Category: News

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 25, 2004, Friday
TERRITORIES IN RETURN FOR LIFTING THE SIEGE
SOURCE: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, June 23, 2004, p. 5
by Rauf Mirkadyrov
INITIATIVE IN KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT SEIZED BY WASHINGTON
Foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan Vardan Oskanjan and Elmar
Mamedjarov met in Prague last Monday. The meeting was arranged by
chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Stephen
Mann (USA), Henry Jacolen (France), and Andrzej Kasprishka, personal
envoy of OSCE chairman.
Official reports on the meeting were reduced to the traditional vague
phrases like “foreign ministers discussed various aspects and
prospects of Karabakh conflict settlement.” Some observers suspect
that there is more to the settlement process than meets the eye.
Both sides made statements on the eve of the meeting in Prague, and
the statements may be viewed as sensational. “The Karabakh conflict
will be settled soon in accordance with the international law and
with territorial integrity of Azerbaijan honored,” President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said addressing servicemen of some unit
quartered in Gyandzh. Aliyev pointed out, however, that the
negotiations with Armenia “have failed to result in anything so far.”
Needless to say, Azerbaijan “stands for a peaceful settlement of the
conflict but the patience of the people has its limits too.”
“Azerbaijan will never put up with occupation of its lands. It will
liberate them regardless of what it takes,” Aliyev said. “No
compromises are possible where territories are concerned. The sooner
Armenia understands it, the better.”
US Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway announced at his press
conference in Yerevan that the following year Washington intended to
take some “serious steps to accomplish progress in the Karabakh
conflict settlement.” To quote the American diplomat, “a military
solution to the problem is not acceptable for the United States.”
Said Defense Minister of Armenia Serzh Sarkisjan, “If Aliyev wants to
begin everything from scratch, he will have to pass again through the
phases we have already negotiated… Moreover, the Armenian army is
much stronger now than it was then, and nobody can safely ignore
these facts of life much less turn history back. I’m surprised that
somebody is still trying to talk to Armenia in the language of force
after this decade.”
It is necessary to say a few words on Aliyev’s optimism concerning
Karabakh settlement “in accordance with the international law”. The
OSCE Minsk Group, for example, is much more cautious with words.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Merzlyakov said only recently that
the Karabakh talks entered what he called a cul-de-sac. In fact,
Moscow is not precisely active in this sphere nowadays. It seems that
the initiative is being seized by Washington.
When Mann was appointed one of the chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Mann is US presidential envoy for the Caspian problems), this
newspaper surmised that the experienced American diplomat would
probably try to settle the conflict beyond the OSCE Minsk Group
format, using shuttle diplomacy. It seems that we were correct. It
was announced at the meeting of leaders of Justice (opposition bloc
in Armenia) recently that on his visit to Yerevan not long ago Man
had asked the authorities of Armenia to return three occupied
districts to Azerbaijan. According to the Armenian opposition, this
was but the first attempt and attempts are being made now to have the
same idea aired by Karabakh authorities.
Mann made his trip to Yerevan right after the oil and gas conference
in Baku and his negotiations with Azerbaijani leaders. It goes
without saying that Karabakh settlement was discussed there.
Observers do not rule out the possibility that the events will take
the turn already suggested by the European Union once – that official
Baku will be told to release transport arteries, life the siege, and
make it possible for Armenia to participate in regional economic
projects.
Translated by A. Ignatkin

Los Angeles Times
June 25, 2004 Friday
Home Edition
MOVIE REVIEW;
Dreams, detours get ‘Bought & Sold’;
In the affecting drama, an aspiring DJ begins working for a loan
shark and meets people who cause him to reconsider the direction of
his life.
by Kevin Crust, Times Staff Writer
Writer-director Michael Tolajian mines the diversity of a multiethnic
enclave of storefront shops in Jersey City, N.J., to craft the
well-acted drama “Bought & Sold.” Leavened with humor, the film
traces a young man’s hard-won entry into adulthood as he discovers
his priorities.
A year out of high school, Ray Ray Morales is anxious to make it as a
DJ and is growing frustrated by the low pay, not to mention the
smelly feet, associated with his job as a shoe salesman. Played by
Rafael Sardina, who resembles a young Oscar De La Hoya, Ray Ray feels
pressure from his pushy fiancee, Hilda (Cristina Ablaza), and his own
creative ambitions.
To help Ray Ray save for a turntable he’s been eyeing in the window
of a pawnshop, his friend Papo (Frank Harts) hooks him up with a
second job working for a loan shark who also deals in “gaming
interests,” “pharmaceutical sales” and “vehicle export.”
“It’s important to diversify,” says Alphonso “Chunks” Colon (Joe
Grifasi), who fancies himself as the neighborhood padrone. After
determining Ray Ray is too smart to waste on petty crime, Chunks
gives him an assignment working at the pawnshop monitoring its cash
flow. The proprietor, an elderly Armenian named Kutty Nazarian (David
Margulies), owes Chunks a great deal of money and it becomes Ray
Ray’s responsibility to ensure the weekly payments are met.
Kutty runs the shop with help from his attractive niece, Ruby (Marjan
Neshat), who catches Ray Ray’s eye and encourages him to pursue his
dreams. Hilda, on the other hand, doesn’t care what Ray Ray does for
a living as long as he provides for her in the manner she envisions.
Chunks is at first paternal toward Ray Ray, but when business becomes
business, things get ugly fast and the younger man is forced to
choose which path his life will take. Tolajian creates a viable,
self-contained world and does a nice job of integrating veterans
Grifasi and Margulies with an ensemble of newcomers. The story wraps
a little too neatly and backs away from some of its darker impulses
but is finally a sweet-natured tale of male rituals and cultural
adaptation in urban America.
*
‘Bought & Sold’
MPAA rating: R for language and sexual references
Times guidelines: Threats of violence
Rafael Sardina…Ray Ray Morales
David Margulies…Kutty Nazarian
Joe Grifasi…”Chunks” Colon
Marjan Neshat…Ruby
Frank Harts…Papo Rivera
A Pawnshop Pictures production, released by Pathfinder Pictures.
Writer-director Michael Tolajian. Producers Bergen Swanson, Michael
Tolajian. Cinematographer Kip Bogdahn. Editors Seth Anderson, Michael
Tolajian. Costume designer Michelle Phillips. Music Joe Delia.
Running time: 1 hour, 31 minutes.
Exclusively at Laemmle’s Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood,
(323) 848-3500.
GRAPHIC: PHOTO: ROAD TO DISCOVERY: Rafael Sardina stars as Ray Ray
Morales in the New Jersey-based drama “Bought & Sold.” PHOTOGRAPHER:
Pathfinder Pictures
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/25/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1. Gorky Family Representative Expounds Family's Decision 2. House Panel Vote Maintains Parity in US Military Aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan 3. Poll Shows Universal Rejection of Karabagh's Return to Azerbaijan 4. Kocharian Delivers Powerful Message to PACE 1. Gorky Family Representative Expounds Family's Decision On behalf of Arshile Gorky's family, son-in-law Matthew Spender recently explained to Asbarez that although the chances of transferring Gorky's remains to Armenia are small, the Gorky family would review a formal request. In May of this year, the family was stunned by the announcement of the Yerevan-based Arshile Gorky Foundation, that efforts were underway to transport and bury the remains of the artist in Armenia, so as to carry out Gorky's greatest dreams "to return home and to be one with the soil of Armenia." Spender had responded saying that neither Gorky's daughter Maro, her mother, nor sister had been informed of the plan, and were against the idea. "Gorky's resting place in Connecticut is final," emphasized Spender. In a June 23 letter, Spender explained that a similar attempt had been made many years ago by Gorky's nephew Karlen Mooradian, but was rejected by the family. "The confidence with which the present group has been raising money for the scheme has also created a bad impression, as you can imagine," Spender told Asbarez. "But it is only fair to give the proposal a hearing." Addressing the point of Gorky's remains being at one with the soil of Armenia, Spender explained that Gorky's relationship to Armenia is unclear. "Vartoosh and her husband returned there in 1935 and had a terrible time. It was only with difficulty that Gorky, through a US relief agency (to which he remained eternally grateful), was able to bring them back to the United States." In fact, Spender says that Gorky never really mentioned the Republic of Armenia, except in one letter in which he "seemed diffident," about it. "Regarding what one might guess to have been his feeling on the subject, it would make more sense to translate his remains to Van than to Armenia. But that, of course, is out of the question," concludes Spender. Spender is the author of the 1999 Gorky biography, From a High Place: A Life of Arshile Gorky. 2. House Panel Vote Maintains Parity in US Military Aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)--A key House Appropriations Subcommittee, voted on June 23 to maintain parity in US foreign military financing (FMF) assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan. The decision counters President Bush's FY 2005 budget proposal, which would have broken an earlier agreement between the Administration and Congressional leaders to ensure balanced military assistance to the two countries. The House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, chaired by Arizona Republican Jim Kolbe, voted to allocate $5 million in military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, respectively, as opposed to President Bush's request of $8 million for Azerbaijan and $2 million for Armenia. The Committee also supported a hard earmark of $65 million in US assistance to Armenia, and $5 million for Mountainous Karabagh. By contrast, the Bush Administration had requested $62 million for Armenia and had not specified any funds for Mountainous Karabagh. The Subcommittee's decision would effectively reduce US assistance to Armenia by $10 million from FY 2004 levels. The reduction reflects an overall reduction of US assistance to former Soviet countries. In the months leading up to the Subcommittee mark up of the foreign aid bill, Armenian American activists from across the country participated in ANCA WebFax campaigns calling attention to potential repercussions to breaking US military assistance parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In February, activists noted that the brutal murder in Hungary of 26-year-old Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian during a NATO language course underscored the dangers posed by adopting President Bush's policy. That tragedy was followed by disturbing rhetoric by the Azerbaijani leadership threatening to resolve the Mountainous Karabagh issue militarily. As Armenians and Azerbaijanis were marking the 10th anniversary of the Mountainous Karabagh ceasefire on May 12th, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that, "We [Azerbaijan] must increase our military potential. Our army is able at any moment to free our territory." Aliyev went on to note that military expenditures have grown over the past several years and "it will keep increasing in the future." In a briefing paper faxed to House and Senate members earlier this year, the ANCA noted that "a tilt in military spending toward Azerbaijan would destabilize the region, emboldening the new Azerbaijani leadership to continue their threats to impose a military solution to the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. More broadly, breaching the parity agreement would reward the leadership of Azerbaijan for walking away from the OSCE's Key West peace talks, the most promising opportunity to resolve the Mountainous Karabagh conflict in nearly a decade." Members of Congress concurred with this assessment, with over 30 House members cosigning a February 24th letter to President Bush, initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), stating that they "strongly believe that providing unequal military assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia will contribute to instability in the region and could unintentionally tip the military balance." Earlier that month, on February 11, Representatives Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) pressed Secretary of State Colin Powell to explain the Administration's reasoning for the proposed break in Armenia-Azerbaijan military parity in spoken and written statements submitted during his testimony before the House International Relations Committee. In April, Rep. Pallone and New York Republican John Sweeney initiated a letter to Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Kolbe and Ranking Democrat Nita Lowey (D-NY) urging that military parity be maintained. Foreign Operations Subcommittee member and Congressional Armenian Caucus co-Chairman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) was outspoken in his efforts to maintain a balance in military assistance to the two countries. During the ANCA Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide, Rep. Knollenberg stated, "every single time we have gotten the federal government's dollar numbers for Armenia, they have always been down and we've always had to bring it up. And we aren't going to stop fighting to bring it back and to ensure there is parity on the military issue." The foreign aid bill will likely be considered by the House Appropriations Committee on July 9, followed by a full House vote thereafter. The Senate version of the bill will follow a similar path. 3. Poll Shows Universal Rejection of Karabagh's Return to Azerbaijan YEREVAN (ACNIS/RFE/RL)An opinion poll publicized by the Yerevan-based think tank on Friday shows that less than only one percent of Armenians support Mountainous Karabagh's return to Azeri rule as part of a possible peaceful settlement. The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) said nearly 60 percent of some 2,000 people around the country recently interviewed by its researchers want Karabagh to formally become a part of Armenia, while 39 percent of them would agree to its independence. The pollsters said only about a third of those surveyed are against the return of the Armenian-controlled territories in Azerbaijan proper under any circumstances, the others being ready to trade them for Karabagh's independence or a lasting peace. According to the poll, thirty percent of ordinary Armenians view Russia as the most trustworthy of international mediators and only three percent believe the United States tends to have a pro-Armenian stance on the issue. This perception contrasts sharply with the findings of a separate poll conducted by the ACNIS among 50 political and public policy analysts. Eighteen percent of them said US interests in the region are good for a pro-Armenian solution to the Karabagh dispute. Only ten percent mentioned Russia in that regard. The ACNIS survey confirms the strong Armenian opposition to any deal that would restore Baku's control of Karabagh. It comes amid a fresh international push to end the conflict. Since the raising of the Karabagh question (1988-2004), 82% of respondent experts consider the greatest achievement to be independence and sovereignty, 8% guarantees of physical security, 4% confidence in our own abilities, and 4% enhancement of territory. As for the public survey, 49.7% think that the most important accomplishment is independence, 6% guarantees of physical security, 10% confidence in one's own abilities, and 12.8% enhancement of territory. 54% of responding specialists see the status of Mountainous Karabagh as a part of Armenia, 32% as an independent and sovereign republic, while 10% find it acceptable for Karabagh to be an autonomous part of Azerbaijan. Among the broader public, these figures are 59.7%, 38.6%, and 1.1%, respectively. All 50 professionals who took part in the focus poll are from Yerevan. 90% of them are male, and 10% female; 8% are 30 years of age or below, 40% 31-40, 42% 41-50, and 10% 50 or above. All of the experts surveyed have received higher education: 20% are candidates of science (PhD), 76% hold a Master's degree, while 4% have earned solely a Bachelor's degree. As for the 1,950 citizens polled, 50% of them are male and 50% female; 30.5% are 30 years of age or below, 45.2% 31-50, 20.6% 51-70, 3.7% 71 or above. 45.7% of the responding citizens have received higher education, whereas 11.2% incomplete higher, 17.3% specialized secondary, 21.6% secondary, and 2.4% incomplete secondary training. Urban residents constitute 60.7% of the citizens surveyed, and rural residents make up 39.3%. 34.3% are from Yerevan, and 65.7% from all of Armenia's regions. 4. Kocharian Delivers Powerful Message to PACE STRASBOURG (PACE)--In his speech to the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) on Wednesday, President Robert Kocharian addressed the domestic opposition's efforts against his administration, the Mountainous Karabagh conflict and Armenia's relations with Turkey. The 20-minute speech was followed by a question-and-answer session. The two PACE parliamentarians representing the Armenian opposition boycotted the speech and were not on hand to pose questions. Azeri and Turkish lawmakers, however, attempted to grill the president. Asked by one of the Azeri parliamentarian whether he had any role in the war over Mountainous Karabagh, Kocharian replied, "Yes, I took part in the war. My children were hiding in a basement for three years and had no childhood. I am proud of my participation in the war." The following are excerpts from the speech: Mr President, members of the Parliamentary Assembly and ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor and pleasure to address you. The last time that I addressed the Assembly was on a very significant day for Armeniathe day of our accession to the Council of Europe. There have been three demanding years of reforms since then that have touched upon all domains of life in our country and necessitated the full-time employment of all our efforts. Today I am here to announce proudly that Armenia has fulfilled the vast majority of its accession commitments. For the few outstanding ones, there is a timetable agreed, with a deadline for conclusion fixed at the end of this year. If I were asked what the single greatest achievement was, I would definitely point to the perception Armenian society has about its own future. The people of Armenia are now more involved in the everyday life of the country. There is more attachment to the values of freedom and democracy and the formation of the civil society is burgeoning. Does this mean Armenia has achieved the desirable level of democratic freedoms? The obvious answer is no. Democracy has a long way to go in any country that has a high poverty rate. To assure the peoples' full participation in the democratic process, it is essential to have at least minimal social guarantees. This is precisely why we strived to synchronize reforms in the economy, political system, the judiciary and the social field. In essence, Armenia has completed the process of dismantling the former centralized system of power and economy, which allowed for total control over the society. The Armenian economy has undergone radical transformation both in terms of diversifying areas of economic activity and of liberalizing property law and regulations. The scope and depth of the reforms allowed for a full-scale enactment of the market economy. At present over 85% of Armenia's GDP is produced in the private sector and over 38% of it in small and medium enterprises. Annual GDP growth has averaged 12% for the last three consecutive years, despite the blockade implemented by two fellow members of this very Organization. Our biggest problem is the unacceptable difference in levels of income in our society. Our dynamic economic growth has allowed us to develop a long-term poverty elimination strategy. For the first time in Armenia, this governmental program was developed in close co-operation with international financial institutions and the wide involvement of society. That strategy now guides us in political decision-making and in choosing our budget priorities. Fighting corruption is yet another important step towards effective democracy. The Government of Armenia sees corruption as a systemic evil, which cannot be eradicated merely through rhetoric or model prosecutions. We concentrate on the systemic change aimed at ruling out the sources of corruption. That is exactly why we have joined the Greco groupthe Group of States Against Corruptionwhere we can learn from the experience of other states on combating corruption. Through a wide discussion including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, we have developed a comprehensive anti-corruption strategy. A few weeks ago I established an Anti-Corruption Council. We count on the international community to help us combat this scourge. Ladies and gentlemen, I