Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
June 9 2006
Armenian officials issue divergent statements on Garabagh
Baku, June 8, AssA-Irada
Armenian officials have issued divergent statements on the Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict.
Minister of Defense Serzh Sarkisian alleged that Azerbaijan `is
missing its chance’ to solve the dispute in peace. He said President
Robert Kocharian had informed him about the results of Sunday’s round
of talks between Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in Bucharest.
Sarkisian noted that he was unaware of the details of the talks as he
did not attended them.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian said the next round of
talks on Garabagh will be held between the two countries’ foreign
ministers in the near future. The exact date of the meeting is yet to
be set, he said.
Commenting on the Armenian officials’ statements, the Azeri Foreign
Ministry spokesman Tahir Taghizada said Armenia is the one taking a
heavy toll from the unsettled status of the conflict.
`The prolonged settlement of the conflict is certainly a problem for
Azerbaijan. But first of all, this is a big problem for Armenia, as
it is left out of regional projects,’ he said.*

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
June 9 2006
ICO head urges Armenia to free Azeri territories
Baku, June 8, AssA-Irada
The top official of an influential Islamic organization has urged
Armenia to vacate the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
`Armenia is an aggressor and the occupied territories must be
liberated unconditionally,’ Secretary General of the Organization of
Islamic Conference (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, told the press during
his official visit to Russia.
Ihsanoglu said the ICO backs the ongoing talks on settling the Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict with the OSCE Minsk Group’s mediation,
which means the group adheres to a negotiated settlement.*

Baltic News Service
June 9, 2006 Friday 3:06 PM EET
LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT CONTINUING VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN
VILNIUS Jun 09
Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus is continuing his two-day visit
to Azerbaijan.
On Friday, Adamkus is scheduled to meet with the Azerbaijani prime
minister, attend a business forum, visit the Heidar Aliyev Foundation
and an oil terminal, where the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline linking
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey starts.
Adamkus will also be conferred the title of honorary doctor at Baku
State University.
The Lithuanian president-led delegation will return to Vilnius Friday
evening.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan was one of the
poorest and economically backward USSR republics. However, due to
increasing oil prices in recent years, it has become one of the most
rapidly economically developing countries.
However, political observers admit that political tension related to
the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Mountain
Karabakh region hinders further improvement of the situation.
About 30,000 people were killed during 1992-1994 fights, several
hundred thousand Azerbaijanis were forced to become refugees in their
own country. Mountain Karabakh is currently controlled by Armenians,
and there is only a fragile truce between the two sides in the
conflict.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 9, 2006 Friday
AFTERWARD TO THE JUBILEE MEETING OF THE CIS COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
MINISTERS;
Moscow is prepared to strengthen its positions in the post-Soviet
republics
Russian Defense Minister held the 50th meeting of the CIS Council of
defense ministers in Baku last week.
Unfortunately, the majority of the CIS defense ministers failed to
attend the meeting. No one was surprised that representatives of
Georgia, Moldova and Turkmenistan did not arrive they always ignore
such meetings. However, it’s unknown why the defense ministers of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan refused to attend the meeting.
They sent their representatives. The Ukrainian defense minister
participated as an observer. The delegation from Armenia did not
arrive, though this country is an active participant in military
cooperation within the framework of the CIS. Armenian representatives
feared that Azerbaijan would not ensure their security. This is a
reasonable argument. There was a tragic precedent: an Armenian
officer sent to a course in English in Budapest was murdered by an
Azerbaijanian officer. Azerbaijan declared the murderer person of the
year in 2005…
Only four ministers (from Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan)
participated. However, the meeting proved to be very fruitful. They
discussed the progress of realization of the Conception of military
cooperation within the CIS until 2010. The ministers focused on the
joint anti-aircraft system and the CIS coordinating committee in
charge of anti-aircraft issues. In particular, they considered issues
linked with funding the anti-aircraft system in 2007. There are plans
to allocate around 240 million roubles for its development.
The ministers analyzed the performance of the CIS coordinating
committee of meteorological services and determined its tasks until
2010. In addition, they passed joint requirements to the
communications system and discussed planning of joint operational
exercises in 2007.
