COE: ARMENIAN CLAIMS OF AZERBAIJANIS DESTROYING THEIR GRAVEYARDS SOUND UNPLEASANT
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 18 2006
Council of Europe delegation led by Domeniko Ronkonin, head of culture
division of Directorate General IV on Education, Culture and Heritage,
Youth and Sport will visit the South Caucasus countries in June.
APA’s Europa bureau reports that the visit will be paid in the
framework of the preparation for the Kyiv Initiative- comprehensive
follow-up of the STAGE (Support for Transition in the arts and
culture in the greater Europe) project which ended in 2005-intends
to contribute through action and policies in culture and heritage to
democratic development and dialogue in, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine. The current project will be over in 2006. The
Council of Europe will continue cooperation in culture with the South
Caucasus countries in the format of the Kyiv Initiative from 2007.
The project is being prepared now. Mr.Ronkonin told APA’s correspondent
that the program was very effective and satisfied with Azerbaijan’s
active participation in the program.
Ronkonin also commented on Armenians’ claims on the alleged destruction
of their graveyards by Azerbaijanis, “Such statements are unpleasant. I
and other Council of Europe structures have not been informed about
that. So, it is important to often visit the region in order to control
the issue. Both sides should refrain from making such unfounded
statements. I don’t want to express final opinion regarding this
issue. But I must say that during my stay in Baku I did not witness
any negative nuances while visiting the graveyards of nations with
other religious.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AKHALKALAKI BASE PULLOUT IN PROGRESS
Civil Georgia, Georgia
May 18 2006
A convoy of ten trucks, loaded with military equipment, as well
as an armored vehicle departed from the Russian military base in
Akhalkalaki and headed towards the Russian military base in Gyumri,
Armenia on May 18, Interfax news agency reported.
This withdrawal is part of the base pullout process which should be
completed in Akhalkalaki before December 31, 2007, according to the
March 31 Georgian-Russian agreement.

CHANGE IS EXPECTED IN NA “ARF” FACTION STAFF
Noyan Tapan
May 18 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. NA “ARF” faction head Levon Mkrtchian’s
deputy’s commissions will be stopped soon ahead of time, on the
occasion of his being appointed the RA Minister of Education and
Science. L.Mkrtchian was elected a deputy by the proportional
electoral order, so after the deputy’s mandate becomes vacant, by
the Central Electoral Commission’s decision, it will be given to the
next candidate of the ARF proportional electoral list. As the Noyan
Tapan correspondent was informed by the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia,
it will be defined at the late May 18 gathering who will complete
the faction staff.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NK CONFLICT DISCUSSED AT THE LONDON UNIVERSITY
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
May 18 2006
As informed in AzerTAc from the department on public relations of the
Coordination Council of World Azerbaijanis (CCWA), an action devoted
to the Karabakh conflict took place at the London University.
Alongside with English and Azerbaijani students, the Armenian students
of this educational institution also took part in action.
Vice-president of CCWA Board, professor Gulamrza Tebrizi has told about
the crimes accomplished by Armenians in territory of the Karabakh
region of Azerbaijan, on the concrete facts has exposed their lie
and falsification.
First the Armenians, and then Azerbaijanis have shown the films. In
film of Armenians was demonstrated “good-neighborhood” between
Azerbaijanis and Armenians, some repair-regenerative works ostensibly
carried out on the occupied Karabakh lands. Protesting against it,
Azerbaijanis have declared, that by means of such facts Armenians
aspire to introduce the idea on belonging of Karabakh to them, to
mislead the world community.
In the documentary film shown by Azerbaijanis, the evil deeds
accomplished by Armenians in Karabakh, the Khojaly genocide have been
reflected, shown the Azeri territories still being under occupation.
In reply to claims of the Armenian party to the film, Gulamrza Tebrixi
and others have produced significant number of the facts concerning
aggressive policy of Armenians, the bloody crimes committed by them
in Karabakh.

