ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 24, 2006 Friday 03:40 AM EST
Georgia pres orders to set up border demarcation com
TBILISI
President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia has ordered to create a
state commission on issues of delimitation and demarcation of the
borders with Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
An appropriate decree of the Georgian head of state was made public
on the official presidential site on Friday.
In accordance with the document, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister
Georgy Mandzhgaladze, who is given the right to form the commission
and groups of experts to hold talks with Russia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan on the given issues, was appointed the head of the state
commission.
The state commission, in particular, is entrusted with “the holding
of works on delimitation and demarcation of Georgia’s borders with
Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the process of
delimitation on the Black Sea of the territorial sea between Georgia
and Russia, in the special economic zone and the continental shelf.”
The state commission “is bound to preliminarily coordinate issues of
principle and present regular reports on its work to the Georgian
Foreign Ministry, and if necessary, to the president, security
council, parliament and government of the country,” the decree
notes.

The Boston Globe
March 24, 2006 Friday
THIRD EDITION
ARA BARMAKIAN; LEADING JEWELER HELPED MANY IMMIGRANTS; AT 77
BY GLORIA NEGRI, GLOBE STAFF
Ara Barmakian, who took his father’s small business and turned it
into one of the largest family-owned jewelry companies in the
country, died Sunday at his Belmont home after a brief illness. He
was 77.
Mr. Barmakian, who trained as an engineer at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology but entered the jewelry business in his 20s
when his father died, was considered one of the biggest diamond
dealers on the East Coast and a giant in the jewelry industry.
“This man built an empire in Massachusetts, and he helped everyone
who needed help along the way,” said Souren Maserejian, a Boston
jeweler, who was one of many new Americans Mr. Barmakian sponsored
and mentored in the jewelry business.
The son of Armenian immigrants himself, Mr. Barmakian not only
sponsored his arrival in this country from Armenia in 1972,
Maserejian said, but gave him a job in his office at Barmakian
Jewelers for two years.
“He was like an older brother to me,” he said. “My dream was to have
my own place, and I got it in 1975.”
Though Mr. Barmakian was an MIT graduate, Maserejian said, “he could
sit down and talk to the plainest person with plain language and be
their friend. For any person, he gave the opportunity to encourage
him.”
Mr. Barmakian helped many young immigrants realize their dreams, said
his daughter Gail, of Oak Bluffs.
“Dad had the biggest heart in the world,” she said. “He bonded with
people quickly. He was also a workaholic.”
Mr. Barmakian was renowned for his knowledge of the jewelry business.
“He was a maven,” said Deepak Sheth, a New York jewelry and diamond
wholesaler. “He was one of my first customers when I came here from
India, a noble and generous man who treated others with tremendous
dignity. He took care of people and gave them respect. He was honored
and recognized in the jewelry industry for his knowledge and plans
for its growth.”
Last year, in Basel, Switzerland, the Armenian Jewelers Association
made Mr. Barmakian its international president. Three years earlier,
also in Basel, the AJA elected him chairman of its East Coast area
and gave him its lifetime achievement award.
“Ara was a born leader,” said Hagop Baghdadlian, owner of Cora
Diamonds in New York City. “He was shrewd, smart, and an inspiration
to all of us.”
Ara Levon Barmakian was born in Cambridge to Levon and Hripsime
Barmakian, who had fled the Armenian genocide from their home in
Malatia in Turkey.
Mr. Barmakian spoke no English until he was 5 and started attending
the Watertown public schools, his family said. He quickly
demonstrated an aptitude for all things mechanical, “as well as hard
work.”
His mother died while he was in college studying engineering, and his
father soon after.
Levon Barmakian left behind his interest in a small shop he had
opened with his brothers in the Jewelers Building downtown “with a
shoebox of inventory,” the family said.
“Dad was always the dutiful Armenian son,” Gail Barmakian said, “and
knew what he had to do. He became the patriarch of the family to his
younger twin brothers and director of the company.”
With his brothers as partners, the three built the business. Today it
consists of stores in Boston, Framingham, and Nashua.
Mr. Barmakian had learned “by necessity and by his growing interest”
all aspects of the business, from gemology to metallurgy, design and
manufacture, marketing and sales. He traveled the world on business
trips.
In 1952, Mr. Barmakian married Natalie (Gazoorian) of Worcester.
Marcia Gazoorian of Worcester said her brother-in-law was “definitely
a self-made man.”
“He was a no-nonsense person,” she said. “If something had to be
done, he learned how to do it and did it.”
“He was compassionate and inquisitive. . . . He learned a lot by
talking with people. If you wanted to talk something through, he
would ask the right questions,” she said.
Mr. Barmakian’s favorite place away from work, his wife said, was at
Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, where the family had a home.
“That’s where he would relax. He loved the water and the ocean,” she
said.
Besides his wife and his daughter, Mr. Barmakian leaves two other
daughters, Karen Herosian of Belmont and Janice McCullough of
Sudbury; his son, Ara Jr. of Belmont; two brothers, Diran and Vahan,
both of Winchester; and 11 grandchildren.
A service will be held at 11 a.m. today at St. James Armenian
Apostolic Church in Watertown. Burial will be in Mount Auburn
Cemetery, Cambridge.

US Fed News
March 23, 2006 Thursday 1:18 AM EST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER BUILDS CROSS-CULTURAL
RELATIONSHIPS IN ARMENIA
WASHINGTON
The Peace Corps issued the following press release:
When Nicole “Nicki” Hendrix, a Peace Corps volunteer from Los Angeles
arrived at her site in the former Soviet republic of Armenia in 2004,
her presence caused quite a stir: the 35-year old community
development volunteer was the first African-American to ever live and
work in the village.
Upon her arrival, Hendrix had large groups of people, young and old,
who came running up to her while calling out the “n-word” – one of
the most hurtful racial slurs imaginable to Hendrix. She didn’t know
it then, but this was the only word most of the local Armenians knew
for “African-American.” She later learned that during the Soviet Era,
although students were taught about the history of African-Americans
in America, school books referred to African-Americans by the racial
slur. Many Armenians, Hendrix discovered, were not aware of the
negative connotation that word has in the United States.
Changing perceptions: Nicki Hendrix and the mayor of her host
community in ArmeniaAlthough she was shocked by the greeting that
first day, she didn’t turn around and leave – she had a job to do, a
job that became even more critical as a result of that initial
greeting.
“I use each encounter involving the word’s usage as a chance to teach
Armenians about African-Americans and our history, if they are not
familiar with it. It also gives me the opportunity to tell those who
do not already know that the U.S. is a very ethnically diverse
country with people from many different nationalities and ethnic
groups that live and work there,” Hendrix said of her experience of
dispelling stereotypes in an ethnically-homogeneous society like
Armenia.
Hendrix set out to not only accomplish her goals as a community
development volunteer, but also to help change the perception of
African-Americans in Armenia by helping to eradicate the use of the
racial slur. “The challenge is getting people to see things
differently and to embrace the unfamiliar, instead of the familiar. I
know this will not happen overnight, but I am at least planting the
seed for change in the people that I meet. I believe these
experiences define my minority Peace Corps volunteer experience:
educating and introducing a different aspect of American culture to
the people of Armenia,” she said.
Since she arrived in Armenia, Hendrix feels she has made a real
impact on her village. Working with the members of her community,
Hendrix helped renovate a local park (“Peace Park”), which services
not only her town, but also the seventeen surrounding villages.
During the Soviet Era, the park was once considered the central
meeting place for the exchange of culture, business and fun for
children and adults. But when the Soviet Era ended, the town could no
longer afford to maintain it; the equipment became dilapidated and
was later taken away for fuel and heating during the initial
tumultuous years of becoming a newly independent state.
For nearly a decade, the renovation of the park had been a top
priority among community members, businesses, and the town’s
municipality, to provide the villagers with a place to rest, exercise
and communicate with each other – and to prevent people from taking
the park land for their own personal use. Hendrix said she was glad
to be able to help assist the members of her community in making
their dream come true. The park now serves a population of over
100,000 people.
Nearly two years have passed and Hendrix’s service in Armenia is
almost finished. “I can honestly say that I am not the same person I
was before becoming a Peace Corps volunteer. I am a better person. I
am able to see all sides of an issue or situation. My views on life
and people are no longer narrow – they are multifaceted and global. I
am confident and self-assured in my skills and abilities, and best of
all, I am a more compassionate person,” Hendrix said.
Serving as a minority volunteer has not been easy for Hendrix, but
she has learned a great deal from the experience. “The most prominent
challenge I faced upon arriving to my host country was getting the
host country nationals to see me as a person instead of an object. As
an African-American living in Armenia, I received a lot more
attention than my fellow Caucasian Peace Corps volunteers,” she said.
“I find that some Armenians are still learning how to treat
foreigners who look differently than them.”
Hendrix noted that her presence in Armenia has also helped some host
country nationals see that all African-Americans are not just
entertainers and athletes, because she is neither. According to
Hendrix, her presence also showed Armenians – who are unfamiliar with
the concept of volunteerism – that African-Americans volunteer to
serve others, too.
“Being a minority Peace Corps volunteer has made the world seem
smaller. We all have the same fears, hurts, pains, problems, issues,
and we all want to be loved, respected, heard, accepted, successful,
happy, and needed. We just say it in different languages and with
different customs,” said Hendrix.
“We can all help each other if we have a desire to do so. In every
country, there are the ‘haves and have-nots,’ and in each country,
there are those who are trying to rid the world of divisiveness and
make the world a better place for everyone. I believe that the U.S.
Peace Corps is one of many organizations that is trying to make the
world a better place for everyone, regardless of race, class, creed,
or educational background. I believe that my service as a minority
Peace Corps volunteer helps to get this message across to the people
in my region and the country at large.”
The Peace Corps has been sending volunteers to Armenia since 1992.
Throughout the country, volunteers work in the fields of business and
community development, education, health and environment. There are
currently 86 volunteers serving in Armenia and, since the program’s
inception, 442 volunteers have served. To learn more about Armenia,
please visit the Where Do Volunteers Go? section.
The Peace Corps is celebrating a 45-year legacy of service at home
and abroad, and a 30-year high for volunteers in the field. Since
1961, more than 182,000 volunteers have helped promote a better
understanding between Americans and the people of the 138 countries
where volunteers have served. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S.
citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a
27-month commitment.
From: Baghdasarian

Congressional Quarterly
March 24 2006
J. ADAM ERELI HOLDS STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR NEWS BRIEFING
SPEAKER:
J. ADAM ERELI, STATE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY SPOKESMAN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
[parts omitted]
QUESTION: One question on Armenia: The Los Angeles Times, in an
editorial from your ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, under the
title, in quotation, “It Was A Genocide,” wrote, inter alia, quote,
“Punishing an ambassador for speaking honestly about a 90-year-old
crime befits a cynical double-dealing monarchy, not the leader of the
free world,” unquote.
How do you respond to that?
ERELI: I haven’t seen the article. Let me look at it.
Thanks.
END

Armenpress
SUBSISTENCE LEVEL IN ARMENIA IS $65

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: An ordinary Armenian
citizen has to spend 30,000 drams ($65) a month, not
counting gas bills which are expected to rise soon ,
as a subsistence wage, a senior member of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) told a parliament
briefing.
Hrayr Karapetian, the secretary of the ARF faction
in the parliament, said the faction was drafting a new
bill on subsistence level. He then described a
yesterday statement by Central Bank governor, Tigran
Sarkisian that the gas price hike will lead to a one
percent price rise in other goods as ‘strange.’ He
said the faction will have to look deeper into Central
Bank’s calculations to voice its opinion.
Galust Sahakian form the Republican party
reiterated that the gas price rise will affect the
entire economy, saying also that Armenia should
exercise active efforts to seek energy independence.

Armenpress
ARMENIAN MP SAYS U.S.A. LAUNCHES SEPARATE EFFORT TO
HELP END KARABAKH DISPUTE
YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: An opposition
parliament member argued today that the U.S.A. has
launched a separate effort to help resolve the
Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Viktor Dalakian from the opposition Ardarutyun
(Justice) alliance said the USA, parallel to talks
under the aegis of the OSCE Minsk group, has stepped
up efforts in this direction. He said that was his
impression from a series of meetings with Assistant
Secretary of State Daniel Freid when he was visiting
Yerevan together with Steven Mann, the US cochairman
in the Minsk group. He downplayed fears that
hostilities may resume, saying US officials were
taking every action to prevent it. “US officials made
it clear that a new war could not resolve the
conflict,” he said.
Meantime Steven Mann told in an interview to the
RFE/RL, Azerbaijani service that the time was working
against the parties to the Karabakh conflict. Steven
Mann reiterated that `2006 is the opportune year for a
deal’ and that the sides need to complete the serious
work which he hopes will result in tangible progress.
`We are continuing our work. The co-chairs remain of
the opinion that it is very desirable to get some
version of an agreement in 2006, but in the final
analysis this depends on the two countries
themselves,’ the American mediator said.

Armenpress
KARABAKH WELCOMES ICG REPORT, BUT SAYS ITS
RECOMMENDATIONS NOT FEASIBLE
STEPANAKERT, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: The foreign
ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh praised a report by the
Brussels- based International Crisis Group (ICG) on
EU’s role in resolution of conflicts in the South
Caucasus, issued on March 20, describing it as
‘serious and analytical work.”
The report in question said instability in the
South Caucasus is a threat to European Union (EU)
security. “Geographic proximity, energy resources,
pipelines and the challenges of international crime
and trafficking make stability in the region a clear
EU interest. Yet, the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh,
Abkhazian and South Ossetian conflicts have the
potential to ignite into full-fledged wars in Europe’s
neighborhood. To guarantee its own security, the EU
should become more engaged in efforts to resolve the
three disputes. It can do so by strengthening the
conflict resolution dimension of the instruments it
applies. As the EU is unlikely to offer membership to
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan even in the medium
term, it must identify innovative means to impose
conditionality on its aid and demonstrate influence.
This is a challenge that Brussels has only begun to
address.”
Irina Beglarian, head of a department at
Nagorno-Karabakh foreign ministry, said
Nagorno-Karabakh shared these concerns and welcomed
every effort aimed at preventing resumption of
hostilities in the region and establishment of
stability and peace. She said Karabakh authorities
comprehend the desire of the EU to get involved in
peace efforts, but she added that recommendations
offered by the report to achieve the goals are not
feasible, as they do not reflect the core of the
Karabakh conflict and are based on misinterpreted
basic concepts.
Irina Beglarian said also Nagorno-Karabakh was
surprised at the report’s authors attempts to accuse
the OSCE Minsk group of monopolizing the peace
process. She said the Minsk group does not work at the
whim of separate diplomats or countries. The group is
mandated by the OSCE to help the parties to find a
mutually acceptable peace formula.

PanARMENIAN.Net
New Images of Unknown Object on Mt. Ararat Added Fuel to Archeologists’

24.03.2006 22:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Recently released satellite images
of an unknown formation or object on Mt. Ararat in
Turkey have added fuel to archeologists’ ongoing quest
to find Noah’s ark. The `new and significant
development,’ an image from a QuickBird satellite, is
relevant because the high-resolution view shows
clearer detail of a `ship-like object … 1,015 feet in
length,’ Porcher Taylor, a professor of national
security law, told Space.com. Taylor has spent 13
years investigating the mysterious item. Taken over
the northwest corner of Mt. Ararat, the picture shows
a long, dark object – or rock formation, some
say-resting sideways in glacial ice at an elevation of
15,300 feet. While Taylor says he has no agenda for
his investigation, he aims to expose the irregularity
in the mountain’s geography for whatever it is. And
then he wants to make it visibly accessible for
public, scientific and scholarly critique. Despite
some enthusiasts’ conviction about the object’s
history, others hesitate to declare it the biblical
ark – or any kind of manmade object. `My gut instinct is
that it’s natural phenomena,’ said Bill Crouse,
president of Christian Information Ministries, who
twice has led archeological expeditions to the
mountains of southern Turkey. `What I find when I
analyze these photos is that this is naturally
occurring,’ he said, but then added, `of course, you
never say never.’

PanARMENIAN.Net
6 Armenians Elected to Kislovodsk Town Parliament
24.03.2006 22:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ March 22 Armenian Consul General in
the South Federation Okrug of Russia Ararat Gomtsian
took part in the solemn ceremony of assumption of the
office by Mayor of Kislovodsk Biryukov, reported
Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia.
Congratulating the newly election mayor on the
election Ararat Gomtsian wished the town prosperity
and good relations with Armenia, specifically with its
twin city Vanadzor. The Consul General also
congratulated newly elected deputies of the town
parliament including 6 Armenians, residents of Kislovodsk.

PanARMENIAN.Net
BTC Regular Sector Being Filled with Oil
24.03.2006 22:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ BTC Co started the filling of the
regular sector of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
with Azeri Light oil. Last week the filling of the
sector between PST-2 and PST-3 started. `The shipping
of the first tanker with Azeri oil from the port of
Ceyhan is scheduled for this spring,’ BP said,
reported Trend. To note, 5.5 million barrels of oil
has been pumped by March 1, 2006. 10 million barrels
are essential for the complete filling of the oil pipeline.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress