Category: News

Armenia Now
July 2, 2004
Writers’ Bloc: Writers’ Bloc: Literary Conference draws authors from Armenia
and Diaspora
By Lusineh Ohanyan
ArmeniaNow correspondent More than 60 authors from 18 countries gathered in
Yerevan this week for the second All-Armenian Conference of Writers.
Organised by Armenia’s Union of Writers, the conference brought together
figures from the Republic and Diaspora to discuss developments in Armenian
literature. Levon Ananyan, President of the Union, says the first conference
in 2002 was more introductory in character since Armenian writers in
different countries had had little previous opportunity to make personal
contact.
This time, many young representatives of literature from the Diaspora
attended the event. Plenary sessions covered subjects including: “Latest
achievements of Armenian literature”, “The national school and national
literature”; and “Historical memory and modern literature”.
The conference also marked two important occasions, the 70th anniversary of
the Writers Union and the 80th anniversary of the birth of the Diaspora
writer Zahrat from Constantinople. Participants traveled to Artsakh for two
days for meetings with representatives of the intelligentsia and army.
They will also take part in an event dedicated to 150th anniversary of the
great Armenian writer Muratsan. Political discussion was not on the agenda,
however, even though many of today’s Diaspora writers are public and party
figures.
The first conference agreed three measures towards greater unity of literary
organizations of the Diaspora. A constituent conference of the Armenian
Writers of California was organized in Los Angeles, USA. Then a conference
bringing together writers from the Middle East was held in Beirut, Lebanon.
Finally, a delegation from the Writers’ Union led by Ananyan and Ruben
Hovsepyan, a National Assembly deputy, organized a recent conference of
Armenian writers from Iran.
Ananyan says that, besides literary bridges, the conference also established
an All-Armenian Literary Fund to provide support for publishing books and
developing Armenian literature. A telethon organized in Armenia has
collected about $200,000 and further collections are being arranged in
Atsakh and Diaspora communities.
The third All-Armenian Conference of Writers is already being planned. It
will likely be held in two years’ time in one of the Diaspora Communities.

ArmeniaNow.com
July 2, 2004
Final Curtain: Friends and fans pay tribute to Tigran Levonyan
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow arts reporter
The art of opera in Armenia suffered a sad loss this week with the death of
director and singer Tigran Levonyan.
Levonyan, People’s Artist of the Republic of Armenia and a state prize
laureate, died on June 25 aged 68. Thousands of admirers attended his
funeral service on June 29 at Yerevan’s Opera House to bid a last farewell
to the artist as the magnificent sounds of the Anush opera rang out.
Tigran Levonyan, People’s Artist .
His dramatic tenor vocals as a singer and his original way of thinking as a
stage director opened a new chapter in the history of National Opera
Theatre. Thanks to his tireless dedication, new directing style and fresh
staging he gave priceless service to the Armenian opera art.
Levonyan was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and repatriated as a child to Armenia
in 1946. He completed his musical education in singing and directing in
Yerevan and Moscow and aged just 28 he became a soloist at Yerevan’s
Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Academic Theatre. By 1977 he had
become the theatre’s artistic director.
His long repertoire as a singer and director included national and world
opera productions: he performed Canio (Pagliacci), Tirit (Arshak II), Saro
(Anush), Carlos (Don Carlos), Otello (Otello), Alfred (La Traviata),
Shahumyan (David Bek), Manrico (Trubadur), Cavaradossi (Toska) with great
depth of dramatic feeling, impressive acting and a delicate interpretation
of direction.
Levonyan was the first to create opera films in Armenia and thanks to his
unique directing approach he placed on screen Almast, Arshak II, and
Palmetto, which became symbols of his innovative art.
However, he suffered unfairness at the hands of government bureaucracy too.
In 1999, upon the order of the Ministry of Culture, Levonyan was dismissed
from the theatre and deprived of the right not only to stage performances
but also to sing there as well.
A letter of protest signed by 125 artists of the theatre, calling for
Levonyan to be restored as artistic director and director, was ignored. He
was subjected to a humiliating whispering campaign in the press, where
articles were printed suggesting that he had pressured people into signing
the letter.
Mourners pay their last respects to an honored artist
“Opera and stage are my life. I’m deprived of the stage so I’m deprived of
life,” said Levonyan. “Back in 1993, I declared from the stage that we need
a law on culture in order to protect the culture from the Ministry of
Culture.”
“Tigran was working and creating because ideas came like rain from his mind.
But we felt deeply insulted and the insult of ignoring us was not only ours
but of the whole art loving society,” says singer Gohar Gasparyan, who
Avetik Isahakyan described as “Armenian nightingale”.
“He left unvalued, denied. Moreover, the reason for his illness was the
unending sense of outrage he felt, which did not subside in his heart,” says
People’s Artist Sos Sargsyan, his voice quivering.
Even after he left the Opera House, Levonyan did not stop creating. On the
occasion of 1700 th anniversary of Christianity in Armenia in 2001, he
staged open air performances of Anush and Palmetto at Zvartnots temple.
Choreographer Vilen Galstyan says that instead of organizing a lavish
funeral service for him, the State should have better appreciated his talent
during his life.
“It’s the Armenian option – ‘go die and I’ll love you’,” says Galstyan.

ArmeniaNow.com
July 2, 2004
Too Far from Home?: Parents fret over treatment of their children at school
in India
By Gayane Lazarian ArmeniaNow reporter
Alvard Gevorgyan strokes her 10-year-old daughter Mariam’s head and says
agitatedly: “It was very hard to get my baby back, I thought I would never
see her again. When she returned, she was sick and ridden with ticks and
lice. The skin on her head was covered in sores.”
Mariam is one of 30 children who were sent to India to be educated at the
Calcutta Charitable Seminary under an assistance program agreed with the
Armenian Apostolic Church. She was just seven when she left Armenia in 2001.
Alvard Gevorgyan says her daughter Mariam won’t return to school in India
“The teachers didn’t allow us to write bad things in letters. If they saw
such a letter they would tear it into pieces but when my ma called I told
her, ‘mama-jan do something, take me away from here’,” she says.