THREE DEPUTY MINISTERS AND TWO DEPUTY GOVERNORS RELIEVED OF THEIR POSTS
Noyan Tapan
May 18 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. By the decision of RA Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian, Gagik Aslanian was relieved of the post of Deputy
Minister of Territorial Government, Artak Sahradian of the post of
Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Hrachya Musayelian of the
post of Deputy Minister of Energy.
As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Government Information and Public
Relations Department, by Prime Minister’s another decisions, Vahe
Vardapetian was relieved of the post of Deputy Governor of Tavush
and Hrachik Khachatrian of the post of Deputy Governor of Aragatsotn.

ISTANBUL COURT POSTPONES NEW TRIAL ON DINK’S CASE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 18 2006
ISTANBUL, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Istanbul court
started on May 16 the new trial on “Akos” newspaper editor Hrant Dink’s
case. As the “Turkish Daily News” informs, when Dink was to enter
the court hall, “traitor” statements were made from the hall. When a
brawl started among Dink’s supporters and those calling him “traitor”
and giving other qualifications, the judge decided to postpone the
trail. Hrant Dink is accused of making attempts to influence on the
judicial power as his newspaper published articles in which the law
considering “insulting Turkishness” as a crime is critized. To recap,
Dink was sentenced to 6-months imprisonement by the Istanbul Shishlu
court for “insulting Turkishness” as in one of his articles he called
on the Armenian people in Armenia and Diaspora not to poison its
blood by enmity towards Turks. The Court of Cassations of Ankara
re-affirmed recently the punishment defined for Dink and announced
invalid the decision on postponing the punishment.

FIMS’ AMANDA GRZYB INSPIRES HER STUDENTS TO TAKE A STAND
By Allison Buchan-Terrell
The Gazette, Montreal, Canada
May 18 2006
The Faculty of Information and Media Studies is among the most unique
and diverse on campus, and FIMS professor Amanda Grzyb epitomizes
that very distinctiveness.
Grzyb began teaching at Western in 2002 and was also a student there
in the past; she completed a BA in Philosophy and English and her MA
in Theory Criticism at Western before earning a PhD in English from
Duke University.
For the past few years Grzyb worked on part-time contracts at Western
while starting a family. She refers fondly to the mentors who helped
her along her career path.
“I had the opportunity to learn from several outstanding teachers and
mentors throughout my academic career, which provided a model for my
own teaching.
“At Western, Jim Leach [in the Department of Philosophy] and Marty
Kreiswirth [in the Department of English] were both particularly
inspiring mentors,” Grzyb says.
“Ideally, I try to assist students as they make connections between
what they are learning in the classroom and the world around them,”
Grzyb says. “My classes are equal parts lecture and discussion, and
I encourage the students to become actively engaged in conversations
with their fellow students inside and outside the classroom.
“When it is appropriate, I also encourage students to combine creative
approaches to research with traditional, rigorous study.”
Grzyb also strongly emphasizes resources outside of traditional
studies.
“I also like to utilize the resources that we have in the community.
My class on homelessness includes a service-learning component –
two hours a week at a local homeless shelter – and the shelters where
the students volunteer are community partners in learning.”
She not only ensures her students learn outside the classroom, she
even takes them out of the country.
“Last fall I took my students in Film 214F: African-American Cinema
on a field trip to Detroit, where we visited the African-American
History Museum and ate traditional African-American food,” Grzyb says.
She also draws on guest lecturers in her teaching.
“In my genocide class, I brought in guest speakers like Maj. Brent
Beardsley (Romeo Dallaire’s Staff Assistant during the UNAMIR mission
in Rwanda and a witness to the Rwandan genocide), Prof. Eugene
Nshimiyimana (a survivor of the Rwandan Genocide), and Prof. Lorne
Shirinian (a specialist on the Armenian genocide from Royal Military
College).”
Grzyb believes the key to success is making a connection with her
students.
“I encourage students to meet with me during office hours and to be
actively engaged in discussions [in class and online],” she says,
adding, “I generally teach upper-level classes where I am able to
get to know my students individually.
“I love the MIT students because they are keen to get involved in
the community,” Grzyb says. “One of my students, Andrew deWaard,
made a wonderful documentary film about homeless youth in London
while he was taking my homelessness class. And the students in my
winter 2005 ‘Century of Genocide’ class organized a teach-in about
the humanitarian crisis in Darfur on our last day of class.”
She explains that one of her students, Jonathan Laski, became highly
involved with STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) as a result
of the class.
“He met with Prime Minister Paul Martin shortly after the class
ended and spoke with him about the situation in Darfur for about 45
minutes. These students are the sort of people who inspire me and
make me proud to teach at Western,” Grzyb says.
Her students have been equally inspired.
“Inspiring would be an understatement. Mandy has a genuine gift for
making the material real and imparting her students with a lasting
desire to create positive change in the community,” says deWaard,
currently in his fourth year. “By combining engaging lecture material
with out-of-class service-learning, Mandy makes the all-important
bridge between theoretical and practical knowledge.”
Kristin Moriah, an MA student at McGill University and former Western
student, says Gryzb “is one of about two or three professors who have
had a significant impact on my life.
“I was also impressed with the way Amanda is engaged with social
issues. She not only talks the talk, she walks the walk,” Moriah
says. “It’s exciting to see someone who is able to bridge the gap
between the Ivory Tower and life beyond the university campus. I know
that many of her other students feel the same way.”
After four years teaching in FIMS at Western, Grzyb has made an
impression on the faculty, recently winning an award for excellence
in teaching undergraduate students. She has also accepted a full-time
position for the fall. On top of her new status at Western and her
new baby girl Lucy, Grzyb will co-edit an anthology on the crisis in
Darfur with colleague Rich Hitchens.

ARMENTEL CABLES TOWARDS YEREVAN DAMAGED ON EARLY MAY 18
Noyan Tapan
May 18 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The internet communication was
damaged on May 18 in Yerevan and its neighboring territory. As
Hasmik Chutilian, the head of the ArmenTel Press Service informed
the Noyan Tapan correspondent, the cable of ArmenTel by which the
internet communication of the mentioned territory is provided was
damaged. She informed that both main and reserve cables were damaged
at the same time, correspondingly near the cities of Charentsavan and
Ashtarak. According to the ArmenTel Press Sevice head, at present
works are being done to restore the cable, and one of the cables
will be restored till the afternoon and the internet communication
will be re-established. Chutilian also informed that the ArmenTel
administration considers doubtful that the main and reserve cables were
damaged at the same time and after finishing the restoration works,
is envisaged to address to legal bodies with a demand to start an
investigation concerning the taken place case.

GEGHARKUNIK AGRICULTURE TO BE REPLENISHED BY 5 NEW MODERN TRACTORS
Noyan Tapan
May 18 2006
GAVAR, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. This year the agriculture of Gegharkunik
marz will be replenished by 5 modern tractors. NT correspondent was
informed at the agriculture department of the regional government
staff that Sonilka-1 tractors to be sold by auction will be provided
within the framework of the Armenian-Indian intergovernmental
cooperation. These tractors can perform 4 operations: ploughing,
cultivation, sowing and reaping. Although the real value of a tractor
makes 12 thousand USD, their reserve price at the auction will be 2
mln drams (about 4.5 thousand USD). The difference of this sum will
be compensated by the Indian government.

FIRST CONVOY LEAVES RUSSIA’S AKHALKALAKI BASE, GOES TO ARMENIA
Interfax, Russia
May 18 2006
MOSCOW. May 18 (Interfax-AVN) – A convoy, carrying the property of
the 62nd Russian military base, left Georgia’s Akhalkalaki and headed
to Armenia’s Gyumri on Thursday.
“A convoy of ten trucks, an armored personnel carrier and an
escorting car of Georgian police, has reached the Armenian border
and has completed customs checks,” Igor Konashenko, spokesman for
the Russian ground troops commander, told Interfax.
“The journey went smoothly and no problems arose, except that it had
lasted for as long as three hours because of poor roads,” he said.
Konashenkov also said that the property of the 62nd base would be
reassigned to replenish Russia’s 102nd base located in Gyumri. “The
transfer of this property to any other party is not envisioned,”
he said.