The ministers analyzed the performance of the peacekeeping contingent
in the zone of the Georgian-Abkhazia conflict and decided to extend
its commander’s term in office for six months.
Sergei Ivanov made a range of important statements about Moscow’s
policy in the post-Soviet republics after the end of the summit.
He noted that 1,500 peacekeepers stationed in the Trans-Dniester
territory prevent military conflicts between Moldova and the
Trans-Dniester territory. Several hundred servicemen guard ammunition
depots of the former 14th army.
The minister said that Russia has withdrawn heavy weapons from the
Trans-Dniester territory in compliance with the conventional arms
agreement. However, he noted that Russian servicemen must remain in
this region in order to prevent terrorists from obtaining the
remaining ammunition in the Trans-Dniester territory.
The Russian minister noted, “We will be protecting these ammunition
depots until a political solution to the Trans-Dniester problem has
been found.”
To all appearances, this means that Moscow has begun to defend its
interests in the post-Soviet republics. It’s no secret that many
Russian politicians reproach the government for being too diplomatic
in solving some problems, for instance with Georgia and Ukraine.
The demonstration of such serious a position is probably linked with
the fact that the OSCE chairman, who arrived in Moldova, stated that
the OSCE is prepared to allocate EUR10 million for the withdrawal of
Russian weapons from the Trans-Dniester territory. The OSCE chairman
said that his organization intends to make Russia withdraw troops
from Moldova.
Sergei Ivanov again noted that the West uses double standards for
evaluating Russia’s and the US’ military presence abroad. In
particular, he focused on the agreement reached by the US and
Bulgaria to create an US military base in this country. The strength
of the base (2,500 servicemen) can be doubled in critical situations.
In addition, the US will be able to store heavy military vehicles at
the base. The US states that this is “insubstantial military
presence”. At the same time, the US demands that Russian withdraw
peacekeepers from the Trans-Dniester territory.
Sergei Ivanov stated that at a conference in Vienna, Russia noted
that the mechanism of control over conventional arms in Europe won’t
work. This makes Russia worry because Moscow meets its commitments,
including in the North-Caucasus.
It should be noted that the OSCE chairman informed the Moldovan
reintegration minister that Kosovo and Montenegro can serve as a
precedent for the Trans-Dniester conflict. The Trans-Dniester
territory disagrees. Its president Igor Smirnov stated that the
Trans-Dniester territory will organize a referendum concerning its
independence by October. He noted that the Trans-Dniester territory
may join the CIS. The Abkhazian leader has similar plans.
Ukrainian defense Minister Anatoly Gritsenko met with his
Azerbaijanian counterpart Safar Abiyev in Baku. The Ukrainian
minister announced the idea of creating a peacekeeping unit within
the framework of GUAM.
Some media called this statement a sensation. GUAM allegedly will
weaken Russia’s positions. It’s not new that GUAM competes with
Moscow and its allies. In principle, such a turn of events cannot be
ruled out. However, many political analysts state that the political
union of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova died long ago.
Such statements encourage Russia to more active moves. Sergei Ivanov
noted in Baku that in the prospects peacekeeping units will be sent
to Nagorny Karabakh because this problem cannot be solved. It should
be noted that Russia previously made similar statements. This is why
it’s possible that Moscow will soon initiate the issue of sending a
peacekeeping group to this region. The Russian Ground Force has a
peacekeeping brigade consisting of contract servicemen. One of its
battalions is deployed in the zone of the Georgian-Abkhazian
conflict.
The Russian defense minister held a meeting with his Ukrainian
counterpart Anatoly Gritsenko. They determined the destiny of the
An-70 project – Russia will not build this transport plane. The Black
Sea fleet became the main topic of negotiations.
Anatoly Gritsenko said that Sergei Ivanov plans to visit Ukraine in
summer in order to discuss this issue with the Ukrainian military
leadership.
Ukraine was stirred up by preparations for the Sea Breeze
international exercise in which Ukraine has been participating since
1997. Ukrainian residents protest against the exercise. They state
that the Ukrainian leadership seeks to join NATO and deploy a
military base of the alliance in the Crimea. The Crimean local
government bodies support the protesters.
In other words, the summit and statements made by some defense
ministers in Baku testify that military problems remain one of the
main issues in the relations between the former Soviet republics.
Russia has a lot of problems with some CIS nations. These problems
aggravate. Anyway, Moscow seeks to react to these problems.
Meanwhile, Moscow will probably have to make more decisive moves in
order to solve these problems and defend its interests in the
post-Soviet republics.
Source: WPS observer

Irish Independent
June 9, 2006 Friday
THE CHIC OF CHESS, THE COOL OF POOL AND THE NAKED HIGH-JUMPER
After this week’s grand-master punch-up over a dancing queen, MYLES
McWEENEY reports onthe sportswomen who have become as famousfor their
style and looks as their performances
To be honest, you don’t expect chess players to walk on the wild side
of life. Think chess and you conjure up images of bespectacled high
IQ nerds hunched over tables, chins resting on their hands and their
brows furrowed with concentration as they try to work out their next
killer move.
But British chess grandmaster Danny Gormally used an unusual opening
gambit when he spotted the world Number 3 player, Armenia’s Levon
Aronlan, on the dance-floor with Arianne Caoili, an attractive
19-year-old Australian player.
Danny, who is thought to be somewhat fond of Ms Caoili, marched up to
his rival and made his move. He decked the Armenian with a neat
uppercut.
The blow-up, which took place at the Chess Olympiad in Turin in the
appropriately named Hiroshima Mon Amour night club, has the chess
world in a tizz. And it has since come to light that there is even a
bizarre website dedicated to the physical charms of the best female
players, ‘Top Ten Women’s Chess Beauty Contest’.
Miss Caoili, whose ambition is to become a pop singer, is currently
No 7 on that list, which is topped by the Russian grandmaster, Vera
Nebolsina. Others on the top ten list include Serbian grandmaster
Maria Manakova, who has posed nude for magazines and often wears
distractingly skimpy outfits at tournaments, and France’s Aurelie
Dacalor.
But chess is not the only game with stars who have become more rich
and famous for their looks than their sporting prowess. The Russian
tennis player Anna Kournikova naturally springs to mind first – but
there are many more.
Check out Tatiana Grigorieva, the Australian pole-vaulter of
exceptional talent and genuine supermodel looks. The 6ft-tall athlete
was born in St Petersburg in Russia and emigrated to Australia in
1997 and now competes for her adopted country. In the 2002
Commonwealth Games, she won the gold medal and set a record.
While she is ultra-competitive in her sports career – she’s ranked No
2 in the Commonwealth – she has also embarked on a successful
modelling career, and has appeared in TV commercials and magazine
photo shoots. Her eccentric fashion sense has turned heads as she
often vaults in fur-trimmed outfits.
One sports star who shed her sheer Lycra outfits for the au naturel
look is US high jumper Amy Acuff, who has posed in the nude for a
number of magazines, including Playboy and Esquire.
The eye-catching 6ft 2ins tall Amy is an exceptional athlete and has
represented the US in the Olympics three times, coming fourth in her
event in Athens in 2004. She’s got brains too, having earned a degree
in biology and is now a licensed acupuncturist in LA as well as
training for the Beijing games in 2008.
Katerina Witt, the great former East German figure skater, has also
done a shoot for Russia’s edition of Playboy.
Born in East Germany, Katerina, a two-time Olympic gold medalist,
dominated the figure skating world in the ’80s, winning more titles
than anyone else before her. She often scandalised the prudish World
Skating Federation authorities with her daring and provocative
costumes.
Pool, the small-table version of billiards that’s hugely popular in
America, doesn’t have a glamorous image because of its association
with smoky bars and dim pool halls. That was until the arrival of
Jeanette Lee, a first generation Korean American who has become
famous for bringing glamour to the green baize.
Nicknamed The Black Widow because of her penchant for all-black
outfits, Jeanette is one of the best female pool and snooker players
in the world, despite having had a steel rod implanted in her back at
the age of 13 to cure scoliosis, or curvature of the spine.
And, of course, tennis has always been celebrated for its glamorous
players. These days, Anna Kournikova is the most famous one for being
more successful off-court than on – although she did quite well as a
doubles player, partnering Martina Hingis to a number of titles. The
pair laughingly referred to themselves as the Spice Girls of tennis.