Alvard, her husband and their two daughters live in the dilapidated building
of former professional technical school Number 18 located in the Tnkaran
district three kilometers from Echmiatsin. It is rat-infested and she says
she is too ashamed of conditions in the building to invite guests to visit.
Under the educational program, children from impoverished backgrounds are
offered the chance to go to India to study at the Seminary’s boarding
school. Places went first to those in orphanages, followed by children from
single-parent families and those living in conditions of extreme hardship.
Alvard is a disabled veteran of the Karabakh War. She feels she was misled
about the conditions her daughter would encounter in Calcutta, although the
girl felt that the quality of education she received there was much better
than she would have got in Armenia and she has in fact learned good English.
Mariam was in the first group selected to go to India in 2001. The family
applied for a place after seeing television advertisements about the
program. They met a priest who explained that parents who sent their
children to school in India were unlikely to see them again for ten years.
Nevertheless, Alvard signed up, believing it offered the best prospects for
her daughter.
Mariam points at a photograph of herself at the airport as she prepared to
leave with the group for India. A priest, Father Ghevond, traveled to India
with the children and ensured they were well looked after. Mariam says
everything went well while he was there, but problems began when he returned
to Armenia after the first year.
“In the beginning it was good but later. I only regret that I could not
complete my studies. But the teachers beat and insulted us. There were
children who were even listening to our telephone conversations and
afterwards running to tell the teachers what we were talking about,” she
says.
Alvard says she faced considerable difficulties in getting her daughter back
and had to borrow money from the Mayor of Echmiatsin to pay for a ticket to
secure her return.
“The school didn’t want to send my child back until they received the
money,” she says angrily.
Another child who returned home is 13-year-old Vardan Manukyan. He says: “It
‘s true that I was missing my home but if everything had been all right in
India I would have stayed there. Sometimes when me and my friends were
quarreling, the teachers told us ‘you are guilty’ and beat us. Yes, we ate
three times a day but I did not like the food.”
Verdun ‘s mother Geghetsik Manukyan says that when he called her he would
complain about the seminary and ask her to bring him back to Armenia. She
appealed for help to the Catholicos and the Indian ambassador in Armenia,
but finally she arranged by herself for him to come home.
“You should have seen my son when he returned. It was February here but he
was still dressed in his summer clothes from Calcutta . He was sick. Why did
they treat them that way? When we sent our children there they were healthy
but not when they returned,” she says.
The Calcutta Charitable Seminary was founded in 1821 and is one of the
oldest educational institutions of the Diaspora, where people from Armenian
communities in New Julfa and Isfahan in Iran, and Iraq used to visit as
well. It has functioned constantly during that time, enjoying all the
privileges granted by India to educational institutions.
However, by 2000 only five pupils were enrolled there and the school was in
danger of closing. It was at this time that the plan was worked out to offer
places to children in Armenia to study in India.
The seminary covers all of the pupils’ expenses including food, uniform, and
school supplies, and provides them with pocket money of about 500 drams per
month. At Christmas, each receives 15,000 drams (about $30), while birthdays
are celebrated with a gift.
Deacon Tigran Baghumyan is the cleric responsible for coordinating the
Calcutta project at the Holy See of Echmiatsin.
He has heard the complaints from children but doubts that they have been ill
treated or had their letters censored. Nevertheless, he intends to travel to
India to investigate for himself.
“The program pursues only one goal. People who cannot even complete an
elementary education in Armenia are able to get a complete education in
Calcutta with support from the Holy See,” he says.
He says there are plans to send another 30 children to the seminary this
year and there are many more applicants than places. However, he
acknowledges that some of those who have already gone have become homesick
or have found it difficult to adapt to their new surroundings in Calcutta.
Deacon Tigran plans to investigate the complaints
“I know about the seminary and its activities very well. I have met with
parents who have complained that the condition of their children’s health is
bad. Of course, the environment and climate in India are severe and it is
hard to adapt. At present, there are eight children in Armenia who don’t
want to return.”
Deacon Tigran says the program is being adapted in response to parental
concerns. Children will soon have their own email accounts where they can
send letters directly to their families. A centre will soon be established
in Yerevan where parents will be able to go to make free telephone calls to
their children and have access to the internet.
The Church also intends to arrange flights home each summer holiday so that
children can spend time with their families. The visits started this year,
with children arriving in Armenia on June 12 until August 10.
Fifteen-year-old Andranik Matevosyan is one of those on holiday from the
seminary. He agrees that teachers are very strict and do hit children both
with the hand and a stick, though he says he was never beaten.
“They often punish and in that case they don’t allow them to swim in the
pool and watch TV. If you talk when you eat they order you to stand up and
you have to eat standing,” Andranik says.
His mother Karineh Kirakosyan is unconcerned. She says: “If a child
misbehaves no problem if he is given a slap. I won’t feel bad. It’s a
school. If they attend that school they must endure everything and continue
to study.”
There are plans to fly a group of parents to India later this year so that
they can see conditions in the seminary for themselves and help to alleviate
the fears of other families in Armenia.
According to the deacon, social conditions have improved recently for many
parents in Armenia and as a result they want their children to return to
live with them again. He says the Church in its turn does not exert any
pressure for the children to stay in Calcutta. The biggest issue is usually
that the children miss their parents too much.
“In such cases we let children and parents decide,” says Deacon Tigran.
He says the Holy See has replied officially to letters from parents that
contained requests for medical treatment following the children’s return
from India. The families were informed in writing that Echmiatsin is ready
to cover expenses connected with their children’s medical problems and to
treat them at the Saint Nerses the Great hospital in Yerevan. However, the
parents have rejected this offer.
“I don’t know the reason, but they probably expected to get money from the
Church in compensation,” he says.
Alvard insists that she will never place her child in the Church’s care
again. She wants compensation at least for her telephone bill in making
calls to India to arrange for her daughter’s return.
The seminary in Calcutta, India
At present, about 50 children have returned to Armenia from the Calcutta
seminary for the summer vacation. Deacon Tigran says he has talked with many
of them and the complaints from some of the parents do not reflect the
experiences of the majority.
The seminary has 118 pupils now, 81 boys and 37 girls. The vast majority –
78 – come from Armenia with 35 from Iran, four from India, and one Armenian
from Iraq.
Vardan says he learnt English, Russian, and Indian languages during his time
there as well as subjects related to Armenia. He is adamant that he will not
return to Calcutta, although he regrets deeply that he has not completed his
studies there.
“I knew that if I learned then I would become a normal man,” he says.
Andranik is among those who returned sick to Armenia and he spent 15 days in
Echmiatsin’s infectious diseases hospital. But he is waiting impatiently for
the day when he will return to India. He prizes the education offered at the
school and says it will help him to get a good career.
“If I stayed in Armenia my mother couldn’t give me such education. No
problem, I will bear these years of separation,” he says.

Bidders vie for $5bn MGM studio
By Peter Thal Larsen and James Politi in New York
Financial Times
Jul 02, 2004
Shares in MGM rose yesterday amid hopes that a bidding war is about to
break out for the last independent Hollywood studio.
Time Warner has made a preliminary offer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which
values the studio at slightly less than a $5bn cash and debt bid from
Sony, people familiar with the talks said.
However, Time Warner’s bid could prove more attractive because it
involves paying Kirk Kerkorian, the billionaire investor who has a
controlling stake in MGM, in shares rather than cash.
Time Warner has examined a purchase of MGM several times in the
past. A deal is also considered less of a priority for Time Warner
than for Sony, which needs to bulk up its film library.
MGM told investors at its annual meeting on Tuesday that it was still
considering multiple options for its future.
“As it turned out, we have more strategic alternatives available to us
than we realised,” said Alex Yemenidjian, chief executive.
Talks are expected to continue for the next few weeks, and no
announcement is imminent. MGM shares closed up 56 cents at $12.66.
While Sony is seen as the more motivated buyer, Time Warner has a
close knowledge of the studio.
People close to the negotiations said it may also be interested
because MGM has the rights to distribute any film based on The Hobbit,
the book by JR R Tolkien which preceded the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Time Warner’s New Line Cinema subsidiary released the Lord of the
Rings films, which have taken almost $3bn at the box office
worldwide. It also has the rights to make a movie version of The
Hobbit, but would have to come to an agreement with MGM before it
could be released. Given the huge success of Lord of the Rings, those
distribution rights could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
That said, there are no current plans to make the film as Peter
Jackson, the Oscar-winning director of the Lord of the Rings series
who would be the most likely to lead the production, is currently
working on a version of King Kong.
Time Warner’s offer, which is non-binding and subject to due
diligence, envisages paying MGM’s public shareholders around $13 per
share in cash – similar to Sony’s proposal.
However, Mr Kerkorian would then receive Time Warner shares in
exchange for his MGM stock at a lower valuation.

MGM shares rise on bidding war hopes
By Peter Thal Larsen and James Politi in New York
FT.com site
Jul 01, 2004
Shares in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer rose on Thursday amid hopes that a
bidding war is about to break out for the last independent Hollywood
studio.
Time Warner, the giant media group, has made a preliminary offer for
MGM which values the studio at slightly less than a $5bn cash and debt
bid fromSony, people familiar with the talks said. However, Time
Warner’s bid could prove more attractive because it involves paying
Kirk Kerkorian, the billionaire investor who has a controlling stake
in MGM, in shares rather than cash.
Time Warner has examined a purchase of MGM several times in the
past. A deal is also considered less of a priority for Time Warner
than for Sony, which needs to bulk up its film library.
MGM told investors at its annual meeting on Tuesday that it was still
considering multiple options for its future. “As it turned out, we
have more strategic alternatives available to us than we realized,”
said Alex Yemenidjian, MGM’s chief executive.
Talks are expected to continue for the next few weeks, and no
announcement is imminent. MGM shares closed up 56 cents at $12.66 on
Thursday.
While Sony is seen as the more motivated buyer, Time Warner has a
close knowledge of the studio. People close to the negotiations said
it may also be interested because MGM has the rights to distribute any
film based on The Hobbit, the book by J.R.R. Tolkien which preceded
Lord of the Rings.
Time Warner’s New Line Cinema subsidiary released the Lord of the
Rings films, which have taken almost $3bn at the box office
worldwide. It also has the rights to make a movie version of The
Hobbit, but would have to come to an agreement with MGM before it
could be released. Given the huge success of Lord of the Rings, those
distribution rights could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
That said, there are no current plans to make the film as Peter
Jackson, the Oscar-winning director of the Lord of the Rings series
who would be the most likely to lead the production, is currently
working on a version of King Kong.
Time Warner’s offer, which is non-binding and subject to due
diligence, envisages paying MGM’s public shareholders around $13 per
share in cash – similar to Sony’s proposal. However, Mr Kerkorian
would then receive Time Warner shares in exchange for his MGM stock at
a lower valuation.

GIBRAHAYER e-newsletter
[email protected] yer.cyprusnewsletter.com
THE GODS OF MODERN GREECE MAKE IT TO THE FINALS OF EURO 2004
Friday July 2, 00:15 a.m. (Gibrahayer)
The National soccer team of Greece defied all odds by reaching the finals of
Euro 2004. After downing host nations Portugal 2-0, drawing with giants
Spain and knocking out 1998 World and 2000 Euro Champions France 1-0, Greece
stopped the winning streak of the Czech Republic in the semi finals by the
silver goal of Traianos Dellas seconds before the end of the first quarter
of extra time.
Cyprus was silent for more than two hours while the entire population
watched the game. Moments after the Greek goal the entire population went
into delirious celebrations.
The Greek national team will play host nations Portugal on Sunday, the team
they beat in the opening match of Euro 2004.
NEW PROPOSAL ON KARABAKH BASED ON CYPRUS BLUEPRINT
Ayna, Baku – 29 Jun 04 – The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Turkey met on 28 June on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Istanbul. The
gathering was held behind closed doors.
