Category: News

California Courier Online, May 13, 2004
1 – Commentary
Turks Identify Themselves As
Perpetrators of the Genocide
By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
**************************************************************************
2 – ALMA Features Two Exhibits: ‘Bloodlines,’
& ‘Images From the Ashes: Smyrna 1922’
3 – AIWA Will Honor Lily Balian
At May 22 Fundraiser in L.A.
4 – Concern Foundation Honors
Bosley CEO John Ohanesian
5 – AJA Elects New
Board for 2004
************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Turks Identify Themselves As
Perpetrators of the Genocide
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
While April 1915 spelled a national disaster for the Armenian people, who
would have thought that 89 years later, the Armenian Genocide would still
haunt the Turks?
To the dismay of the Turkish government, several major developments last
month reminded the Turks that they cannot escape the consequences of the
crime committed in 1915:
— Five more U.S. states (Montana, Idaho, Tennessee, Nebraska, and
Louisiana) acknowledged the Armenian Genocide this month, bringing the
total number of such U.S. states to 36;
— The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on April 21, expressing
“its extreme regret” that “a monument was erected in the yard of a Catholic
Church in Krakow, Poland, on April 17, 2004, with an inscription that reads
‘Armenians were the victims of genocide in Turkey in 1915;’ ”
— The New York Times issued an internal guideline stating that henceforth
it would refer to the Armenian Genocide as such without any denialist
qualifiers;
— Thousands of articles were published in newspapers throughout the world,
referring to the 89th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and covering the
commemorative events on that occasion;
— Both Presidential candidates in the United States issued solemn
statements on April 24. Pres. Bush recognized the mass murder of 1.5
million Armenians without using the word genocide, while Sen. Kerry called
it genocide and urged the international community to recognize it;
— One of the most significant developments for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide occurred in Canada on April 21. With a vote of 153 to 68,
the Canadian Parliament officially recognized the Armenian Genocide,
despite strong Turkish opposition.
Hundreds of articles on this subject were published in Canada and Turkey on
the Parliament’s vote. The Turkish Ambassador and the Turkish communities
in Canada and the United States engaged in a massive lobbying campaign
trying to block this initiative. Afterwards, the Turkish government
threatened that the vote would have serious economic repercussions on
Canada, meaning that Turkey could cancel major business contracts with
Canadian companies.
There was, however, one key observation missing from all of these news
reports, editorials and commentaries. While wildly lashing out at Canada,
the Turkish government does not seem to have paid close attention to the
text of the resolution which reads as follows: “This House acknowledges the
Armenian genocide of 1915 and condemns this act as a crime against
humanity.”
Nowhere in the text is there a mention of Turks or Ottomans as the
perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide. Why are the Turks then, so
vociferously complaining about this resolution? Simply because the Turks
know all too well — better than anyone else — the crime that was
committed by their ancestors. That knowledge must weigh heavily on their
collective guilty conscience. This resolution is not blaming them for
committing any crime. Under these circumstances, the Turks are simply
identifying themselves or accusing themselves of committing genocide
against the Armenians.
There is no more damning evidence of the genocide committed by the Turks
against the Armenians than their own acknowledgment or confession of their
guilt.
Turks Complain to The N. Y. Times
As expected, the Turks are lashing out at The New York Times for announcing
last month that it would henceforth refer to the Armenian Genocide simply
as genocide, without any qualifiers.
In a letter to Bill Keller, the Executive Editor of The New York Times, the
President of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations, Ercument Kilic,
expressed his “disappointment” over the paper’s decision to describe as
genocide “the misfortune of the Ottoman Armenians.” After listing a series
of falsehoods, Kilic urged the Editor “to reconsider” his decision, stating
that “the image of The New York Times as a neutral and impartial medium has
been seriously tarnished.” As I had suggested in an earlier column, the
more the Turks complain to The New York Times, the more they help publicize
the Armenian Genocide.
Already, the newspaper’s new guideline has resulted in a lengthy and very
positive article on the Armenian Genocide, in the April 26 issue of the
prestigious New Yorker magazine. Writer Gary Bass recalled that Bill
Keller, the Executive Editor of The New York Times, referred to the
Armenian Genocide as genocide back in 1988 in an article he wrote during
his time at the paper’s Moscow bureau. Bass reported that during a phone
conversation last month, Keller told him: “It seemed a no-brainer that
killing a million people because they were Armenians fit the definition [of
genocide].”
In the weeks ahead, the Turks, with their complaints, will probably cause
more such positive articles to be written on the Armenian Genocide in many
other major newspapers and magazines.
**************************************************************************
2 – ALMA Features Two Exhibits: ‘Bloodlines,’
& ‘Images From the Ashes: Smyrna 1922’
WATERTOWN. Ma – The Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) announced
its most recent exhibit, “Images from the Ashes: Smyrna 1922” featured in
the Bedoukian Gallery, April 18 through October 3. The opening reception
will take place May 16, from 3 to 5 p.m., and will mark the opening of
Greek-American artist, Anna Spileos Scott’s, “Bloodlines,” a contemporary
and striking art installation commemorating the destruction of the city of
Smyrna. In addition, Anna Scott and “Bread” series artist, Apo Torosyan,
will give a lecture about their experiences and inspirations that are
reflected in their artwork.
In 1921, the city of Smyrna, south of Constantinople, was the second
largest city of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey’s primary center of trade and
culture, Smyrna known as “gavour Izmir” (“infidel Smyrna”) to the Turks, as
most of the population were Greeks, Armenians, Europeans and Jews. By
December 1922, the city was a smoldering ruin, with most of its population
murdered or driven out permanently in the ruthless drive to create a new
Turkish state without the “gavours.”
“Images from the Ashes: Smyrna 1922” examines the role of Smyrna on
Ottoman and European culture, as well as the primary roles of Greek and
Armenian Christian populations. Both groups, the native populations of the
area, were completely eliminated in this early model of ‘ethnic cleansing’.
Unlike other destroyed cities in history that are remembered today, the
city of Smyrna has been forgotten.
The exhibit tells the tragic story of the city in a diverse exhibit
encompassing different materials combined from a number of sources. The
exhibit includes an extensive photograph record of the city compiled by
Richard and Anne Elizabeth Elbrecht of Davis, Calif., The exhibit includes
rare images of the final days of the city prior to its destruction. These
photographs will be complemented by rare textiles, rugs, and publications
produced in Smyrna, all of which survived the final destruction. The
textiles, now part of the museum’s holding, were donated by the Yeranian
and Nicolaides families, who are immigrants from Smyrna.
Although Armenians made less than ten-percent of the population, the city
was a major center of Armenian arts and education. The destruction of the
Armenian population in 1922 was the final major atrocity of the Genocide,
the closing act on seven years of rape, murder and pillage.
On the same afternoon as the opening of “Bloodlines”, Peabody-based artist
Apo Torosyan will present his own experiences when he returned to his
native village in Turkey. Torosyan is a successful artist and lecturer who
has exhibited in hundreds of galleries, including several exhibits at ALMA.
He is perhaps best known for his “Bread” series of art, that incorporates
actual pieces of bread into his multimedia art installations. Torosyan’s
video and discussion will explore the emotional impact of his return to
Turkey after 25 years.
Admission is free to ALMA members and children under 14, and a $2 suggested
donation for non-members.
For more information, call the office at 617-926-2562
**************************************************************************
3 – AIWA Will Honor Lily Balian
At May 22 Fundraiser in L.A.
LOS ANGELES – The Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA), Los
Angeles Affiliate, will honor Lily Ring Balian with the Outstanding Woman
of Achievement and Commitment Award at their annual fundraiser on May 22,
at The Millennium Biltmore Hotel.
Balian has represented Armenian women in Los Angeles for over 10 years
working to increase the visibility of Armenian women, promote their equal
role in the world and advance the discussion of education, social welfare,
culture, business and heritage in society. The AIWA luncheon will help
raise funds for their continuous outreach projects for women.
Balian lives in Los Angeles and serves as a consultant for political
campaigns statewide and nationally and has managed public affairs and
political campaigns in both the private and public sector for more than 20
years. In 1991, Gov. Pete Wilson appointed her to the California Commission
on the Status of Women where she advanced to Chair of the committee. Ring
Balian continues to take an active role in numerous organizations many of
which focus on women’s causes. She is currently the Vice President of the
KCET Women’s Council; a member of Women Los Angeles, participated as
chairperson of the Ladies Auxiliary of Western Diocese, served as former
President of the Los Angeles Affiliate of the Armenian Women’s
International Association, where, in 1995, she represented California, as
well as the AIWA at the United Nations Fourth World Conference for Women in
Beijing, China. It is for her ongoing commitment to Armenian women in
society that AIWA honors her this year at their annual fundraiser.
AIWA has worked to gather information about the changing role of women in
the world, monitored the activities of Armenian women, established an
Armenian Women’s archive and regularly sponsored programs and issues
publications to further these purposes.
For more information on the luncheon or to order tickets, contact Cindy
Norian at 310-277-4490, or Joan Agajanian Quinn at 310274-4938 by May 10.
For more information on AIWA, visit
**************************************************************************
4 – Concern Foundation Honors
Bosley CEO John Ohanesian
BEVERLY HILLS – The Concern Foundation for funding cancer research
worldwide announced the honoree for this year’s Annual Block Party. John R.
Ohanesian, President and CEO of Bosley, will be honored at the 30th annual
fundraiser on July 17, at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
The Concern Foundation wages a war against cancer every year by raising
money at its signature event and by promoting public awareness of its
community outreach programs. Ohanesian epitomizes the values of this
charitable organization. He is a humanitarian and community leader with
over two decades of experience in the health care industry.
Ohanesian has been President and Chief Operating Officer of Bosley since
joining the company in 1990. As of 2001, he assumed the role of Chief
Executive Officer after successfully completing the acquisition of Bosley
by Aderans, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan. Since joining Bosley, the world leader in
surgical hair restoration, Ohanesian has led growth from 8 offices to 90
offices and from 68 employees to over 600 employees. Performing more
surgical hair restoration procedures than any company in the world, Bosley
was the first medical provider in the United States to successfully produce
and air an infomercial in 1993. As President and CEO, Ohanesian has been
the prime caretaker of the company founder’s core values – personal
integrity and the highest level of quality patient care. Bosley advanced
many of the artistic techniques used worldwide today to achieve natural
results under the leadership of hair restoration pioneer L. Lee Bosley,
M.D.
>>From 1984 to 1990, Ohanesian was Vice President of Saint John’s Hospital
and Health Center in Santa Monica, from 1990-1996 he was a member of the
California Citizens Compensation Commission as an appointee of Gov. George
Deukmejian.
Since 2000, Ohanesian has been an active member of the Los Angeles Music
Center’s Center Theatre Group, the operating company for the Ahmanson
Theatre and the Mark Taper Forum. He is on the Corporate Circle Committee
and assumed the Co-Chair role from 2001 to 2003. He joined the Board of
Directors in 2001 and presently serves as Vice-Chair of the Development
Committee.
Ohanesian resides in Beverly Hills with his two daughters, Adona and Ava.
Ohanesian enjoys supporting his daughters’ schools, in particular, the
Curtis School Hot Lunch Program where he has volunteered annually since
1994.
For more information, contact Lysa Barry, Barry & Associates at
818-716-7111 or [email protected].
**************************************************************************
5 – AJA Elects New Board for 2004
LOS ANGELES – At its first 2004 general membership meeting, the Armenian
Jewelers Association, West Coast, elected a new Board of Directors.
Meeting on April 12 at Mandaloon Restaurant, discussions were held for a
new agenda and plans for the year were sketched out.
The new Board members are: Peklar A. Pilavjian, Ghazaros Ghazarossian, Joe
Zabounian, Gevork Hagopian, Karen Michaelian, Vatche Fronjian, Jack
Hovanessian, Krekor Karaguezian, George Gulian, Aret Menzilcian, and
Khachig Hawatian.
**************************************************************************
**************************************************************************
**************************************************************************
The California Courier On-Line is a service provided by the California
Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted
through this service. Information in that regard should be telephoned
to (818) 409-0949; faxed to: (818) 409-9207, or e-mailed to:
[email protected]. Letters to the editor concerning issues
addressed in the Courier may be e-mailed, provided it is signed by
the author. Phone and/or E-mail address is also required to verify
authorship.
**************************************************************************
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Municipal polls The family factor
Monday Morning, Lebanon
May 10 2004
The dramatic recent events in the Middle East have not overshadowed
the municipal elections, which are at the center of the Lebanese
interest this month. President Emile Lahoud was particularly
concerned, in the last few months, for ensuring a climate of security
and neutrality, through the intermediary of the administrative and
security apparatus, the Army and Internal Security Forces maintaining
order around and inside the election offices. President Lahoud was
also in favor of having an agreement in the towns and localities
where it would be possible to set up consensual tickets, but if this
was not the case, the municipal elections should take place in a calm
atmosphere, given that the municipality assumes functions having an
administrative nature, or relating to the environment, health and
public services. Receiving Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Peter
VIII Abdelahad, President Lahoud insisted on the necessity of having
“all the Lebanese disregard their dissensions and sensitivities that
are the case of ill-feeling”.
“They should close ranks and join efforts so as to confront the dangers
threatening the Middle East and the challenges facing us”, he added.
‘Preservation of harmony’
After Mount Lebanon, came the turn of Beirut and the Bekaa to elect
their candidates on May 9.
As to what concerns the capital, the odds seemed to be strongly
in favor of the ticket sponsored by Prime Minister Rafik Hariri,
especially after Abdelhamid Fakhouri withdrew his candidacy. Fakhouri
pulled out after former Prime Minister Salim Hoss, a Sunnite notable
in Beirut, decided to distance himself from the elections. For his
part, Tammam Salam, another Sunnite figure and also a supporter of
Fakhouri, decided to support the ticket headed by Abdelmonem Aris,
outgoing mayor of Beirut.
Salam praised the formation of the “Beirut Unity” ticket sponsored
by Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, designed to embrace as much of the
city’s confessional political and confessional horizon as possible
in order to “maintain the unity of Beirut and express the desire of
its people to live together in harmonious coexistence”.
There was one slight note of disharmony in Hariri’s refusal to accept a
candidate of the Kataeb Party on the Unity ticket, reportedly because
the leader of the party, Karim Pakradouni, minister of administrative
development, had irritated the prime minister by opposing proposals
supported by him during cabinet meetings.
Pakradouni tried to put the best face on the matter by indicating that
he preferred to withdraw his party’s candidate rather than compromise
national unity.
As for Gebran Araiji, leader of the Syrian Social National Party
(SSNP), he declared in the name of the committee of parties, “We have
noted Salam’s desire to preserve harmony between all sides and ensure
their representation [on the municipal council], and especially the
representation of the Christians within the ‘Unity’s ticket”. He
added that “Syria supports this action, and this is proved by the
fact that President Bashar Assad has affirmed his determination to
remain equidistant from all the components of the Lebanese population”.
Murr: ‘In favor of democratic elections’
Elias Murr, minister of the interior and of municipal affairs, stated
following a meeting with Mgr. Elias Audé, Greek Orthodox archbishop of
Beirut, that his main concern was that “the municipal elections have
taken place in a democratic manner, giving Lebanon some credibility
abroad”. He added, “If we think that the municipal elections in a
certain region will lead to trouble that may endanger public security,
we will postpone the elections for one month”.
Following a fracas between supporters of MP Walid Jumblatt, leader
of the Progressive Socialist Party, and Talal Arslan, head of the
Lebanese Democratic Party, in the Mount Lebanon town of Shweifat,
Murr stated that those who provoked it may have wanted to postpone
the municipal elections in that region, where the two traditional
fractions of the Druze community, “Yazbakis” and “Jumblattis”, were
confronting each other.
In response to the statement made by the Free Patriotic Current,
loyal to exiled General Michel Aoun, accusing the authorities of bias
in the conduct of the elections, Murr replied, “We’ve heard the same
accusation from several of the many candidates. That’s why we have
set up a special bureau to receive such complaints and investigate
them and check their veracity”.
The minister was non-committal about the situation in the Beirut
polls, to be held on May 9. “I think that Premier Hariri, being in
the strongest position, will have the lion’s share of the seats on
the city council”.
Lahoud satisfied
Back to the elections in Mount Lebanon. President Lahoud expressed
satisfaction with the results and the way the polls had been conducted
and congratulated the winning candidates and the officials responsible
for polling stations and security. “The elections in Mount Lebanon
should serve as models for the polls in other provinces”. At Shweifat,
the Jumblattist candidate won the palm, while Talal Arslan called
for an invalidation of the poll “because of flagrant irregularities”.
In the North Metn, MP Michel Murr, the dominant political figure of
the region, sponsored tickets in 40 of the 48 municipalities and was
the main winner in the elections.
In Jounieh, ticket-splitting and vote-buying were the principal
accusations made by the competing candidates. Two tickets were in
contention for the 16,000 voters. The first, called “Jounieh of the
Future”, included the outgoing mayor, Adel Bou-Karam, and was backed
by MPs Georges Frem and Mansour el-Bone. The other, supported by MP
Farid el-Khazen and Minister Fares Bouez and called “All for Jounieh”,
was led by Juan Hobeish. The latter ticket managed to obtain the
largest number of seats on the municipal council.
In Deir al-Kamar, 11 of the 12 candidates on the ticket sponsored by
Dory Chamoun, leader of the National Liberal Party and mayor of the
town, were elected. Only the head of the opposing ticket, retired
Brigadier Adonis Nehmé, broke through the Chamoun list.
Michel Murr:’No link between municipal polls and the presidential
election’
Following his success in the North Metn, Michel Murr, replying to a
reporter’s question, indicated that “the presidential election is in
no way linked to the municipal polls” and criticized those who wanted
to “do battle with the Administration, that is, with the president,
and in his own fief, the Metn District… which is and will remain an
area of Christian moderation, and President Lahoud wishes to see this
attitude of mind maintained throughout the region.
“That is why, when the political battle comes, we shall declare
our position in all frankness and say: this region will be behind
President Lahoud if he stands as a candidate for the headship of
the state. President Lahoud is considered a man of deep patriotism,
as he proved in South Lebanon, and he opposes the implantation of
[Palestinian] refugees. I will always be by his side, whatever
the battle may be, not least that of a renewal of the presidential
mandate”.
In Dekwaneh, all factions of the opposition supported the incomplete
ticket of Joseph Bou-Abboud, which confronted the pro-Michel Murr
ticket of Antoine Nicolas Shakhtoura, which captured the majority of
seats in contention.
In Sin al-Fil, there was an intense battle between the opposition
ticket led by Nabil Kahalé and that of the outgoing mayor, Sami
Shaoul, pro-Murr. Fifteen of the 18 seats went to the opposition.
In Jdeide-Boushrieh, everyone was surprised to see the arrival,
carried en masse in minibuses, of bedouins brought in to vote for
the pro-Murr ticket. They were heard discussing the “tariff”, which
was not up to their expectations, but which they received as soon
as they had cast their ballots. As usual, the Armenian Tashnak Party
came down solidly on the side of the Administration.
The opposition was divided between the reformist Kataeb movement,
supporting Boulos Kanaan’s (second) ticket, on the one hand, and a
ticket representing the Free Patriotic Current, the National Liberals
and the Lebanese Forces on the other.
In Jal al-Dib, fief of the Abou-Jaoudé family, the contest was between
two tickets, one headed by Edouard Abou-Jaoudé (pro-Murr), the other
by Tony Abou-Jaoudé and Antoine Zard (Free Patriotic Current-National
Liberals Lebanese Front).
In Antelias, three tickets were in contention. The first was led by
Elie Farhat Abou-Jaoudé, outgoing mayor, supported by Michel Murr and
the Tashnak Party. The second, led by Basam Abou-Fadel and enjoying
the support of the Rahbanis, refused to politicize the elections. The
third, that of the opposition, was supported by the reformist Kataeb
and the Free Patriotic Current.
In Dbayé, four tickets opposed one another: that of the outgoing mayor,
Kabalan Ashkar, supported by the SSNP; that of the outgoing deputy
mayor, Salim Massoud, backed by Michel Murr and the Tashnak; the
third comprised opposition personalities, Aounists and independents
with the support of the NLP; and the fourth, led by Milad Massoud,
candidate of the reformist Kataeb.
The “alliance” between Michel Murr and Amin Gemayel remained undeclared
and had the purpose of giving victory to the largest number of Kataeb
candidates. Ticket-splitting was the rule.
>>From Bikfaya and Baabdat to Jbeil In Bikfaya, Amin Gemayel and
Toufik Daher, the outgoing mayor, brought together a ticket of 15
members led by Fuad Abi-Hayla. Another ticket of six members was
assembled by families in the town who felt they should be represented
on the municipal council.
In Baabda, a ticket was agreed bringing together the leading families
of the town, led by Imad Labaki, nephew of the outgoing mayor, Assaad
Labaki. This ticket was backed by MP Nassib Lahoud and Salim Salhab,
who is “close to” the National Bloc.
In Jbeil, two large tickets and one ticket of the opposition faced
one another. Family considerations prevailed over political factors.
Of particular interest was the alliance enjoying the support of MP
Nazem Khouri, close to General Michel Sleiman, commander-in-chief
of the Army, and formed by the Hawat and Shami (National Bloc)
families, who were allied for the first time in half a century,
with the Kallabs (Destourians). The purpose of this combination was
to dislodge Jean-Louis Kardahi, who was himself mayor before being
appointed minister of telecommunications. Kardahi reportedly had the
backing of influential figures in the Administration and had used
the facilities of his department to win the favor of the Jbeiliotes.
Ticket-splitting and vote-buying
In Hadeth and Shiyah, two important towns of the Baabda-Aley District,
the Aounists comprised the most important opposition force to confront
the tickets loyal to the Administration. Other “opposition” forces were
too fragmented to be taken seriously. In Ghobeiri, in the southwestern
suburbs of the capital, a Hezballah tidal wave called into question
the popularity of the Amal Movement, led by the parliamentary speaker,
Nabih Berri.
The poor performance of opposition candidates reflected their habitual
inability to cooperate effectively.
In their monthly message, the Maronite bishops deplored the fact
that family considerations had played such a major role in deciding
voters’ choices.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkey: Can Turkey Salvage Sabotaged Relations with Armenia?
by CDeliso
Balkanalysis.com, AZ
May 10 2004
Armenia’s president, Robert Kocharian, will not appear at the NATO
summit of 27-29 June to be held in Istanbul, owing to the continued
political alienation between his country and its historic nemesis to
the west.
While signs seemed encouraging not long ago that Turkey might end its
11-year blockade and open the border with Armenia, that possibility
was unceremoniously quashed by continued bellyaching from Baku.
Azerbaijan has demanded that its historic allies and ethnic kin, the
Turks, support it over the intractable Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. For
the Azerbaijanis, Turkey’s opening the border before a settlement
has been reached would be tantamount to betrayal. According to an
article published today,
“…Turkey signaled last year its readiness to reopen its border with
Armenia before a Karabakh settlement — a move which would please the
United States and the European Union but would jeopardize its close
ties with Azerbaijan. Some Armenian sources involved in contacts with
Turkish officials said earlier this year that the decision to lift
the 11-year blockade might be announced during the NATO summit.
However, Kocharian’s decision not to travel to Istanbul suggests
that the reopening of the Turkish-Armenian border is still not on
the cards.”
Armenian presidential press secretary Ashot Kocharian hastened to
add that the decision “…has nothing to do with the Armenia-NATO
relationship which is currently on the rise.” He mentioned Armenia’s
participation in the U.S.-led alliance’s Partnership for Peace
program. A less senior official than President Kocharian will make
the trip, and it is hoped that tripartite peace talks will be held
on the sidelines of the summit.
According to the same article,
“…Turkish leaders reportedly assured Azerbaijan’s President Ilham
Aliev last month that they will continue to link the normalization
of relations with Armenia to a pro Azerbaijani solution to the
Karabakh dispute. ‘It is out of the question for now to reopen
the Turkish-Armenian border,’ Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said
afterward.”
According to Gul, “…such a thing [opening the border before a
settlement] is not the issue. For some reason, this is spoken about
a great deal in Azerbaijan. Whenever we come across Azeri reporters
they ask us this question.”
However, given the longstanding nature of the dispute and the
likelihood that no solution will satisfy Baku’s desires, the Turks
will probably be waiting a long time to normalize relations with
Armenia. Which is too bad for them, considering that having friendly
relations with one’s neighbors is looked upon as a big plus by the
European Union, which Turkey hopes to join someday.
So what, then, do the Turks get for their endless support for
Azerbaijan’s territorial pretensions? Aside from a sort of patriotic
satisfaction, not very much.
Some in Turkey can see that they’re getting a raw deal. Besides
hindering its drive towards EU membership, Turkey’s uncompromising
support for Baku is unhelpful because it is not reciprocated. The
newspaper Radikal recently reflected on why Azerbaijan, purported to
be such a close ally, has not done more to support the self-declared
“Turkish Republic of North Cyprus,” considering the similarities
between this situation and the Nagorno-Karabakh one:
“…The issue also carries a geopolitical aspect. The TRNC is a concrete
form of separation in the context of international relations and
was formed unilaterally as a result of military intervention
by Turkey. However, today’s geopolitics frowns on separatism,
micro-nationalism and political formations based on ethnicity excepting
where there is mutual consent. On the contrary, today’s geopolitics
favors integration based upon democracy, political equality and
economic sharing. This is another political reason why the TRNC is
not recognized. The interests and policies of countries faced with
splits or threatened by separation are in line with this geopolitics.
One of those countries is Azerbaijan, with its problem of upper
Karabakh. The serious problem faced by Baku is that 20% of its land
is currently occupied by Armenia and the upper Karabakh separatist
movement. Therefore, the Azerbaijani representatives in the European
Council’s Parliament were leaning towards not recognizing the TRNC.
‘The Parliament vote would mean recognizing the TRNC,’ said one
Azerbaijani official. ‘This would set a risky precedent for the
future recognition of the administration in upper Karabakh.’ This
development should remind Turkey that in international relations
there is no friendship or brotherhood, but only interests.”
That said, we might ask whether Turkey’s interests are being
respected in the case of Armenian relations. A Eurasianet.org article
published one month ago, entitled “Could Turkey Spoil Nagorno-Karabakh
Peace?” disingenuously misrepresents the question. It does so by
framing the debate in the typical guise of a clash between Caucasus
neighbors, rather than to look for once at Turkish-Armenian relations
as being a legitimate and significant topic in its own right. In
this light, we could rephrase the crucial debate as being, rather,
“Could Azerbaijan Spoil Armenian-Turkish Peace?”
Azerbaijani officials continue to play the issue for nationalist
effect, relying on the handy “backup” of having great natural
resource riches at their disposal. President Ilham Aliyev makes
fulsome statements to the effect that:
“…Turkey is a great and powerful nation and I am sure that Turkey
will withstand the pressures [to open its border with Armenia]… the
Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood is above everything.”
Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov was equally
melodramatic on 6 April when he declared that, “…if Turkey
opens the border with Armenia, it will deal a blow not only to
Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship but also to the entire Turkic world.”
Arrayed against these dire and suspect pronouncements are a plethora
of facts that support the idea of rapprochement. According to
Eurasianet.org,
“…the World Bank has estimated that the lifting of both the Azerbaijani
and Turkish blockades could increase Armenia’s GDP by as much as 30-38
percent. The Turkish-Armenian Business Council has estimated that
bilateral trade could reach $300 million per year with the lifting
of the blockade.”
Currently, the author adds, Turkish-Armenian trade between the two
states (estimated at roughly $70 million) must occur via neighboring
Georgia and Iran. Ankara would like the Armenians to let bygones be
bygones and “give up” their quest to gain worldwide support for the
mass killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottomans from
1905-15. While that’s a long shot, there’s nothing like economic
cheer to expedite international forgiveness. Certainly normalizing
relations could not make them worse.
However, the government of Azerbaijan is not concerned with the
economic well-being of Armenia or even with that of its great ally,
Turkey. Its motivations are simple:
“…without Turkey, Azerbaijan would be the only state maintaining a
blockade of Armenia over Yerevan’s ongoing occupation of Azerbaijani
territory captured during the Nagorno-Karabakh war. A decision to
open Turkey’s borders with Armenia, Aliyev said, would leave Baku at a
disadvantage in negotiating for the withdrawal of Armenian troops from
Azerbaijani territory. ‘If Turkey were to open its doors to Armenia,
Azerbaijan will lose an important lever in finding a solution to the
conflict,’ the president told reporters on 24 March after returning
from an official visit to Uzbekistan. ‘It also would make it impossible
for us to continue the peace talks and would even bring the talks to
an end.'”
So far the Turks have rushed to soothe every Azerbaijani temper
tantrum. However, this has only estranged them from their own interests
and has thus meant a certain sacrifice:
“…from the EU’s perspective, lifting the blockade of Armenia
remains a key component of any program for change. A draft version
of the European Parliament’s yearly report on the status of Turkey’s
accession bid reportedly called on the country ‘to open the borders
with Armenia, establish good-neighbor relations . . . and to give up
any action impeding the reconciliation of the two countries.'”
As Turkey continues its committed quest towards EU membership, there
will come a point when it will have to reconsider its unquestioning
allegiance to Azerbaijan- one which is not particularly helpful and
which has not been entirely respected by the latter party, either.
As time goes on, it will become increasingly clear that opening the
border with Armenia is in Turkey’s own best interests- and for those
of the region as well. It remains to be seen how much pressure will
need to be exerted, and from what quarters, to prompt Ankara to make
the switch- and let the chips fall where they may.
;file=article&sid=343

System Of A Down Get Back To Business
By: ChartAttack.com Staff
Chart Attack, Canada
May 10 2004
System Of A Down have been incredibly busy lately and they’re
only going to get busier. Having recently completed their massively
successful Souls 2004 benefit concert, System Of A Down are currently
in the late stages of pre-production on their new album.
System Of A Down have been passionate about their Armenian heritage
and vocal about political inequities since their emergence onto the
music scene in 1998, and their new album will surely be no exception.
SOAD’s new album, will be the follow-up to their hugely popular
Toxicity, which was released in September 2001.
System Of A Down band members Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian and John
Dolmayan have been in a North Hollywood, California rehearsal studio
since January. The band members have been busy writing and rehearsing
almost non-stop since the beginning of this year, with recording of
the album beginning this summer.
The details surrounding the new album are fairly top-secret. However in
a recent statement Malakian was able to give some hints. “Two or three
years ago, Serj and I knew that we wanted something different for this
album … the whole world’s gone crazy over the past couple of years,
so that’s brought out a lot of emotions and affected our songwriting,”
he said. “We just want to make a great rock record, a record that
will be heavy, but heavy in emotion, not just heavy in riffs.”
Some fans at the April 26 Souls 2004 benefit concert (to commemorate
the lives lost in the Armenian Genocide) expected SOAD to play a
couple of their new songs – unfortunately, the band did not fulfil
expectations. In a statement to Rolling Stone, bassist Shavo Odadjian
said that they’re not going to play or perform any of the songs from
their upcoming record until they’re “really ready.” Expect SOAD’s
new album to hit record stores late this year.
-Stephanie Lagopoulos

SYMBOLIC RITUAL OF PASSING THROUGH BARBED WIRE INVENTED
A1 Plus | 18:57:31 | 11-05-2004 | Politics |
Each participant of the For and Against Civil Will forum held Tuesday
by 40 organizations had to go through barbed wire to get in the hall.
Armenian Helsinki Assembly member Isabella Sargssyan says: “When I
passed through the wire, some sense of freedom from fear and victory
over lawlessness came over me”.

Armenia authorities, opposition agree on start of dialogue
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 11 2004
YEREVAN, May 11 (Itar-Tass) – Armenia’s authorities and the opposition
have succeeded in agreeing on the start of a political dialogue and
the formulation of an agenda for talks, Parliament Speaker Artur
Bagdasaryan announced here on Monday night at the close of a regular
meeting between officials of the ruling pro-president coalition and
the opposition.
Bagdasaryan said, “Political consultations that have been held in the
parliament of Armenia from February to May have yielded the first
positive results,” said the Speaker’s statement circulated by the
parliamentary press service.
Members of the factions represented in the National Assembly “agreed
on the start of a political dialogue. An appropriate agenda is to be
formulated on May 13,” the Parliament Speaker pointed out.
The demand for a political dialogue between Armenia’s authorities
and the opposition is contained in a resolution passed by the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that considered the
internal political situation in Armenia on April 28.
The opposition continues to insist on President Robert Kocharyan’s
resignation. The opposition also demands that that the arrested
activists of the opposition be released, that the opposition be given
airtime in live television broadcasts, that residents of Armenia’s
regions be given an unimpeded access to Yerevan for participation in
anti-government actions.
The authorities of the republic refer to the opposition actions as
“manifestations of political extremism”. The opposition rally that
took place in downtown Yerevan on the night from April 12 to13 was
dispersed by police.
The opposition has taken a time-out in the holding of meetings in
Yerevan for the period from the coming Wednesday to May 14.

Movie tells of Armenian family’s experience
By Alex Dobuzinskis, Staff Writer
Los Angeles Daily News, CA
May 11 2004
GLENDALE — Armenian-Americans are expected to respond to Glendale
resident Vahe Babaian’s film “After Freedom,” but the first-time
feature filmmaker believes his portrayal of the immigrant experience
could also appeal to a wider audience.
The film will open Friday at the Glendale Cinemas and Laemmle’s Music
Hall in Beverly Hills. Over the past two years, the film has been
shown at the Method Fest Independent Film Festival, the Montreal
World Film Festival and the Avignon Film Festival.
“It’s about people; everyone can relate to it,” said Babaian, 43,
an Armenian-American who grew up in Iran.
“After Freedom” is about a young Armenian-American man, played by
Mic Tomasi, and his relationships with his father, his fiance and
his at-times reckless friends.
Tomasi’s character, Michael Abcarian, feels obligated to his father,
who brought his family to the United States and struggles to make a
living in his new country.
Like the father in the film, Babaian’s own father, who had worked
for British Airways before coming to the United States from Lebanon,
could not find comparable work in the United States and instead worked
for a carpet store and a fan company before he died in 1987.
Babaian’s mother died when he was getting ready to shoot the film.
The relationship between father and son plays a prominent role in
the film, and that will be compelling for viewers, he said.
“A lot of questions are not answered when you lose your parents like
that early on,” he said.
Both Babaian and Tomasi attended Herbert Hoover High School in
Glendale.
Glendale is briefly mentioned in the film as being where Tomasi’s
character lives, but the film was shot throughout the Los Angeles area,
Babaian said.
The budget for the film, which was finished in 2002, was less than
$1 million.
Greg Laemmle, president of Laemmle Theatres, said his company has
had success showing films by or about Armenians in the past, and that
Armenian-Americans respond.
“While they don’t come out for every picture, when they do they come
out in large numbers,” he said.
Babaian has lived in Glendale since he came to the United States
at the age of 16 knowing only a few words of English. He learned
filmmaking at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and paid his
way by working full time at a supermarket.
In a future project, “Hotel Luxe,” Babaian plans to convey his
experience in a hotel in war-torn Beirut, where his family stayed
while trying to arrange their immigration to the United States.
Alex Dobuzinskis, (818) 546-3304 [email protected]

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
May 11 2004
INTER-PARLIAMENTARY GROUP OF COOPERATION PLAYS IMPORTANT ROLE IN
DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJAN -GERMANY RELATIONS
[May 11, 2004, 10:51:07]
As was informed by AzerTAj, on May 10, members of the Germany-Caucasus
parliamentary group of Bundestag, Germany, have met members of
the Azerbaijan-Germany inter-parliamentary group of cooperation of
Milli Majlis.
Having welcomed the visitors, the head of Azerbaijan-Germany
inter-parliamentary group of cooperation, academician Jalal Aliyev
noted that between our countries there are friendly relations with
ancient history. Similar visits even more expand our cooperation.
German businessmen willingly put investments into various branches of
economy of Azerbaijan. After regaining state independence, Azerbaijan
under the direction of our national leader, President Heydar Aliyev
in the country began realization of some large projects, and it has
turned to very much advanced country of region. However, as a result
of occupation by Armenia of the 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands, more
than one million people became refugees and IDPs in their homelands.
The fact creates serious obstacles for development of the country.
The century, in which we live, is a century of protection of human
rights. But the states of the world and the international organizations
do not want to apply sanctions against the Armenian aggressors and to
put the aggressor on its place. We hope, that our German friends will
help us to solve the problem in the peace way within the framework
of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
The head of German delegation Christoph Bergner informed, that
today they have met the refugees placed in Baku. We have very
heavy impression. In structure of delegation, there are the persons
representing both opposition, and authority. If in the Bundestag also
there are disagreements in the decision of any question, but in the
question of cooperation with Azerbaijan all are unanimous.
The goal of visit to Azerbaijan is carrying out exchange of opinions
on some questions. Parliaments play great attention on development
of relations between our countries and rapprochement of our peoples.
At the meeting, passed in a friendly and mutual understanding, the
parties had exchange of opinions and on a number of other questions
representing interest, and also deputies have shared their impressions.

A new way to serve
By Ngoc Huynh, Staff writer
Syracuse Post Standard, NY
May 11 2004
Janet Munro, of Cazenovia, is a minority among the thousands of Peace
Corps volunteers.
The average age of a Peace Corps volunteer is 28; Munro is 69. Before
she retired as a teacher at East Syracuse-Minoa High School last year,
Munro knew she wanted to do more, give something back.
“I’ve always known that I will reach the stage of my life where I
have no responsibility,” she said, “and shed my garments and I can
completely forget about me and help other people.”
This mother of five and grandmother of 13 has been reading about
Armenia in southwestern Asia, where the Peace Corps stationed her.
She is scheduled to leave in June. She will be trained for three
months and then serve for two years.
Her daughter Nancy Chase, of Manlius, is proud of her mom.
“This (Peace Corps) will allow her to help people and use her talent,”
Chase said. “She pushes herself to do a lot and she’s an inspiration.
“We’re going to miss her,” Chase added. “That’s the only hard part
of the whole thing.”
Munro was an English teacher for 28 years, and she has been selected
to train Armenian English teachers in methodologies and curriculum
building.
She will train for three months in Dilijan, a resort town about 68
miles from the capital, Yerevan. After her training, Munro does not
know where in Armenia she will be placed.
Munro said she does not plan to duplicate her comfortable American
life in Armenia. She knows bucket baths are common and not all toilets
are modern.
Barbara Crossett, Munro’s colleague and a former student, said Munro
has a thirst for knowledge.
“She’s like a walking encyclopedia. She knows a lot about a lot
of different
subjects. She’s very smart,” said Crossett, now an English teacher
at ES-M High School.
Crossett’s children also had Munro as a teacher.
Armenia is about the size of Maryland, with a population of about 3
million. It prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt
Christianity, in the early fourth century.
Munro read that Armenia is about 2,700 years old. She said she is
looking forward to learning about its culture, history and people.
Early last month, Munro contacted a Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia
named Dawn Sheppard for advice and suggestions.
Sheppard’s first e-mail to Munro said, “You are going to love
Armenia. I have never known friendlier people. They will give you
all they have which isn’t much.”
Munro wanted to know whether shorts – which she wears when she jogs
four times a week – would be acceptable for a woman her age. “No
Armenians wear shorts, men or women,” came the reply.
To prepare for her trip, Munro has bought a Swiss army knife, books
and a sleeping bag for temperatures of minus 20 degrees. Temperatures
in Armenia are similar to those in New York state, but not all homes
have modern heating systems.
“I’m not terribly nervous,” Munro said, “but I’m beginning to feel
separation pain.”
There are 7,533 Peace Corps volunteers, according to Bart Kendrick,
regional public affairs specialist. He said about 6 percent are over
age 50. He added that people who participate usually change their
lives upon returning to the United States.
Some even seek employment with the Peace Corps, Kendrick said.
“I think it’s one of those kinds of experiences that aren’t easily
erased,” Kendrick said.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
May 11 2004
MEETING IN MILLI MAJLIS
[May 11, 2004, 14:20:46]
Chairman of the Milli Majlis Murtuz Alasgarov received members of
the Germany-Caucasus parliamentary group of Bundestag.
Mr. Alasgarov touched upon the history of relations between the two
countries saying they have been developed intensively after Azerbaijan
has gained its independence. He especially emphasized the role the
two countries’ leaders and reciprocal visits had played in bringing
the relationship to todays level.
Dwelling on the reforms being successfully implemented in Azerbaijan,
the Chairman expressed satisfaction with the fact that a number
of German companies had made investments in various branches of the
country’s economy. He noted however that despite the rapid progress of
Azerbaijan, there are some problems seriously hampering the development
of the country and its integration into the West. Speaking in this
connection of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Mr. Murtuz Alasgarov informed the guests in detail on its historical
roots, position of our country in the problems settlement and expressed
gratitude the German Government for its support
Having passed the greetings from Chairman of Bundestag over to the MM
Chairman, Head of the German delegation Christoph Bergner noted Germany
is very interested in development of relations with Azerbaijan. The
agreements on development of bilateral links reached during the visit
by Foreign Minister Joschca Fischer to Baku, aroused keen interest
in the Bundestag, he said.
Mr. Bergner described the present visit as a continuation of that
one. He noted that Germany appreciates the Azerbaijan’s efforts for
establishment of cooperation with the European Union, and is ready
to help in this relation.
Later on, the parties have exchanged views on a number of other issues
of mutual interes.