Anna made world headlines (and a small fortune) through her sexy
Berlei Shock Absorber sports bra advertisements, which had the
unforgettable tag line “only the ball should bounce.” She is
currently retired from the game because of back injuries.
It takes exceptional physical prowess to be a successful triathlon
athlete – you have to swim 2.4 miles in the ocean, jump on a bicycle
and hammer out 112 miles and then, without pause, run 26.2 miles.
At the age of 18, Lokelani McMichael became the youngest woman to
finish the Hawaii Ironman contest, a record she still holds. She has
competed in the Ironman contest for seven consecutive years, winning
the women’s section each time.
Having been told her muscles were too big for modeling, she proved
the experts wrong and her Polynesian beauty won her successful
spreads for Elle, Self, Shape, Esquire and Nike’s latest ad campaign.
A future as a sports TV presenter beckons.
One of the sexiest sports of all, from the male spectator’s point of
view, has to be women’s Beach Volleyball.
You only have to see a video of Gabrielle Reece in action to know why
it has such attraction to couch potatoes whose most strenuous
exercise is popping the tab on a beer can and ripping open a packet
of crisps.
She’s 6ft 3ins tall, possesses a stunning figure and moves with
amazing grace and athleticism. She’s been described as the
ultra-beauty jock, having broadened her fan base by drag-racing,
sky-diving, kayaking and riding monster waves in Hawaii.
What all these glamorous and successful women in sport have proved is
that you don’t have to be an over-muscled female jock to make
headlines on both the sports pages and those of fashion magazines.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say Part B (Russia)
June 8, 2006 Thursday
ARRESTING GOVERNORS AND SENATORS: A WAR OR A SPECIAL OPERATION?
by Maria Rogacheva, Alexander Sazonov, Valery Kornev
A review of corruption allegations against senior state officials; On
June 6, former prosecutor general Vladimir Ustinov said his goodbyes
to his subordinates. Meanwhile, the anti-corruption campaign is
expanding inexorably. News reports from the regions and the
Federation Council resemble reports from battlefields.
On June 6, former prosecutor general Vladimir Ustinov said his
goodbyes to his subordinates. Meanwhile, the anti-corruption campaign
– launched by the president, not the prosecutor general – is
expanding inexorably. News reports from the regions and the
Federation Council resemble reports from battlefields. Charges have
been issued against a group of Federal Customs Service officials,
Governor Alexei Barinov of the Nenets autonomous district, and
Volgograd Mayor Yevgeny Ishchenko. They may be joined by Levon
Chakhmakhchyan, Federation Council member for Kalmykia. New details
about their extravagant lifestyles and extraneous business activities
surprise the public every day. Russia’s political elite is bracing
itself for further revelations and high-profile dismissals in bodies
including the federal government. The elite senses that this war on
corruption is serious and set to last a long time.
Mayor buys a yacht for himself and a fountain for the city
Reports yesterday listed assets allegedly acquired by Volgograd Mayor
Yevgeny Ishchenko. The list is based on a property division lawsuit
filed by Ishchenko’s common law wife, Yevgenia Att. She denies
writing the document.
Nevertheless, according to our source at the Volgograd regional
prosecutor’s office, shortly before his arrest Ishchenko was
negotiating to buy an island in the Maldives. He planned to build a
hotel and entertainment center there. He didn’t have time to complete
those negotiations, but he did spend 3 million euros on a yacht,
which is in the port of Monaco. The yacht’s official owner is a
company described by prosecutors as a dummy company. Also registered
is a luxury dacha property, built on the site of a children’s
sanatorium. Realtors estimate that a 200-square-meter apartment in
central Volgograd is currently worth 8-10 million rubles, or up to 15
million if it’s in good condition.
According to the municipal administration, the mayor’s official
salary was 50,000 rubles per month. Still, Ishchenko wasn’t greedy.
In autumn 2005, he made a gift to the city: a fountain called “He and
She,” imported from Italy. It was announced that Ishchenko had paid
for the fountain himself. The value of the gift was never stated.
Around the same time, there were renewed rumors in Volgograd that
Ishchenko and Att planned to marry.
Senator burned by a case full of dollars
The case of Levon Chakhmachyan, Federation Council member for
Kalmykia, is developing rapidly. On June 3, Federation Council
Speaker Sergei Mironov sent the regional legislature of Kalmykia an
instruction to recall Chakhmachyan.
At first, representatives of the Prosecutor General’s Office said
that Chakhmachyan was simply present at detention of Igor Arushanov,
chief accountant of the Association of Russian-Armenian Business
Cooperation. A sum of $300,000 marked with special paint was
confiscated from Arushanov. According to the Prosecutor General’s
Office, Arushanov and Chakhmachyan’s son-in-law Armen Oganesyan who
was also detained demanded $1.5 million from head of Transaero
Alexander Pleshakov for deleting negative information from the
Auditing Chamber’s audit report. Auditing Chamber Chairman Sergei
Stepashin explained that three weeks ago Pleshakov reported to him
about address of representatives of the Auditing Chamber through
intermediaries. Inspection was underway in Transaero then and
Pleshakov was offered to change the final report in his favor for
$1.5 million. After the meeting with Pleshakov, Stepashin approached
Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Nikolai Patrushev. Arushanov
and Oganesyan were soon arrested on fraud charges.
Yesterday, acting Prosecutor General Yury Biryukov requested the
Supreme Court to decide whether there is evidence of similar crimes
in the actions of Levon Chakhmachyan. Sources in the Federation
Council say that Chakhmachyan may be arrested as soon as June 23. The
procedure for recalling him from the Federation Council is planned
for that day.
The anti-corruption campaign is also gaining pace in Khakassia. Law
enforcement agency officials from Moscow have arrived in that region.
A few days later criminal proceedings were instituted against Vasily
Tsyganok, former senior deputy to Governor Alexei Lebed. The criminal
proceedings were instituted according to the fact of taking of a
bribe worth 717,000 rubles in the form of property benefit.
Renovations to Tsyganok’s apartment cost a similar sum.
According to available information, hard times begin for Lebed. To
forestall them Lebed gathered a press conference and called on the
Prosecutor General’s office to prevent criminals from evading
punishment.
One of the most prominent scandals related to corruption in the
law-enforcement agencies reached its conclusion in the Lefortovo
detention center, at a hearing of the Moscow military court.
Pleadings began on Monday in the criminal affair against General of
the Emergency Situations Ministry Vladimir Ganeev and six senior
officers of the Moscow criminal police (Yury Samolkin, Yevgeny
Taratorin, Nikolai Demin, Igor Ostrovsky, Vadim Vladimirov and
Alexander Breshanov). All of them are accused of a series of gross
crimes including organization of a criminal group with use of service
positions, service power embezzlement with use of violence and
extortion. According to documents of the criminal case, expensive
cars and houses in Russia and abroad were bought with money obtained
by a criminal way. About $3 million was confiscated from the bank
safes. The accused were arrested in June of 2003. Legal proceedings
have lasted for 18 months and about 100 people were interrogated as
witnesses and victims. For some of the crimes the accused may be put
into prison for ten to twenty years.
Source: Izvestia, June 8, 2006, p. 3
Translated by Pavel Pushkin

RosBusinessConsulting Database
June 8, 2006 Thursday 8:27 AM EST
MegaFon silent on ArmenTel bid
MegaFon has not submitted a bid for the acquisition of Armenian
telecommunications provider ArmenTel, but considers the asset of
interest, MegaFon’s press secretary Marina Belasheva told RBC.
According to her, Armenia appeals to the company as an area for the
expansion of its network, but so do other countries in the CIS.
However, Belasheva could neither confirm nor comment on allegations
of MegaFon’s participation in the tender.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
June 8, 2006 Thursday 08:54 PM EST
Quarter of issues remain unresolved in Nagorno Karabakh talks
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan said on Thursday the talks
on the basic principles of Nagorno Karabakh settlement have 25-30
percent of contradicting issues, which the presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan are trying to resolve.
“At present there are proposals of co-chairs on the principles of
the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and, given the political
will, they may be accepted”, he told the Shant TV channel.
Oskanyan said Armenia agreed to discuss earlier unacceptable topics
only after the issue of self-determination of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh was included into the agenda.
“We can discuss other issues only after the right of the people of
Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination is fixed,” the minister
said.