The ministers told journalists after the meeting that they had discussed the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict but did not disclose the details. In their brief
speeches the ministers said that both Azerbaijan and Armenia support a
greater involvement of Turkey in resolving the conflict. The mechanism for
this will be ready in one or two months, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov said.
In turn, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said that the sides also
discussed the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border. Resolving this issue
may take some time, Oskanyan said. The foremost objective of the talks was
to work out a new approach to resolving the problem.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Armenia received a new formula to
settle the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict during the trilateral meeting. The
formula is similar to the blueprint for resolving the Cyprus problem. In
essence, the new proposal is to pay greater attention to the interests of
both the Armenian and Azeri communities in Nagornyy Karabakh.
Before the trilateral meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
received Oskanyan. The Turkish mass media reported that this meeting
discussed the Nagornyy Karabakh problem and relations between Turkey and
Armenia. The two countries have yet to establish diplomatic relations.
TURKISH, FRENCH PRESIDENTS DISCUSS EU, CYPRUS AND ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Anatolia news agency, Ankara: Istanbul, 28 June: Turkish President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer met on Monday [28 June] with French President Jacques Chirac,
who is currently in Istanbul for the NATO summit.
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and French
Foreign Minister Michel Barnier also attended the meeting. Following the
meeting, President Sezer’s Foreign Policy Chief Adviser Sermet Atacanli told
reporters that Sezer focused on Turkey’s European Union (EU) membership in
his meeting with Chirac.
Atacanli said that Sezer explained once again that Turkey expected France,
which was one of leading countries in the EU, to support Turkey’s EU
membership. Atacanli quoted Sezer as saying that Turkey fulfilled all
political criteria of EU, noting that Turkey expected to be treated as other
countries which fulfilled those criteria. Stating that Sezer said in the
meeting that he expected the report on Turkey that would be announced by EU
Commission in October to be positive, Atacanli quoted President Sezer as
saying that EU should set a date for Turkey in December to start its
membership negotiations with the union.
Noting that Sezer also focused on Cyprus issue in his meeting with Chirac,
Atacanli quoted Sezer as saying that new developments took place after
referenda held in Cyprus on 24 April and Turkish Cypriot side showed its
determination for solution in referendum. Atacanli said that Sezer noted in
the meeting that Greek Cypriot side did not put forth good will on that
issue.
Atacanli stated that Sezer stressed that embargoes imposed on the
[self-declared] Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should be lifted
immediately.
When asked what were the views of Chirac about Cyprus issue, Atacanli said:
“Both Chirac and French For eign Minister, who also attended the meeting,
said that they are aware of developments in Cyprus and welcomed the attitude
of Turkish side and they noted this. Mr Chirac said regarding the EU issue,
‘you know my stance about EU issue. And
you also know that my stance is positive.’ Mr Chirac said that Turkey has
started its EU trip 40 years ago and the EU has a 40 year of commitment and
this commitment concerns a vision related with the future of Europe.”
Atacanli said that Chirac also noted that the commission report which would
be presented in October was important.
When asked whether Armenian problem was brought onto agenda during the
meeting, Atacanli said that President Sezer stressed Turkey’s sensitivity
over the so-called Armenian genocide which is occasionally brought onto
agenda of the French Parliament.
Atacanli said that Sezer earlier invited Chirac to Turkey and he repeated
this invitation during the meeting. Atacanli added that this invitation was
acce pted and the date would be cleared later.
MELKONIAN ADMISSION TESTS CONCLUDED LAST WEEK
Nicosia July 2, 2004 – Gibrahayer: On Friday, June 25th MEI gave admissions
testing to 5 potential students. Their applications and test results were
sent to AGBU’s office in New York for evaluation. The parents will be
notified as soon as the evaluation is completed.
MEI’s annual Summer School program began today (Thursday July 1st) and will
run though out the month. Enrollment is limited, but there are few openings
in selected weeks. Parents interested in enrolling their child should
contact Ms. Freda Georgiou at (22) 422-195 or (99) 570-897.
The Graduation Ceremony of the 2003-2004 Class of Melkonian took place on
Saturday June 12, 2004 during which 3 2 students from ten countries
graduated.
ARMENIAN PATRIARCH MEETS U.S. PRESIDENT IN BOLIS
Lraper Church Bulletin – Bolis – On 27 June 2004, Sunday afternoon,
President George W. Bush of the United States of America had a meeting with
the religious leaders of Turkey.
His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey,
accompanied by the Revd. Fr. Drtad Uzunyan, attended the meeting held at the
Hilton Hotel in Istanbul at the U.S. Embassy’s invitation.
Also present were His Excellency Ali Bardakoglu, Director of the Office
of Islamic Religious Affairs in Ankara; His Holiness Bartholomew I, Greek
Orthodox (Ecumenical) Patriarch of Istanbul; His Excellency Rav Itshak
Haleva, Chief Rabbi of Turkey; His Grace Philixinos, Metropolitan of the
Syriac Orthodox Church in Istanbul; His Excellency Mustafa Cagrici, Gran d
Mufti of Istanbul; Mr. Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State; Mr. Eric
Edelman, U.S. Ambassador to Ankara; Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the President’s
National Security Advisor, and others.
The meeting was cordial and began with President Bush welcoming each
guest personally. The President, in his opening remarks, spoke of his
appreciation of Turkey’s being a mosaic of faiths and cultures, and how she
presents a good model for a country which is a secular democracy, though
predominantly Muslim.
In his exchange with the Armenian Patriarch, the President indicated his
awareness that His Beatitude had studied in the United States. In response,
Patriarch Mesrob said that he considers the United States his second home
after Istanbul, and therefore the visit of the President of the U.S. gave
him great pleasure.
The Patriarch also referred to America’s hospitality over t he years
since the second half of the 19th century to hundreds of thousands of
Armenians, who had settled on the friendly shores of the New World. The
President fondly said that he thinks highly of the American Armenian
community and made a special reference to Mr. George Deukmejian, the 35th
Governor of California.
Speaking of the minority situation in Turkey, Patriarch Mesrob said that
any of the non-Muslim minorities in Turkey, or for that matter, for any
ethnic or national minority to exist anywhere, three types of institutions
are essential: First, places of worship to preserve religious heritage and
to nourish the spiritual life of the community, secondly, schools to teach
language and culture, and thirdly, foundations to fund religious and
educational activities and the personnel who enliven them. The minorities in
Turkey are attempting to maintain those institutions for the future and
well-being of their communities.
Patriarch Mesrob expressed his satisfaction that there was an on-going
inter-faith dialogue between the different religious establishments in
Turkey, and also a neighbourly dialogue of life among peoples of various
confessional communities. Another subject Patriarch Mesrob touched on was
the intermediary roles of the minorities. He said that the communities have
sometimes been in the past, are ready today and will be so in the future to
act as catalysts in any peace undertaking in the region between Turkey and
neighbouring countries.
And finally the Patriarch said that being ministers of religion engaged
in spiritual edification, religious leaders try not to interfere or engage
in politics. However, certain occurrences call for, if not political
involvement, at least a moral response to particular situations. Fully
supporting the initiative of the World Council of Churches call ed “the
Decade to Overcome Violence,” Patriarch Mesrob voiced the sadness and
disquiet of many believers of various faiths in Turkey who are daily
bombarded with terrible scenes of violence via the media. Such images come
daily from Palestine, the Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq and other places in
the world. The Patriarch said he was deeply concerned with this because he
is worried that such occurrences may cause lasting differences between
various faiths and cultures.
Patriarch Mesrob presented the President with an album of the Armenian
churches in Turkey. The President gave the Patriarch a Steuben crystal bowl
with his insignia engraved on it.
Vartan Oskanian meets Gul, Mamedyarov and visits Armenian Patriarchate of
Bolis
The foreign ministers of the three troubled neighbors, Vartan Oskanian of
Armenia, Elmar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, and Abdullah Gul of Turkey met on
the sidelines of the NATO summit in Istanbul. Oskanian said he and his
counterparts had agreed to hold further trilateral meetings later in the
year.
A close ally of Azerbaijan, Turkey has declined to establish diplomatic
ties with Armenia and remains bitter at Yerevan’s efforts to secure
international recognition of the Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey. Ankara
is under pressure by the EU to re-open its border with Armenia, which it
closed in 1993 in a show of solidarity with Baku.
Oskanian told reporters he had discussed the issue with Gul in a
bilateral meeting earlier in the day, but it would be premature to expect an
immediate re-opening of the border. Oskanian used his participation in the
NATO summit, marred by violent clashes between Turkish police and left- wing
protesters, to meet with Patriarch Mesrob Mutafian, the spiritual leader of
Turkey’s small Armenian community. He also delivered a speech to a group of
Istanbul Armenians.
BUSH LAMBASTED OVER TURKEY COMMENTS
” he went into territory that isn’t his ” – Chirac
EU Observer Andrew Beatty – 30 June 2004 – French president Jacques
Chriac has strongly criticised George W Bush for interfering in the EUs
relations with Turkey. During a NATO summit in Istanbul, Mr Chirac rebuked
the US President for his comments earlier this week, when he said that
Turkey should start EU talks late this year.
“He has nothing to say on this subject. It is as if I were to tell the
United States how it should conduct its relations with Mexico”, Mr Chirac
said. “If President Bush really said that in the way that I read, then not
only did he go too far, but he went into territory that isn’t his”, he
continued. The EU will decide later this year if Turkey has met the
conditions for EU membership.
External Relations Commission Chris Patten earlier played down Mr Bushs
comments acknowledging Washingtons legitimate interest in seeing democracy
in a Muslim state consolidated.
At the recent EU-US summit Mr Patten said he would be surprised if a US
president whose next stop is Turkey did not make such comments. But for
France the issue is a sensitive one.
Aside from general mistrust between the France and the US, Paris holds
some deep reservations about Turkish entry into the EU. Turkey will be among
the EUs largest members if it entered, shattering the current balance of
power in the EU which sees France and Germany take a lead role. And it is
not the first time Washington has been judged to have overstepped the mark.
In autumn 2002, the US ruffled feathers by taking part in an aggressive
campaign for Turkey to get potential member status, which they later
received.
That campaign led to Turkey being heavily chastised by the EU and
agreement between Brussels and Ankara that there would be no repeat of the
campaigning seen in the run up to the Copenhagen summit in 2002.
This winter Turkey is widely expected to receive the go ahead to start
accession talks.
——————————————-
RECOMMENDED WEB SITES
osi.jsp?i=EeAN mLJu4ZtGrC8gTogether with the Parikian brothers Misak and
Edmond – back to Cyprus from Australia after 30 years – we visited Morphou
area last Saturday. Enclosed you will find more than 60 pictures from our
expedition to Turkish occupied north-west.
Images include the Cathedral of Ayios Mammas, Ayia Paraskevi, Panayia
Chryseleousa Church, Xeros Bay, CMC Mine, Limnitis Bay, Morphou Mitropolis,
Potamos tou Kampou and the Monument dedicated to the first shot down pilot
of the Turkish Republic Captain Cengiz Topel whose F-100 was downed by the
National Guard in the summer of 1964.
Click on the link under the Mosque.
If any of you are visiting occupied Cyprus the following town and village
name guide might come in handy in recognising our towns and villages:
Morphou – Guzelyurt, Potamos tou Kampou – Yedidalga, Xeros – Geni Konaj,
Pantaya – Yesilyurt.
———————————————
NEWS IN BRIEF
On Sunday 27 June 2004 the 9th Anniversary of the election and consecration
of His Holiness Aram I was celebrated in all Armenian dioceses and churches
all over the world under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Catholicosate of
Cilicia.