know many of you wonder: what was happening in Armenia last spring? What fostered the activity of the opposition to replace parliamentary work with revolutionary rallies? You are right to wonder, since you have been all informed by the monitoring group of rapporteurs, who had visited Armenia only very recentlyin Januarythat there have been significant advances in fulfilling the commitments accepted at our accession. Most of those dealt with advancing democracy. Recently, Resolution 1361 of the Assembly was adopted, setting out the extent to which Armenia has fulfilled its commitments. Expert evaluations of Armenia by international financial institutions are more than optimistic. Double-digit economic growth figures and budgetary surpluses are not fertile ground for revolution. Moreover, there are three full years before the next parliamentary elections. Therefore, there were no internal factors that would explain the increase in political activity. So what happened? The answer is easy. The opposition, encouraged by the results of the `rose revolution' in neighboring Georgia, decided to duplicate it in the Armenian reality, which, however, had nothing in common with the Georgian one. They disregarded the fact that Armenia's economy, as opposed to Georgia's, is undergoing dynamic advance. Our government is efficient and our democratic achievements are safeguarded by institutional structures, including a law enforcement system capable of protecting public order. History has often demonstrated that inspiration from foreign revolutions never results in positive outcomes. Unfortunately, learning often comes only from people's own mistakes. That also happened in our case. The opposition left the parliament and organized rallies in the streets. They openly declared their goal was to destabilize the situation in the country, attract the maximum possible number of participants to street action, surround the building of the Presidency and force me to resign. Once the opposition witnessed the lack of public interest in their action, they decided to increase the tension, most probably to attract attention. They blocked the busiest boulevard of the city of Yerevan. That resulted in disruption of traffic and prevented the normal functioning of the National Assembly, of the Administration of the President and of the Constitutional Court. In the area they blocked off, there are four embassies, the National Academy of Science and one of the biggest schools. The organizers called on the public to undertake civil disobedience. The police were left with no choice; public order was restored quickly, without any significant damage to the health of the participants. Calling on the police for such operations is always regrettable. Still, authorities have to protect the society from political extremists. That is particularly important in young democracies, which still lack the advanced traditions of the political and legal culture, and even more so when part of the population lives in poverty and can be easily manipulated by populist rhetoric. I would particularly like to mention that the parties comprising the ruling coalition have many times offered co-operation to the opposition. Unfortunately, those offers were rejected. The opposition probably thinks that co-operation would undermine the revolutionary temper of their supporters. Our proposals were announced in the press and on television and were made in writing and orally but they were rejected. Our country is at an important stage of its advancement, and I am confident that there are many things that need to be done jointly. We have offered to work together with the opposition on the most important issues: constitutional reform and the new electoral code. The offer is still valid; however the discussions must be held in parliament, not in the street. I would not refer to all this but for the last Parliamentary Assembly resolution on Armenia. I regret that the Assembly was dragged into the discussion. I am convinced that the Council of Europe is not the best forum in which to clarify relations between the domestic authorities and the opposition; that should be done in one's own parliament. I regret that, and I felt duty-bound to comment on what has been happening in Armenia. Let me now turn to one of the priority interest issues for Armenia. At the time of accession Armenia undertook to take steps towards peaceful settlement of the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. We have done so because we greatly appreciate the necessity of friendly relations among neighboring states. However, the ability to secure a long-lasting solution requires a deep understanding of the essence of the conflict. I would like to outline two important characteristics of the Karabagh conflict. First, Karabagh has never been part of independent Azerbaijan. At the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union two states were formed: the Azerbaijani Republic on the territory of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, and the Republic of Mountainous Karabagh on the territory of the Mountainous Karabagh autonomous region. Establishment of both these states has similar legal grounds. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan henceforth has nothing to do with the Republic of Mountainous Karabagh. We are ready to discuss the issue of settling that conflict in the legal domain. Secondly, the war of 1992-94 was launched by the aggression of the Azeri authorities, which attempted to implement ethnic cleansing of the territory of Mountainous-Karabagh with the purpose of its annexation. The situation in place today is the result of a selfless fight of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh for survival on their own land. It is a classic example of both the implementation of the right to self-determination and misuse of the `territorial integrity' concept as a justification for ethnic cleansings. The people of Karabagh have prevailed in their striving for independent life in an egalitarian society. Independence of Karabagh today has sixteen years of history. An entire generation grew up there that can think of no other status for the country. The Mountainous Karabagh Republic today is an established state, in essence meeting all the Council of Europe's membership criteria. It is the reality which cannot be ignored. That is exactly why we insist on direct participation by Mountainous Karabakh in the negotiations, in which Armenia actively participates. The solution will emerge from the substance of the conflict, not from the perception of the possible strengthening of Azerbaijan through future `oil money." The `oil money' approach is the formula of confrontation and not of compromise. Armenia is ready to continue and advance the ceasefire regime. We are ready for serious negotiations on a full-scale solution for the conflict. That is exactly why we have accepted two last formulas of solution offered by the international mediators, which, unfortunately, were rejected by Azerbaijan. I want to comment on Armenian-Turkish relations, or rather on its absence. Those relations are shaded by the memories of the past: the Genocide, its consequences and the lack of repentance. Nowadays the situation is worsened by the blockade of Armenia by Turkey. I would like to outline two principles which in my view are crucial to finding the way out of this impasse. First, the development of practical ties and deliberations over the inherited problems must take place in different dimensions, and one must not influence the other. Secondly, Armenian-Turkish relations must not be conditioned by our relations with a third country. No prizes for guessing that I am referring to Azerbaijan. Any precondition terminates all positive expectations. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

PRESS OFFICE
ARMENIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA WESTERN DIOCESE
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474
Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
COMMUNIQUÉ
THREE PILGRIMAGES TO DEPART FROM THE DIOCESE
It is with intense joy that we announce to the faithful members
of the Western Diocese, that with the blessings of Primate His Eminence
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian three different pilgrimages to Armenia have
been organized within the Diocese for the summer of 2004. Maintaining
direct ties with the homeland and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin are
of vital importance for strengthening our spiritual and national
identity. Pilgrimages to Armenia serve that exact purpose, by taking the
faithful back to the roots of our heritage and religion, so that they
may renew their Christian and Armenian spirit.
The first group of pilgrims, comprised of the members of St.
John Armenian Church in San Francisco, and led by Rev. Fr. Sarkis
Petoyan, has already departed for Armenia. The second group, CYMA, will
depart on July 5. This group of young Armenian-Americans is led by Rev.
Fr. Nareg Mataryan. The last group will leave for Armenia in late July,
under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Yeghia Hairabedian.
We wish our pilgrims an enjoyable stay in Armenia, and pray that
they come back revitalized in their faith and national identity.
DIVAN OF THE DIOCESE
June 21, 2004
Burbank, California

Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
Western Prelacy
6252 Honolulu Ave., Ste. # 100
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: 818-248-7737
Fax: 818-248-7745
E-Mail: [email protected]
COMMUNIQUE
THREE PRELATES OF NORTH AMERICAN PRELACIES MEET
On Wednesday and Thursday, June 23 and 24, the Western Prelacy
hosted a meeting of the three prelates of North America.
Participating in the meeting were His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy; His Eminence Archbishop Khajag
Hagopian, Prelate of Canada; and the Prelate of the host prelacy, His Eminence
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian.
The concept of the meeting of the three prelacies came from a
meeting with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia,
members of the Central Executive Committee, the above mentioned three prelates, and
representatives of the Executive Councils of the three prelacies, at which
time the concerns and questions of the North American Prelacies were examined.
The meeting opened on Wednesday morning, 10:30 a.m. with a joint
prayer. The Prelates had on the agenda the field of work emanating from the
mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church, specifically taking into consideration
the American situation and the spiritual needs of the faithful. The scrutiny
was meant to create a harmonious coexistence between the three prelacies.
The agenda included the following questions and programs:
The task of Christian Education (Sunday School correlated
curriculum, planning of religious education in schools).
Preparation of deacons and acolytes.
Programs for Bible studies groups.
Organization of youth groups, and religious movements.
Plans for organization, re-vitalization and expansion of parish
activities.
Methods of improving the work of the clergy.
Programs for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Cilician
Theological Seminary.
Canonical questions.
Improving communications and publications.
Ways to support Armenia, Artsakh, and Javakh.
Ecumenical relationships.
In order to pursue the above-mentioned points, programs and work directives
were prepared. The Prelates decided to keep in constant touch with each other
during the course of this program’s implementation in order to coordinate the
work of the three prelacies. It was also decided to organize similar meetings,
which include the executive councils, of the three prelacies in order to
further advance cooperation and coordination.
WESTERN PRELACY SECRETARIAT
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIA: DUMA RATIFIES AGREEMENT ON CFE TREATY ADAPTATION
Interfax-AVN military news agency web site
25 Jun 04
MOSCOW
The State Duma voted 355-28 with two abstentions today to ratify the
agreement on the adaptation of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe
(CFE) Treaty, which was signed in Istanbul in November 1999.
An explanatory note to the document says the treaty must be ratified
by all 30 signatory countries to take effect. The Adapted CFE Treaty
will significantly reduce the conventional arsenals of Europe’s most
powerful nations, as well as the United States and Canada.
“The overall number of tanks to be reduced in NATO’s 19 nations will
total 4,800, armoured personnel carriers 4,000, and artillery pieces
4,000, which is equivalent to the arsenal of nearly one dozen
motorized divisions equipped under NATO standards,” the note
reads. The treaty’s enactment will not lead to any automatic cut in
Russia’s arsenal. Under CFE Treaty requirements, Russia will be
allowed to have 6,350 tanks, 11,280 armoured personnel carriers, 6,315
artillery pieces, 3,416 combat aircraft, and 885 helicopter gunships.
The adapted CFE Treaty will allow Russia to keep its weapons and
military hardware in Armenia and Ukraine. Bilateral agreements with
Georgia will enable Russia to keep its 153 tanks, 241 armoured
personnel carriers, and 140 artillery pieces in that country.

US envoy urges Azeris to ensure security at NATO conference
Ekspress, Baku
24 Jun 04
Washington hopes that Azerbaijan will draw a conclusion from the
incident at NATO’s Baku conference and take “serious steps” to ensure
the security of the Cooperative Best Effort-2004 exercises. “The
latest incident indicates that security should be heightened during
the NATO exercises,” the US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Reno Harnish,
told reporters yesterday.
The North Atlantic alliance is ready to provide official Baku with
“any support” in any issue, he thinks. “I believe that the NATO
secretary general’s office is ready to work jointly with the
Azerbaijani government to react appropriately to such cases,” Harnish
said.
The ambassador recalled that during his visit to Brussels last month,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Baku wanted to further
expand and strengthen its relations with NATO. “In turn, NATO
signalled its desire to be closely engaged in the Caucasus
region. This is a very sensitive aspect and such incidents should be
prevented,” the diplomat said.
[Passage omitted: The Turkish envoy described the incident as
undesirable; An Azerbaijani official condemned the incident]

*THURSDAY June 24, 2004*
* *
BYU star to wear Utah jersey?
BYU center Rafael Araujo hopes to extend his stay in Utah by being
drafted by the Jazz. (Rick Egan/Tribune file photo)
By Patrick Kinahan
The Salt Lake Tribune
A few days after touching down on U.S. soil for the first time,
Tadeu and Neuza Araujo flew from Los Angeles to New York.
If their son’s wishes come true, the Araujos’ whirlwind trip will
include Salt Lake City this week. Rafael Araujo would like to give his
parents a tour of Brigham Young’s campus, his home the last two years.
But sightseeing is not his primary motivation. Araujo wants to bring
his Brazilian family to Utah on Friday, the day the Jazz formally
introduce their NBA draft picks.
Araujo, BYU’s starting center the last two years, would love the
Jazz to draft him tonight. Even if it means sliding down a few spots, he
still prefers playing for Utah.
“That would be awesome,” Araujo said. “I played there for two years.
I love the community and the people.”
The only problem is, Araujo might not be available when the Jazz
draft at No. 14. They also have picks at 16 and 21.
The 14th pick is guaranteed a three-year contract at a total of
$4.47 million.
Since he began individual workouts for NBA teams, Araujo has seen
his stock soar. Projected as a late first-round pick in April, he could
be a lottery selection.
Diron Ohanian, Araujo’s agent, said most NBA teams have contacted
him in recent weeks. The pair has had to reject many requests for second
workouts.
Araujo has spent the last several weeks flying around the country to
meet with various NBA teams. Ohanian expects his client to be drafted
between Nos. 8 and 16.
“Once the workouts started, all the teams [drafting] 10 and under
started pounding on us to get him,” Ohanian said. “Of course, he didn’t
go to every city. It’s too much.”
Ohanian said he didn’t expect the Portland Trail Blazers to draft
Araujo with the 13th pick. Jazz owner Larry Miller said last week his
team would like to take Araujo with the 14th pick.
But they may have to swing a deal to move up to get him.
“There are teams definitely ahead of them that have expressed
interest,” Ohanian said.
Between 16 and 18 teams have contacted BYU coach Steve Cleveland to
get information on Araujo. Each time, he has given a glowing
recommendation, noting that his former player has the skills to
contribute next season.
Starting his college career at Arizona Western, Araujo was the
Mountain West Conference’s co-player of the year as a senior. He
averaged 18.4 points, shooting 57 percent from the field, and 10.1
rebounds a game.
“Everybody has seen such sustained improvement over the last two
years,” Cleveland said. “I’ve never been around a young man in 25 years
of coaching that had the work ethic that he has.”
At 6-foot-11, 292 pounds, he combines size and strength. Few other
big men can match Araujo’s skill level and potential.
“Everybody has been impressed,” Cleveland said.
Since transferring to BYU two years ago, Araujo has not seen his
parents. Tadeu and Neuza will accompany their son and his wife and baby
daughter to New York for the draft.
“It’s really exciting for them,” Araujo said. “They can’t wait.
They’re really happy for me. They’ve seen all the hard work I’ve done
throughout my life.”
Joining guard Travis Hansen, Araujo will become the second BYU
player drafted in two years. The Atlanta Hawks took Hansen in the second
round last June.
Shawn Bradley was the last Cougar to get picked in the first round.
Barely off an LDS Church mission, he went to the Philadelphia 76ers as
the No. 2 pick in 1993.
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* *
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 24 2004
Speaker declines to put Garabagh on parliamentary agenda

MPs suggested in a Milli Majlis (MM) session on Friday that the Upper
Garabagh conflict be discussed in the parliament.
Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said there was no need to put the issue on
the parliament’s agenda considering the fact the conflict remains
unresolved. He said talks are currently underway on the issue on
different levels and pointed out the upcoming meetings of the two
countries’ foreign ministers and presidents.
Alasgarov further suggested waiting for feedback from western
countries and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. He voiced his
confidence that Azerbaijan will not accept any compromises and that
the country’s territorial integrity will be restored according to
international norms.

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
June 24 2003
CONSULTATION AT NKR GOVERNMENT
On June 21 the prime minister of NKR Anoushavan Danielian held a
government consultation to consider the questions included in the
upcoming meeting of the government. The members of the government
recommended for the meeting about ten documents concerning the
establishment of the government agency `Administration of the NKR
Ministry of Development of Industrial Infrastructures and Building’,
confirmation of the regulations for the ministry and infrastructures,
government agencies, non-commercial organizations, coordination of
work of the agency. Making his observations on the discussion and
opinions about the mentioned questions, A. Danielian emphasized the
importance of structural reforms in the effective coordination of
controlling functions maintained by the legislation. He especially
mentioned the necessity of right choice of cadres, competent
specialists for responsible positions. The prime minister expressed
confidence that with the assistance of the NKR Council for Civil
Service will manage to make the right choice and complete the
personnel of the system with best cadres which is of essential
meaning. Touching upon the problems of privatization of the state
property A. Danielian once again stated the position of the
government that the state areas and property should be privatized
exclusively through tender and the auction of buildings must be open
and transparent to make the process available for everyone. These
should be put out for sales at market prices and not `distributed
free of charge’. During the consultation the NKR bill `On tourism and
tourism business’ was also touched upon. Drawing attention to the
importance of the bill, regulation of relationships and legal
organization concerning the sphere of tourism, A. Danielian said that
he expects serious progress from the steps undertaken and a serious
concept must be worked out for making tourism in Artsakh attractive
and prospective especially that there exist all the conditions for
its development. During the consultation the minister of agriculture
Benik Bakhshiyan presented information on the commencement and course
of harvest of arable crops. The members of government discussed a
number of other economic, social and organizational matters.Â
AA