Ambassador to Georgia Rivka Cohen said at the opening of
the seminar on Tuesday, “this seminar is our dream.” According to her,
the strengthening of the role of women in Georgia is an important step
for the country at the moment.
The training, the first in this field, is being conducted by two
Israeli experts from Mount Carmel Training Center in Haifa. Fannette
Modek specializes in gender and development issues while Dr Dalia
Fisman specializes in Economic Cybernetics and Technical Sciences.
The Israeli trainers say that there are many programs for women in
business in Israel. The Georgian Minister of Refugees Eter Astemirova,
who also visited the seminar, hoped that the successful experience of
Israeli women can help Georgian women “to reach a higher level” in
every possible field.
Tbilisi City Hall helped in organizing the seminar. Tbilisi Mayor
Zurab Chiaberashvili expressed his full support in the event. “We have
the example of Israel of how a small country can rise to its feet,”
says Chiaberashvili. He adds that while studying in educational
institutions Georgian women are more successful than men, but once the
enter the professional world this trend is unfortunately reversed.
The main topics of the seminar are marketing of small business,
credits, management and types of support activities for women in
business.
Created in 1958 by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MASHAV
works to share Israel’s social, educational and technological
expertise with other countries. The areas of trainings organized by
the center include agriculture, education and community development,
medicine, and so on.
MASHAV reports that over 400 Georgians have visited Israel with the
help of the center and trained in different fields. According to the
center, this figure is the highest among the post-Soviet countries.
One of the most recent events organized by MASHAV was the visit of
Gadi Moses to Georgia on July 5-9. Moses conducted seminars in Dmanisi
and Tsalka regions as part of a project in Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan to introduce new Israeli potato growing techniques that
guarantee an increase of crops.
The project was started last year in Dmanisi and Tsalka regions by
MASHAV. It was supported by a Eurasia Foundation grant. Whereas before
the introduction of the Israeli techniques the potato crop normally
amounted to 10-15 tons per hectare, in 2003 this rose to 55-60 tons.

WCU student recognized for genocide thesis
PAMELA BATZEL , Staff Writer
Daily Local News
07/15/2004

Standing in front of a barracks at a former death camp in Poland, with
a survivor in front of him recalling the horrors he experienced and
witnessed, a question hit Jonathan Coull.
Coull, a West Chester University student, wanted to know: “Where did
the Nazis get their ideas?”
The question gnawed at him.
After that two-week trip to Poland and the Czech Republic in the
summer of 2002, he stayed in Europe to backpack but found himself
interviewing residents and researching in museums, hoping to learn who
taught the Germans how to kill millions.
After he returned to West Chester, Coull abandoned plans to teach high
school history and enrolled in the university’s Holocaust and genocide
studies master ‘s of arts program and doggedly pursued an answer to
his question.
After two years of research, which included interviews with a local
survivor of genocide and research of primary documents, Coull had a
thesis that argued Germany had practice in the science of genocide
that preceded Adolf Hitler and World War II.
His efforts were recently recognized by the Pennsylvania Association
for Graduate Schools. He won “Distinguished Thesis Award” this spring
from the association representing 45 colleges and universities from
across the state. Coull was also one of the runner-ups for the
association’s outstanding graduate student of the year.
Brenda Sanders Dede, co-chairwoman of the committee that selected the
winner, said that Coull’s topic was unique and timely and his
recommendations from West Chester professors and project directors
excellent.
William Hewitt, a professor of history at West Chester who helped
advise Coull, said the work was “above and beyond the expectations of
the (Holocaust and genocide) program,” which was created five years
ago.
A master’s level thesis is typically about 100 pages. Coullâ=80=99s
touches 300. And his scholarship, which was strong, calls attention
to what is little known, Hewitt said.
Coull’s paper argues that the German government nearly exterminated
the Herero, a tribe in the African nation of Namibia that Germany
colonized. The Germans used that experience to help the Turks kill
between 1.5 and 2 million-plus Turkish Armenians in 1915, he argued.
By the time Hitler came to power, genocide had been institutionalized,
said Coull, who is 33.
“When you’re going to kill 6 million Jews in a residential complex,it
takes a lot of know-how,” Coull said. “If you practice killing groups
of people that are pariah — supposedly inferior groups — over a
period of 40 years, you’re going to get better at it.”