– on June 21 an Azerbaijani sniper shot and killed and Armenian soldier
Radik Avetisyan. On June 14 platoon leader Lieutenant Samvel Vshtunts was
also killed in the same area. In a separate incident on Monday an
Azerbaijani soldier was killed by gunfire that appeared to come from
Armenian-held positions.
– Armenia reaffirmed on Thursday its plans to take part in the NATO-led
military exercise in Azerbaijan this September, but appeared to have scaled
back its participation, strongly opposed by many Azerbaijanis.
– The charitable organi zation “Shen,” which has been active in both Armenia
and Karabagh, has announced its plans to supply 400 computers to the schools
of Karabagh. To date, the program has been implemented in the Askeran and
Shoushi regions of the country.
– During a June 23 session of the UN Economic and Social Council (known as
ECOSOC) Armenia was elected unanimously to ECOSOC commission on population
and development, receiving the accord of the East European countries.
Armenia will be member of the commission from 2005 to 2007.
– The United Armenian Fund’s 129th airlift arrived in Yerevan on June 26,
delivering $1 million of humanitarian assistance. The UAF itself collected
$262,000 of medicines and medical supplies for this flight, most of which
were donated by AmeriCares ($138,000) and the Catholic Medical Mission Board
($123,000).
———————————-
g i b r a h a y c a l e n d a r
The Armenian Club of Larnaca invites all friends to a Garden Party on
Saturday July 3, at 8:00 p.m. Enjoy the delicious food and good company in
our Open air Garden for only #4 per person (drinks not included) Children
#2. For reservations please contact Avedis Avedissian 99-445784, Vartoog
Karaguelian 99-880226.
Pan-European Games Party, between July 2nd to July 4th, Armenian teams
from Germany, France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and England will compete
in the Pan-European Games in our own back yard. HYE is proud to announce
that we are throwing the party to end this fantastic sports tournament…
come down and party with the Euro-Armos on their last night. when: Sunday
4th July 2004 @ 8:30pm – 1:00a.m. where: Marriott Hotel Windsor/Slough,
Ditton Road, Langley, Berkshire, SL3 8PT. For map and directions to hotel go
to:
ons.mi?marshaCode=LHRSL
music: Resident DJ Josey Kray with hip hop & RnB and DJ Devil with the funky
armo and middle eastern entrance: #5 contact: John on 07961 166 969 Alenoosh
on 07932 597 089 [email protected] THIS IS NOT A BURUHUNTES THIS IS A HYE
PARTY!
POSTPONED The Annual General Meeting of The Hamazkayin Cultural and
Educational Association “Oshakan” Cyprus Chapter has been postponed for
Tuesday September 14, 2004.
Khanasor and Lisbon 5 Expeditions commemoration at Troodos Picnic site of
“Kampos tou Livadhiou” on Sunday July 25, 2004, organised by AYMA,
Dashnaktsoutiun Cyprus Committee, The Armenian National Committee of Cyprus,
AYF, Larnaca and Limassol Armenian Clubs, Hamazkayin and ARS (HOM) Cyprus
Chapters. Hayer hishek nviragan ayn ore, Houlis amsoun ksanhinkin gadaretsek
mer done. Commemorative Programme begins at 12:00 noon.
AYMA 66th Annual General Meeting, on Thursday July 8, 2004 at 8:00 p.m.
The Armenian Youth Federation is organising its Annual Summer Camp at the
Camp Site of Morphou Prelature from 9-15 August 2004. To receive more
information or to r egister please contact the following: Nareg Tavitian,
Nora Sarian or Simon Aynedjian.
THE TEKEYAN YOUTH MOVEMENT OF CYPRUS is organizing a unique excursion to
Armenia, 7-14 August. Participants will exclusively be Armenian youth (ages
13 to 35) from all over the world. The one-week programme is specially
organized to include an optimum amount of sightseeing, led by expert guides.
Trips to Shushi, Stepanakert, Noravank, Gladzor, Lake Sevan, Dilidjan, Barz
Lidj, Khor Virab, St. Etchmiadzin, Zvartnots, Sartarabad, Garni, Keghart,
Dzidzernagapert are included in the meticulously prepared programme. Lodging
will be at the “Lousakert” Hotel, 20 kilometres North of Yerevan, ideally
situated in an orchard. The hotel rooms are fully equipped with all the
necessary facilities. The price of the WHOLE PACKAGE, including FULL BOARD,
all the excursions, transfers from and to the airport, return air fare from
Cyprus and visa to Armenia is only 335 Cyprus pounds. Those interested
should immediately call 99747798 or 99929343, as availability is very
limited.
A Tour to Armenia is being organised by the Central Executive of
Hamazkayin from August 20-September 3, 2004 with the participation of
members and friends from Armenian diaspora communities. Trips to Karabagh
are also scheduled. To receive more info and to apply for the trip please
contact the Cyprus Hamazkayin committee members immediately.
HAMAZKAYIN FORUM 2004 The 10th Forum, Lebanon:From July 12-18 (Optional)
Armenia: From July 19-31, 2004. Thought provoking lectures, trips to
historic and amazing destinations, and nights of dancing and entertainment
are only some of the Forum highlights. For many Armenian students across the
globe, the Hamazkayin Summer Forum is one of the most anticipated events of
the year. Those interested should visit the website for more details on how
to apply.
The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus announces that the next permit for the
Armenian Cemetery visitation at Ayios Dhometios on the Green line, is
scheduled for Sunday 11 July, 2004.
The Armenian Youth Federation has organised three events for Armenian
Cypriot youth for the month of July as follows: Limassol outing on Monday
July 12. Weekend in Ayia Napa on 17-18 July and Beach Party on Saturday July
31. Details to follow from the pages of Gibrahayer e-newsletter.
———————–
Gibrahayer is an independent electronic environment, now in its fifth year,
disseminating news & posting upcoming events about the Armenian community of
Cyprus, Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora. The list also promotes the
discussion of issues brought forward by its members. The subscription to
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Include this code in your report LATROBA123 (GIBRAYER7).

The Moscow Times
Arts & Ideas
July 2 – 8, 2004
CONTEXT
Bad Press
Pop king Filipp Kirkorov rubs the media the wrong way.
By Anna Malpas
He might have ranked only 17th in the 1995 Eurovision contest, but
Filipp Kirkorov has never failed to win over Russian gossip
columns. Sporting luxuriant Cruella De Vil locks, the pop singer is
also something of a sex symbol, despite being married to 55-year-old
diva Alla Pugachova.
But the 37-year-old balladeer, who quotes British lounge singer
Engelbert Humperdinck as one of his seminal influences, risked his
housewives’-choice status with a few unchecked remarks at a recent
news conference in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.
In footage now widely available on the Internet, Kirkorov attacked a
female journalist who had asked him why his repertoire included so
many cover-versions of other people’s songs. “I don’t want you to
photograph me, I’m sick of you, I’m irritated by your pink top, your
tits and your microphone,” he said, according to a transcript of the
May 20 news conference published on his web site, Kirkorov.ru.
After the reporter, Irina Aroyan of the newspaper Gazeta Dona, asked
whether he would mind if she wrote his statements down, the singer
retorted: “I don’t give a fuck what you write.” He then told Aroyan to
get out, adding, “You need to come prepared to press conferences with
stars, and not like you — yesterday walking the streets, and today,
here in the second row.”
When the journalist said goodbye, the Bulgarian-born Kirkorov imitated
her southern accent. “Learn to speak Russian first,” he said. Then
Aroyan retorted “Learn to behave, star,” to which Kirkorov added a
rhyme: “Da … Pizda” (Yes … Cunt).
After Aroyan left the room, Kirkorov’s bodyguards approached her,
removed the memory card from her camera and damaged her dictaphone,
but video footage shot at the scene swiftly went on the Internet, and
Aroyan decided to take the singer to court for personally insulting
her in the public sphere. The case is due to open in Rostov on Monday.
Itar-Tass
Determined to take the pop star down a notch, Irina Aroyan is suing
him for moral damages.
As the public’s interest in the scandal grew, journalists launched a
campaign to collect 1 million votes of protest against Kirkorov, with
the aim of depriving him of the status of Honored Artist of Russia and
introducing a commercial boycott against him. In the two weeks since
the petition began, the campaign’s site, , has
gathered 155,000 signatures, although some, such as those of Vladimir
Putin and Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, seem somewhat suspect.
Kirkorov faced up to Aroyan last Friday on a talk show on Channel One
called “Basic Instinct” (Osnovnoi Instinkt), saying that he would
rather “lick up courtyards” than apologize to Aroyan, referring to one
of the possible community service sentences that he could receive.
Speaking from Bulgaria via video-link, and flanked by top Moscow
lawyer Yevgeny Danilov, Kirkorov said that his outburst was not
“unseemly.”
“At the age of 37, I could have learned to keep myself in check, and I
did keep myself in check for 10 years,” Kirkorov commented when asked
what he had learned from the situation.
Danilov accused Aroyan of allowing her cause to be funded by the
pro-Putin youth organization Moving Together, which, in 2002, set fire
to the works of novelist Vladimir Sorokin to protest their allegedly
pornographic content. Also speaking out in Kirkorov’s defense were
two top stars of the senior pop scene, crooner and State Duma Deputy
Iosif Kobzon and chanson singer Alexander Rozenbaum, who suggested
that the younger singer’s outburst was a long-overdue response to
years of muckraking journalism.
“You can’t justify a man who tells a woman to go to hell,” Rozenbaum
said, but criticized journalists for concentrating on the negative
scoop, rather than writing about “good doctors who do beautiful
operations.” Meanwhile, Kobzon chided Kirkorov for “giving journalists
a reason to rejoice.” When Aroyan burst into tears later on, however,
he offered apologies for the unyielding star.
“Filipp has always had to deal with people popping into his life and
trying to build their own popularity on his name,” said the singer’s
PR manager, Nikolai Stepanov, in an interview Monday.
Stepanov agreed in principle with Rozenbaum and Kobzon, putting the
blame for the scandal on the ensuing media blitz. “Filipp has already
said that he doesn’t feel guilty about what he said to this
journalist. Yes, he could apologize to parents whose children were the
unwilling witnesses thanks to the mass media’s efforts,” he said. The
remarks in question were “addressed not for public airing but to a
concrete person.”
“It wasn’t a question he was answering, but the follow-up [to the
question],” Stepanov said. “When Irina asked ‘Do you mind if I write
that my top makes you mad’ and he said, ‘It’s basically all the same
to me what you write,’ that wasn’t addressed to the camera, do you
understand?”
Speaking from her newspaper office in Rostov on Monday, Aroyan said,
“It’s hard to imagine what’s happening here at the newspaper, what’s
happening in the city … Everyone is sending letters. It’s not just
Rostov — Chelyabinsk, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Kaluga are
uniting.”
Aroyan was born in Rostov, studied English at the local university,
and only recently started working at Gazeta Dona. Despite Kirkorov’s
criticism of her accent, Aroyan’s father is of Russian descent (she
uses her mother’s surname), and her Armenian relatives settled in
Rostov in the 19th century.
“It’s very unpleasant for me to hear myself being criticized in this
situation, to have people tell me I’m doing it for PR. Why do I give
interviews? Why do I speak? Because I was insulted in public, and,
what’s more, I’m a journalist,” Aroyan said.
Aroyan was eager to de-emphasize Moving Together’s involvement even as
the youth group was planning a rally in her defense that went ahead in
Rostov last Thursday. “Fighting against bad language is part of their
program,” she said. “In accordance with that, they’re supporting me.”
“At the moment, they are supporting me financially only in as much as
they’re providing me with bodyguards,” she said. “There’s no other
financial support. The rest of my financial support comes from my
holding.” (Aroyan’s newspaper, Gazeta Dona, is owned by the
Moscow-based Provintsia publishing house, along with more than 30
other regional newspapers.)
Initially, Aroyan was supported by Rostov lawyer Valery Ratychev, but
last week she switched to another lawyer, Vladimir Livshits, on the
request of Moscow lawyers Eduard Margulyan and Andrei Rakhmilovich,
who plan to launch a civil case in the capital against Kirkorov for
moral damages.
Irina Usikova, press spokesperson for the Rostov branch of Moving
Together, said Monday that “the new lawyers Irina has employed say
that it’s undesirable for her to take part in our demonstration. I
find it a bit difficult to understand why, because, on the contrary,
there is a public response, and we have 1,500 people ready to go out
to support her.”
Usikova described Aroyan’s dismissed advocate Valery Ratychev as “our
lawyer, who works on a pro bono basis.” The bodyguards are also
working for free, she added.
Music journalist Maxim Kononenko, who has written on the case for the
newspaper Gazeta and helped create the Million Against Kirkorov web
site, points to the outcry as proof that the public has simply tired
of the singer.
“He’s not current for Russian show business, but, nevertheless, he’s
much more of a presence on television than any other artist,” the
journalist said Monday. “Now, having organized this project, we are
amazed to see that Kirkorov is not, in fact, a superstar. No one likes
him.”
The press service for STS television channel, which airs “Morning With
Kirkorov,” a regular musical show, declined to comment on the scandal.
However, a spokeswoman confirmed that the pre-recorded show will
continue to be aired until at least September.
The singer’s videos regularly rotate on Russian MTV, where they
receive “good ratings,” confirmed MTV press officer Vladimir Smirnov
on Tuesday. The video for “And You Will Say,” a duet by Kirkorov and
Anastasia Stotskaya, was among last week’s 30 most-played clips,
coasting along at 18th place in the channel’s top 20, and at 9th place
among the top 10 Russian songs.
“He is holding on,” Smirnov said. “He simply has very high-quality
musical material.”

Europe wants to assist Karabakh settlement
MPA news agency
1 Jul 04
Baku, 1 July: “The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
[PACE] is able and wants to render assistance in resolving the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict although the OSCE Minks Group is dealing
with the issue,” PACE Secretary-General Bruno Haller said today (1
July) following his talks with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov.
Mr Haller stressed that PACE does not intend to substitute the OSCE in
the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. PACE will soon
appoint a rapporteur on Nagornyy Karabakh and the report will be ready
in late 2004 – early 2005, he said. The new rapporteur will continue
working on the report on the basis of information collected by Terry
Davis. The new rapporteur will visit the region to familiarize himself
with the conflict, Mr Haller said.
He expressed satisfaction with his meeting with the Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister and said that the strengthening of parliamentary
cooperation between Baku and Strasbourg and PACE’s role in the
Karabakh conflict settlement were discussed during the talks.

Azerbaijan increases military spending by over 34m dollars
ANS TV, Baku
30 Jun 04

[Presenter] Azerbaijan, which is at war with Armenia, has increased
its military spending.
[Correspondent over video of marching soldiers] Another step has been
taken to strengthen the national army. According to changes in the
2004 budget, 171bn manats [34.9m dollars] will be allocated for
defence expenditure. This pertains to the strengthening of the
Azerbaijani Defence Ministry’s material and technical base, to the
development of the military and industrial complex and to the payrise
for servicemen.
[Azerbaijani Finance Minister Avaz Alakbarov, speaking at a news
conference] This makes up 2.3 per cent of the GDP. It’s not a large
figure. One should make strong efforts to find 171bn manats and
finance something. Therefore, I think the president’s step is very
necessary and timely.
[Passage omitted: financial details]
[Correspondent] To recap, a lot of attention is being paid to military
cooperation during the Azerbaijani president’s visits abroad.
[Passage omitted: documents signed in the military sphere during
Aliyev’s recent visits to Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Turkey]
[Correspondent] It is no coincidence that these measures and
statements on the liberation of the occupied lands in a military way
have caused some concern in Armenia. For instance, reports by
Armenia’s Regnum [as heard] news agency allow us to say that the
Armenians are unable to fight a war. They are trying to conceal this
with the opinion that the Azerbaijani army is weak. Such an opinion by
the Armenians seems to be absurd if we take into account that Armenia
and Azerbaijan allocated 86m and 147m dollars respectively for
military spending in their 2004 state budgets and that Azerbaijan has
now added 34m dollars to the this amount.
According to military experts, it’s impossible to establish a strong
army with Armenia’s weak economy. The Armenian army’s material and
technical base cannot withstand competition with Azerbaijan in this
sphere.
Zamina Aliyeva, Anar Cabrayilli and Elxan Huseynov, ANS.

Bulgarian president receives Armenian parliamentary delegation
BTA web site, Sofia
30 Jun 04

Sofia, 30 June: The state and prospects of bilateral relations, with
an emphasis on initiatives to boost two-way trade, build
infrastructure projects, pursue regional cooperation and European
integration, figured on the agenda of Wednesday’s [30 June] session
between Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov and an Armenian
parliamentary delegation, led by National Assembly Chairman Artur
Baghdasaryan.
Last year witnessed a breakthrough in Bulgarian-Armenian trade, but
the two countries can and should do a lot better than the 23m US
dollars’ worth of goods they exchanged, the guest said, quoted by the
President’s Press Secretariat. He stressed that Armenia is
particularly keen on regional cooperation and will assist the
implementation of specific projects in this sphere, as well as the
twinning between Bulgarian and Armenian cities. The guests expressed
readiness to invigorate cooperation in education and culture and
specifically to help Sofia University open an Armenian Studies
Department.
President Purvanov noted that Bulgaria attaches enormous importance to
infrastructure projects and specifically the connection between
TRACECA and Pan-European Corridor No.VIII. “This will be the soundest
investment in peace and security of two regions which are key to the
entire continent,” he stressed. The president promised Bulgaria’s
active support to Armenia’s efforts to reach the threshold of European
integration. He also welcomed the idea to initiate the establishment
of culture centres in Sofia and Yerevan under the auspices of the two
parliaments.
It emerged at the session that a visit of the Bulgarian head of state
to Armenia has already been scheduled for October 2004.