He said he may meet his Azerbaijani counterpart already next week and
the mediators from the OSCE Minsk Group for Nagorno Karabakh are
already arranging the meeting.
Oskanyan said he and his Azerbaijani counterpart will work to bring
positions closer, and if they succeed, a new Armenian-Azerbaijani
summit will become possible.
“For the sake of the settlement Armenia has done the maximum and
agreed to very serious compromises. But there is a limit, which the
Armenian side cannot overstep,” the minister said.
He added “the problem of Nagorno Karabakh has no military solution
and there is no other way out than to continue negotiations. We shall
work for the settlement through compromises,” Oskanyan said.

Agence France Presse — English
June 9, 2006 Friday 10:42 AM GMT
UN anti-racism monitor heading to Russia
A UN anti-racism monitor is heading to Russia at the invitation of
authorities there, amid concerns over a wave of attacks and a rising
climate of intolerance in the country, officials said Friday.
Doudou Diene, the UN special rapporteur on racism and xenophobia,
will visit Moscow and Saint Petersburg and meet with officials from
June 12 to 17, said Jose Diaz, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights.
“There has been a very serious rise in the number of racist attacks
in the Russian Federation, including murders, especially Moscow and
Saint Petersburg,” Diaz told journalists.
While that would be the main focus of Diene’s visit, the UN expert
will also take up wider problems related to intolerance, said Diaz.
Recognisable Russian ethnic minorities — especially Chechens and
other Caucasians — as well as Armenians, Roma gypsies and Jews, and
foreign nationals such as Africans and Asians have increasingly been
targeted in racist attacks.
Although a string of murders by skinheads has grabbed headlines,
human rights campaigners also accuse Russian security forces and
semi-official law enforcement militias of routine abuses and point to
a climate of near-impunity.

Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, June 9, 2006
Contact: Maral Habeshian
Armenian Community Condemns Anti-Armenian Attacks during California
Democratic Primary Election
Community Reaches New Milestone in Empowerment
GLENDALE, California–On Wednesday, June 7, the Armenian National
Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA) organized a post-election
press conference with a broad cross-section of Armenian American
community organizations to recognize the new milestone in political
empowerment and address the anti-Armenian campaign attacks intended to
derail Paul Krekorian’s election as the democratic nominee for the
43rd California Assembly seat.
“This is a historic day in achieving a new level of political presence
in California for the Armenian community which is a symbol of our
increasing political and collective strength–this is something we
achieved together as a community,” said Zanku Armenian, Board Member
of the ANCA-WR. “It is our hope that this will usher in a new era of
unprecedented cooperation, bringing together all of our strength so
that we may lead the Armenian community to new levels of achievement.”
Community leadership representing organizations throughout the
southern California Armenian American community also uniformly
delivered a clear message by condemning the mailer and calling
campaign sponsored by the California Latino Leadership Fund but widely
believed to have been orchestrated by Frank Quintero’s campaign and
his political advisors. During the last several weeks of the campaign
Paul Krekorian, the ANCA and the Armenian community were characterized
as `terrorists’ or terrorist sympathizers. In addition, the Quintero
campaign, through several mail pieces, demonized the Armenian
community’s participation in the democratic process by making
allegations of wide-spread voter fraud.
“Unfortunately, during this campaign, ugly, anti-Armenian racist acts
were committed against Paul Krekorian, the ANC, and our community,’
said Armenian. `Together, we are standing before you today to say
that this is unacceptable, we are outraged and we will hold all those
individuals, organizations and institutions involved in this
accountable.”
During the press conference each of the Armenian American
organizations and Armenian American public officials pledged to stand
together to fight the racist attacks and to declare that those
responsible for these unethical and vicious attacks against the
community will be held fully accountable.
In closing the press conference, Armenian said “Let me close with this
symbolic statement: On June 6th we took our people’s ladle and dipped
it into the pot of ‘Herriseh’ to get our just share… and this time
our ladle was made of steel.”
Below are excerpts of statements delivered during the press
conference:
ARCHBISHOP MOUSHEGH MARDIROSSIAN
Prelate, Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
`Faith without toil is dead, and during this campaign we transformed
faith into work, and embodied faith to successfully carry-out that
which is kind and worthy. At times, this campaign departed the
acceptable norms for a competitive environment, resorting instead to
mudslinging in an attempt to shake our honor and unity, and to divide
us. But we, as law-abiding citizens did what we had to with clear
intent and knowledge. What has happened to us is unacceptable and
must be pursued to secure justice and accountability.’
ARCHBISHOP VATCHE HOVSEPIAN
Representing Prelate Hovan Derderian, Primate, Western Diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of North America
`We, as Armenians, have a mission to carry-out in this community. We
are not intimidated by anyone because we are legal and long-time
citizens of this country. We are here today under one name. We are
Armenian and will not allow anyone to tamper with our pride.’
REVERAND JOE MATOSSIAN
Minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America
`There is no doubt that we are shaken by these hurtful announcements
against us… when attempts to divide us are thrown our way, we will
make them fail with our commitment to stand as one. We are an
outstanding nationality, God-fearing and one. We will fight for
justice.’
FR. ANTON SAROYAN
Armenian Catholic Exarchate of North America
`We are amazed that the guarantee to the right of freedom of
expression in the Unites States is manipulated by certain individuals
in an attempt to gain political victory, with excuses that are based
solely on deceit and selfishness.
We urge all Armenians to stand in support of all our national, social
and religious organizations and institutions, specifically the
Armenian National Committee, which work with dedication, sacrifice and
persistence to protect our just rights and national identity.’
RAFI MANOUKIAN
Glendale City Councilmember
`There are acceptable norms to conducting campaigns, but Paul
Krekorian’s opponents not only crossed the line, but dared to do the
unthinkable by attacking his wife, family, and nationality. In an
attempt to inject fear into the community, they even accused Armenians
of being `terrorists.’
Believe me, this matter is not over; now comes the matter of
accountability, which we will demand from all those who created this
environment.’
BOB YOUSEFIAN
Glendale City Councilmember
`This victory is for what is honorable, what is right. The people
unanimously rejected horrible accusations by a candidate, and rejected
Quintero’s attempt to divide and conquer. We were tested, but sent a
message that we are together and it did not work.’
ARA NAJARIAN
Glendale City Councilmember
`June 6th brought heights of elation for me, but also a deep
wound… The attack was not just on Paul but also on the ANC, and was
totally baseless. Imagine attacking the work of the ANC which is to
educate children; to educate and get justice for the Armenian
Genocide. This is a continuation of the genocide, where the victim is
demonized one more time; it’s reprehensible.
And I pledge never to forget; I will fight like I’ve never fought
before. Look who we have gathered here. We are united and one force.’
LEONARD MANOUKIAN
Chairman Armenian National Committee-Political Action Committee
`The ANC-PAC selected Paul Krekorian not because he is Armenian but
because he is the right man. He proved himself; his popularity grew,
and when his opponents discerned this, they resorted to tactics that
are an abomination, and disrespectful to the community.
The ANC-PAC appealed to the community, the Armenian electorate to
stand up – not for the organization but for what is right – to bring
participation to the political arena, and they did.
We now have a community that is well-aware of their ability, energy
and talent, whereas before they only saw the mere potential of its
strength.’
Organziations and representatives at press conference:
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, Western Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America; representing Primate Hovan
Derderian, Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church of North America; Joe Matossian Minister to the
Armenian Evangelical Union of North America; representing Fr. Anton
Saroyan Armenian Catholic Exarchate of North America, Antoine
Karamalian; Glendale City Council Members Rafi Manoukian, Ara
Najarian, Bob Yousefian; Dr. Armine Hacopian, Vice President of
Glendale Community College Board of Trustees; Angela Savoyan,
Chairwoman ARS Western Region Board; Hrair Sherikian, Hamazkayin
Western Region Chairman; Parsegh Kartalian representing AGBU; Nora
Khatchadourian, Armenian Society of Los Angeles; Vahig Zadourian,
Davidian & Mariamian Educational Foundation; Sari Shirinian, AYF; Vahe
Shahinian, ANC Burbank; Khatchik Khalatian, Homenetmen Ararat Chapter;
Zanku Armenian and Steve Artinian, ANCA Western Region Board
representatives;
Leonard Manoukian, ANC-PAC; Alina Azizian, Glendale ANC.