Coull’s work shows that genocide “doesn’t happen in a vacuum, there’s
a lineage to these horrors. They’re connected,” Hewitt said. “That
connection hadn’ t been made by many people.”
Coull acknowledged that some scholars do not agree that the Germans
played a central or leadership role in the Armenian genocide, but he
maintains that they did. “The documents I found support direct
involvement, they were involved in the killing. I found an
eyewitness.” His eyewitness, Charles Mahjoubian, lives in Paoli.
The Turkish government does not acknowledge the genocide, nor does the
United States, he said.
Coull said it is important to acknowledge and understand the
connection and progression of genocide.
In Germany, he said, “The whole government was created around the idea
that foreign policy is conducted by committing genocide.”
In each instance, the country justified the killings by arguing racial
superiority, Coull said, adding that the effort to wipe people out was
partof government plans to access resources and land.
In Turkey, for instance, several nations, including the United States,
were angling for access to mineral and railway rights as they saw the
Ottoman Empire crumbling, Coull said. Germany saw it could get closer
to the Turks by offering to help them kill the Christian Armenians.
“A lot of so-called inferior groups have been caught in between power
brokers in the world for a long time,” he said.
The Carter administration backed the Khmer Rouge after the Vietnam War
because the Khmer Rouge opposed the Vietnam War, Coull said. The Khmer
Rouge, who were Communists, is reported to have killed nearly 1.9
million people.
In 1989, Coull said, the United States backed Saddam Hussein who,
recent reports indicate, then killed between 600,000 and 1 million
Kurds. The Kurds were fighting for autonomy.
“It’s a real problem. It keeps happening over and over again. People
don’t even know it,” said Coull. “We live in an age of genocide. It’s
happening right now. It’s wrong.”
Coull, who hopes to enroll in a doctoral program in the fall of 2005,
said he wants to conduct research in Sudan.
A recent report from Reuters said as many as 30,000 black Darfur
Africans may have been killed by the Janjaweed, the Darfu militia,
with support from Sudan’ s military. Humanitarian officials say the
violence has made 1.2 million people in Darfur homeless, living in
barren areas.
Coull said he is in particular interested in the role missionaries
play in genocide.
“They need to be aware of their role and they need to be aware that
spreading their faith only instigates more killing,” he said. “Their
role needs to be redefined.”
Coull said he is interested in doing human rights work and developing
a model of intervention.
Coull said his passion for pursuing truth and humanitarianism has its
roots in his childhood.
He said he was about 11 years old when his father took him to see
“Gandhi,” which he described as the first “real” film he ever
saw. Shortly after he saw “Victor Victoria,” another movie with “a
universalist ideal of what people are,” he said. And, around the same
time, he read “The Rise and Fall of theThird Reich,” by William
Shirer, a well-known American journalist who covered Nazi Germany for
the American press.
“Right away there’s a system that’s being put in my head that’s
humanistic, individualistic and universalist,” he said.
His dad was a dean at the Haverford School and his mom was a reading
teacher. His stepmother has taught art and special education students
and several other family members teach.
In 1993, he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps, carrying on a
family tradition of offering service to the armed forces. Coull said
he was quickly disillusioned.
He said he went in believing that the United States was the “bearer of
true, high-minded values” but that his experiences changed that
perception. He said he saw the Army as abusing its power.
After college and his service in the Army, Coull went into social
work. But the work was exhausting and it seemed never to solve the
underlying causes of incarceration, rape and child abuse.
“It was a burn-out and I felt I was capable of doing more,” he said.
He decided to go back to school to get a certificate to teach
history. He said he wanted to relate his humanistic outlook. How
people understand history defines how they perceive the world today,
he said.
But after his first year, he participated in the two-week tour of
ghettoes and death camps from World War II in Poland and the Czech
Republic and was confronted with the question that led to his thesis
and his pursuit of a doctoral degree.
Dede, of the association for graduate schools, said that another
reason the committee chose Coull’s project over other candidates’ was
because he plans to continue his research in a doctoral program.
Coull added he hopes as more and more scholars bring attention to the
problem the public will take more notice — and interest.
“This topic is gaining momentum,” he said, referring to Anne
Applebaumâ=80=99s “The Gulag” which won a Pulitzer Prize in
2003. “It’s gaining currency.”
“If we (scholars) keep kicking at this door we’re going to kick it
in,” he said. “It’s going to become an issue.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress