GEORGE MGRDICHIAN

The Independent – United Kingdom; May 26, 2006
Ken Hunt
The oud or’ud entered European languages with borrowings such as lute,
luth, laud and Laute. The instrument itself took longer to enter the
musical vocabulary. During the early to late 1960s, the oud travelled
further than it had ever done in terms of public awareness in Europe
and North America. Arguably, two musicians were the great torchbearers
for the instrument. One was the Nubian oud maestro Hamza El Din. The
other was George Mgrdichian, a Philadelphia-raised American of
Christian-Armenian stock.
Oud had been an instrument of expatriate communities with disparate
roots in the Near East, Middle East and Transcaucasus. Mgrdichian had
taken up oud, self-taught, as a result of initially playing on the
Armenian wedding, party and dance circuit as a clarinettist. When the
band’s oud player got called up to do military service, Mgrdichian was
volunteered to take over. It became his main instrument and he
developed a singular fluidity of touch, a modern mixture of the purist
and the pragmatist.
Mgrdichian went to New York in the 1960s to study clarinet, and there
fell into a circle of folk andjazz musicians. In the jazz realm,
Mgrdichian went on to work with the bandleader Dave Brubeck, the
saxophonist Phil Woods and the fringe musician and composer David
Amram. He also played with the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City
Opera, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.
During the 1970s he played oud on a number of albums in a style that
was popularly or jocularly known as belly dance. The likes of Let’s
Belly Dance (1973), Chimera – a fantasy in jazz/ rock/mid-east sounds
(1974) and Belly Dance Navel Academy Vol2 (1977) prove that one
generation’s bad taste becomes another generation’s collectibles.
Fortunately, Mgrdichian’s career flourished in other areas. He was an
innovator on the instrument, adapting traditional playing techniques
while remaining within traditional playing styles. He was innovative
in his left-hand fingering style on the oud in a way that, say,
L. Subramaniam has been in playing the Karnatic violin, through using
all four fingers of the left hand.
Aside from working on sessions for other people for ABC, CBS
Master-works, RCA Victor, Sefarad and Vanguard, Mgrdichian led a
separate recording life as a soloist or leader of his own George
Mgrdichian Ensemble. These recordings concentrated on an Armenian or
Anatolian improvised repertoire and took what the pioneering Armenian
musicologist Komitas Vardapet would have called “la musique rustique
armenienne” beyond the Armenian diaspora into the wider world.
>From the 1980s onwards, Mgrdichian’s recordings appeared on a variety
of labels, with titles such as The Oud (1985),
InstrumentalArmenianFolkDances (1988) and One Man’s Passion (1997).
Ken Hunt
George Mgrdichian, oud player: born Philadelphia 28January 1935′ died
New York 30 April 2006.

Bush replacing envoy to Armenia amid controversy

AP Worldstream; May 25, 2006
President George W. Bush is replacing the U.S. ambassador to Armenia,
who apparently misrepresented U.S. policy by classifying as “genocide”
deaths of large numbers of Armenians at Turkish hands in 1915.
The White House nominated Richard Hoagland, a career diplomat who
currently is ambassador to Tajikistan, to replace Ambassador John
Evans in Yerevan. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack did not
acknowledge that Evans’ comment about genocide was a contributing
factor to his replacement. McCormack, speaking to reporters, praised
Evans for what he said was a long and distinguished career in the
Foreign Service.
Earlier this week, 60 members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice expressing concern that Evans was being
withdrawn as a result of his February 2005 comment declaring that “the
Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the twentieth century.”
Rep. Ed Markey expressed hope that the “sudden action” by the
administration in withdrawing Evans was unrelated to the envoy’s
comments.
Evans received a “constructive dissent award” from the union of career
diplomats last year for the independent stand he took on the genocide
issue while speaking to an Armenian group in California.
The group later withdrew the award, the Washington Post said, on
grounds that Evans did not meet the selection criteria.
Following complaints from Turkey, Evans amended his remarks to say the
events of 1915 represented an “Armenian tragedy” but not a genocide,
the newspaper said.
It reported that Evans said he had used the term “genocide” in his
“personal capacity” during “informal meetings,” and “this was
inappropriate.”
Turkey vehemently denies that it committed genocide against Armenians,
saying many were killed as the Ottoman Empire fell but it was not part
of an organized genocidal campaign.
Armenians say Turks knowingly massacred 1.5 million of their ancestors.

Armenia, Ukraine to boost military cooperation
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
24 May 06
[Presenter] Ukrainian army chief of staff Col-Gen Serhiy Kyrychenko,
who is paying an official visit to Yerevan, has highly rated the
combat readiness and experience of the Armenian army, which may have a
positive influence on military cooperation between the two countries.
Cooperation programmes between the Armenian and Ukrainian armed forces
have been confirmed by agreements.
[Correspondent] The military delegation led by Ukrainian army chief of
staff Col-Gen Serhiy Kyrychenko, who is paying an official visit to
Armenia, met representatives of the Armenian Defence Ministry. Then
the delegation visited the Tsitsernakaberd genocide memorial.
[Serhiy Kyrychenko, speaking in Russian with Armenian voice-over] This
is a very important friendly visit aimed at developing military
cooperation. Today we have the opportunity to continue cooperation
between the Armenian and Ukrainian armed forces. The talks promise
that the current work will promote the development of military
cooperation between the two countries in various spheres, including in
the military-technical sphere and peacekeeping.
[Correspondent] Serhiy Kyrychenko visited the Humanitarian Mine Action
Centre and the Vazgen Sarkisyan Military Institute. At a news
conference, Kyrychenko spoke about spheres of military cooperation
between Armenia and Ukraine, such as a military strategy,
military-technical cooperation, training, joint military exercises and
peacekeeping. Armenian army chief of staff Col-Gen Mikael Arutyunyan
noted that there was a sufficient basis for this.
[Mikael Arutyunyan, speaking in Russian with Armenian voice-over] We
discussed issues of mutual interest and we hope that in the near
future, we will have prospects of cooperation in the
military-technical and other spheres.
[Correspondent] Kyrychenko denied reports about arms supplies to
Azerbaijan over the last two years.
[Serhiy Kyrychenko] I flatly deny that Ukraine has sold weapons to
Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] However, Azerbaijani and other sources have reported
that Ukraine has sold T-72 tanks and planes to Azerbaijan and that
several dozens of Azerbaijani planes are being repaired in Ukraine.
Ayk Ovannesyan, Karen Grigoryan, Romik Khachatryan, “Aylur”.

Azeri leader to meet Armenian counterpart in Romania on 4-6 June
Turan news agency
25 May 06

Baku, 25 May: Baku has agreed to hold a meeting between the presidents
of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Bucharest within the framework of the
Black Sea forum for dialogue and partnership on 4-6 June, Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with
journalists while commenting on the results of yesterday’s
negotiations with the international mediatory mission.
Now the holding of the meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan
and Armenia will depend on the results of the international mediators’
negotiations in Yerevan.
Mammadyarov said that the mediators had brought not ” new proposals”,
but “new ideas”. Without going into detail, Mammadyarov said that some
of these ideas are acceptable to Azerbaijan while others are not.
However, you have to seek “compromises” in diplomacy, Mammadyarov
pointed out. According to Mammadyarov, the mediators treat
Azerbaijan’s “unchangeable” position with understanding.
Commenting on the mediators’ call for the leaders of the two states to
prepare their peoples “for peace, not for war”, Mammadyarov pointed
out that Azerbaijan is in favour of a peaceful solution to the
conflict. At the same time, he stressed that Azerbaijan’s territory is
under occupation and “the war is not over yet”.

Nagornyy Karabakh republic urges respect for right to self-determination
Mediamax news agency
25 May 06
Yerevan, 25 May: The foreign ministry of the Nagornyy Karabakh
republic today made a statement on the independence referendum in
Montenegro.
“The holding of the independence referendum in Montenegro and the
readiness of the international community to accept its results are a
positive fact on the whole. We are sure that respect for the people’s
right to self-determination, exercised in a nationwide referendum, is
the cornerstone of the settlement of such situations and is a tool for
the establishment of political stability in the conflict zone.
“In this regard, it is expedient to recall that disrespect for the
right of the Nagornyy Karabakh people, which voted for independence in
a referendum held on 10 December 1991, in fact served as a basis for
Azerbaijan’s further military aggression against the Nagornyy Karabakh
republic and led to numerous casualties and destruction.
“Further disrespect in the process of settling the Azerbaijan-Armenian
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict for the right of the Nagornyy Karabakh
people to self-determination and to political independence and
economic and military security will delay a mutually acceptable
settlement and the establishment of a lasting peace and mutual
understanding in the region.”

Identity crisis
Guardian Unlimited; May 25, 2006
The creation of a new country in Europe this week – tiny Montenegro in
the Balkans – has inspired a posse of disputed territories in the
former Soviet Union in their bids for independence.
They believe Montenegro’s vote to secede from Yugoslavia and the
ongoing talks in Vienna over the future of Kosovo, the majority
Albanian province of Serbia under a UN protectorate, could set a vital
benchmark.
European diplomats indicate that Kosovo has a chance to gain a form of
independence and recognition by the international community later this
year.
That suggestion has prompted a wave of hope in self-declared
territories like Abkhazia, and South Ossetia, both disputed regions of
Georgia, the republic of Trans-Dniester in Moldova and the disputed
district of Nagorno Karabakh, an Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan.
These scattered shards of the former Soviet Union have all been in
limbo since its break up in the early 1990s, crying out to be released
from “frozen conflicts” and integrated into the world community.
“Such a civilised road of self-determination can be only welcomed,”
Sergei Bagapsh, the de facto president of breakaway Abkhazia, said
this week of Montenegro’s independence vote last Sunday.
“Now that the process of self-determination of nations has resumed,
Abkhazia and South Ossetia should get independence.”
At first glance, the tiny self-declared republic of Abkhazia on the
eastern coast of the Black Sea is an earthly paradise.
For decades its palm trees, warm scented air and sweeping beaches drew
thousands of holidaymakers from across the USSR, including Joseph
Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev, both of whom relaxed on its shores.
Even today, it is famed for its gentle climate, its mandarin oranges
and its sweeping boughs of yellow mimosa blossom.
But look more closely and there are signs of an uglier past.
Sidestreets in the seaside capital, Sukhum, are dominated by the
gutted remains of smoke-blackened houses, choked with weeds.
In the countryside not far away, whole settlements stand in silent
desolation, abandoned in a furious war that raged here in the Caucasus
more than a decade ago.
The conflict flared up in August 1992 when the armed forces of Georgia
attacked Abkhazia, after it declared its intent to break away from the
country after the Soviet collapse.
After a year of savage fighting, and atrocities on both sides, the
Abkhazians drove out the Georgians – including hundreds of thousands
of civilians – with the help of their Russian neighbours to the north,
and declared independence.
Since then, this scrap of land which is home to about 200,000 people,
has led its own lonely existence, cut off by an embargo and
unrecognised by any country in the world.
“In the last 13 years, Abkhazia has formed a state with its own
institutions, authorities, army and democratic development,” Mr
Bagapsh told Guardian Unlimited at his offices in downtown Sukhum.
“But the world ignores us when we have every right to gain
international recognition.”
He predicts Abkhazia’s independence will be recognised “within three
days” if Kosovo is granted status as a country.
Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, threw his weight behind Abkhazia’s
cause at the end of January, when he said that if Kosovo was granted
independence, “why then should we deny it to Abkhazia and South
Ossetia?”.
“We need universal principles to find a fair solution to these
problems,” Mr Putin added.
Abkhazia’s victory in the 1992 to 1993 war came at a bitter price,
Georgia accused it of ethnic cleansing and severed all trade. Many
buildings were destroyed and the republic is desperately poor.
Sukhum has no functioning airport, receives little direct bilateral
aid and its coast is cut off by Georgian ships while its critics claim
it is a haven for organised crime.
And its only link is with Russia, which buys its oranges and sends a
trickle of tourists to the republic’s crumbling resorts.
UN-led talks between Tbilisi and Sukhum have borne little fruit since
the end of the armed conflict, but Abkhaz foreign minister Sergei
Shamba has renewed hope.
“The international community needs to face up to the fact that
obstacles put in front of people and their aspirations to
self-determination only lead to bloodshed,” he said, in a meeting at
his three-room ministry.
“In that sense, Kosovo could become a kind of marker that determines a
new world attitude towards these issues.”
The issue of Georgian refugees is likely to remain the largest
stumbling block. About 250,000 Georgians fled Abkhazia during the war,
and only 60,000 have been able to return to the south of the region.
“I had to rebuild my life from scratch after they forced us out,”
Zviad Mirgatia, 38, a Georgian from Sukhum who now lives in Tbilisi,
said.
“Now I can’t go back. But I could never accept my home, my soil, being
taken away from Georgia.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Alexan Harutyunyan: Teamwork won at Eurovision

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2006 18:20
These days many publications in the media include views, general
wording of which is as follows: `It was not Andre that won at the
Eurovision but Alexan Harutyunyan through his ties and means. Just the
way Lusine Tovmasyan acquired the title of `Vice Miss Europe.’
In his interview to `Radiolur’ correspondent Alexan Harutyunyan,
President of the Council of Public Radio and Television of Armenia,
did not agree with the idea, saying that he merely headed the team
that participated in the contest. `The most important here are the
singer, the song, the team, the instrumentation. We would not succeed
if these were not good, no matter how hard I would try to promote.’
Generally, the diverse views and evaluations do not surprise Alexan
Harutyunyan, He considers it is natural. Mr. Harutyunyan was surprised
only with the atmosphere over the song and the singer in Armenia
before the contest, which was exerted as pressure on the part of
specialists and political figures.
`Doing such things is merely impermissible, such phenomena do not
exist in any other country. But it’s good that these negative
evaluations perished after the results were issued and everyone saw
that what we did was not incorrect, ‘ Alexan Harutyunyan said. His
personal evaluation of Armenia’s performance at Eurovision is
positive. This is a show watched not only in Europe but also all over
the world, and only participation here is of great importance
already. This is show business, which has its own rules, which we
should follow.
`I think that what we did was not bad for our first entry, it was even
good, since many countries participating for the 40th ` 45th time did
not even enter the top ten. Our next representative will go directly
to the final. This was also a good opportunity to make whole Europe
and the world speak about Armenia. It was a chance to speak about
Karabakh, since the singer was coming from there. It was important
also for the unification of Armenia and the Diaspora,’ President of
the Council of Public Radio and Television considers.
Alexan Harutyunyan does not share the views that the voting was
politicized.
`The votes were cast in most part by young people, who are not that
politicized. Of course, the factor of being neighbors or speaking the
same language sometimes plays its role here; however, the opposite can
be noticed as well. In the semi-final we received points from Spain,
Belgium, Moldova, where there are no large Armenian communities.’
It has not been decided so far who will represent Armenia at
Eurovision next year. This time, however, different from our first
entry we have more time to work and correct the faults.
`Considerable resources were spent, which were unprecedented for
Armenia but yielded their results. It was worth doing only for the
inspiration the Armenians and Diaspora experienced,’ Alexan
Harutyunyan said.

ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION IS ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
26 May 2006

Interview with NKR Attorney General Armen Zalinian, the head of the
Task Force on NKR Constitution. AA: “Mr. Zalinian, you have been
working on the NKR Constitution bill for over a year. In what stage
are you now?” Armen Zalinian: “Generally, the process of working out
and adopting a constitution defies hastiness. Every point requires a
thorough consideration, meaningful and tried approaches and tools. We
are guided by these principles, and considerable work has been done so
far. The concept of the NKR Constitution has been published, and
currently the constitutional committee is discussing the first two
chapters, namely the provisions on constitutional order and the basic
human and civil rights, freedoms and duties. It means that soon we are
going to have the main law of our country.” AA: “What are the basic
tenets of the NKR Constitution?” Armen Zalinian: “Those are reflected
in the concept. As a constitution of a sovereign, democratic, legal,
social state, in the NKR Constitution the right for self-determination
fulfilled by the people of Artsakh, promotion of democracy, rule of
law, human rights and freedoms, promotion of local governance,
establishment of a civil society will be set down. These are the main
components, upholding law and lawfulness between the society and the
state.
The key idea of the Constitution is the following scheme: rule of
right through the law.” AA: “In the long run, how will Nagorno
Karabakh benefit from the adoption of the Constitution? After all, the
country has existed without a constitution for 15 years.” Armen
Zalinian: “A country’s constitution is the determinant and the result
of a people’s historical evolution. A constitution imbibes the spirit
of a people, its legal thought and heritage, established in the course
of centuries, the system of values, which guide the aspirations of
these people. The fact that Karabakh lived without a constitution for
years on is ordinary from the standpoint that a newly established
country is unable to adopt a constitution in a short period of time.
It is necessary to have experience in state building and a choice of
guidelines. Besides, the people of NKR were forced into a war and
then had to overcome the hardships of this war in the legal, social
and economic, spiritual and cultural and, why not, home political
spheres. Over the past 15 years a tangible experience in state
building has been accumulated, which is a sufficient ground for having
our own constitution.” AA: “Is the NKR Constitution going to be a copy
of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenian in terms of contents
and form?” Armen Zalinian: “The NKR Constitution will be a
constitution of a sovereign, democratic, legal, social state with
semi-presidential governance. It will be consistent with the
tendencies and demands of development of constitutionalism in the
world. And the reality determined by the necessity of strengthening
our independent statehood will certainly be taken into consideration.
The necessary tools have been worked out. In this context, the
constitutional experience of the Republic of Armenia, the logic and
philosophy of the constitutional reform are very important. Several
provisions introduced in the renewed Constitution of Armenia will be
used in our Constitution. The constitutional experience of other
countries is also taken into consideration. In other words, we pick
up everything that is positive, everything that proved successful.”
AA: “What will be the procedure of adopting the Constitution?” Armen
Zalinian: “Naturally, a referendum. I believe that our people will
vote to the referendum on the Constitution, because the adoption of
the Constitution will be another important step towards the
establishment and strengthening of our republic.”
SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN.
26-05-2006

Armenian premier pledges aid in developing southern Georgian region
Mediamax news agency
25 May 06

Yerevan, 25 May: Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan and
Georgian Deputy Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze met in Dushanbe within
the framework of the session of the council of prime ministers of the
CIS states.
Markaryan and Baramidze noted with satisfaction the intensification of
bilateral relations in various spheres, the government’s press service
told Mediamax today.
The sides stressed that the Armenian and Georgian prime ministers will
head the Georgian-Armenian intergovernmental commission on economic
cooperation which will promote resolution of a number of issues as
well as elaboration of the joint programmes in the spheres of energy,
transport and tourism.
Andranik Markaryan and Giorgi Baramidze expressed satisfaction with
the process of demarcation of the Armenian-Georgian border, noting
that a regular joint session of relevant commissions is planned to be
held in Yerevan in August.
While speaking about the problems of the Armenian population in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, Andranik Markaryan expressed Armenia’s readiness
to assist the Georgian authorities in the implementation of a
comprehensive programme on restoring infrastructure of this region.
The Armenian prime minister expressed the view that it would be useful
to involve the local population and entrepreneurs in the construction
work to soften the “noticeable tension in the region”.
Andranik Markaryan said that according to the bilateral agreements, at
this stage Armenia will help restore some educational institutions in
Javakheti, whereas the volumes and the methods of the future
assistance will be specified after Armenia studies the comprehensive
programme.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Kuwaiti Armenian School recovers from the latest war in the region
Azad-Hye, Dubai, 26 May 2006: After the formation of the United Arab
Republic in Egypt and Syria (1958), many Armenians emigrated to the United
States, Canada, Australia, Argentina and elsewhere. Some of them arrived in
Kuwait, then a desert Emirate, with limited modern comforts.
In 1961 priest Barouyr Sarkissian settled down in Kuwait City and served the
community for more than thirty years, including 9 years as a Principal of
the Armenian School (1961-1970).
The Kuwaiti Armenian community was originally formed by bachelors who were
employed in light industries, auto repair shops, electronics, services etc.
Eventually they got married and brought to Kuwait their brides from their
countries of origin (Syria, Lebanon, Iran, etc.).
As their children reached schooling age, the need for learning the Armenian
language, history and religion led to the establishment of a school in the
late 1960’s.
The new premises of the school was inaugurated in 1972, during the tenure of
Principal Manuel Charshafian (1972-1978).
Since then the number of the Armenians in Kuwait expanded and reached a peak
of 10000 in the mid 1980’s. The number of students enrolled in the Armenian
School scored a record 700 pupils. High School section (Jemaran) was
introduced, enabling graduates to get enrolled in University studies
worldwide. Today the school covers the whole range from kindergarten to the
12th grade.
Asadour Boghosian has been Principal during two different terms (1978-1983)
and (2000-2004).
The invasion of Kuwait by Iraq caused damage to the State of Kuwait and the
Armenian Community. Fortunately the invasion took place in August (1990),
during which many Armenian families were already outside the country and did
not directly suffer the consequences of the invasion. Only 500 Armenians
remained in Kuwait during the six months of the Iraqi invasion, many fled
the country through the Saudi border.
After the restoration of national authority in Kuwait, many Armenians
returned to their positions in Kuwait, yet a considerable number continued
living in new places. The returned ones were compensated by the Kuwaiti
government (through special arrangement with the United Nations) with
monthly salaries that covered the complete period of invasion.
The present day Principal is Dr. Manoug Manougian, a graduate of Karen Jeppe
Armenian High School (Aleppo, 1983) and Dentistry Faculty (Yerevan, 1990).
Dr. Manougian gave us the latest statistics concerning the school.
The number of the students in the 2005-2006 school-year has been 373. The
breakdown is as follows:
94 students in the Kindergarten
135 students in the Elementary level (1-5 grades)
88 students in the Intermediate level (6-9 grades)
56 students in the Secondary level (10-12 grades)
The number of students just two years ago was 324. Therefore we can say that
there is an increase of about 15%. This figure is very close to the
1999-2000 school-year (before the latest war in the region), when the number
of students was 376.
Dr. Manougian gave us also the overall number of the educational and
auxiliary staff as follows:
Educational staff (teachers): 37 (26 Armenians)
Administrative staff: 4 (all Armenians)
Auxiliary staff (drivers, caretakers, etc.): 10 (3 Armenians)
Total number: 51 (33 Armenians)
The number of the Armenians in Kuwait, according to Dr. Manougian is no more
than 3300. More than 70% are Syrian-Armenians and the rest are from Lebanon
and other countries. Lebanese Armenians are mainly from Ainjar
(Mousalertsi).
Until 1990 (the year of the Iraqi invasion), the percentage of the Iranian
Armenians was 30%, but almost all of them emigrated later to Western
countries. Currently many Syrian-Armenians use the so-called Armenian
passport for Diaspora (special residency status), which is easier for
obtaining Kuwaiti residency visa.
The number of graduates from the Secondary level (Jemaran) is 381, although
thousands of students have attended the school during different periods of
time. The mobile status of the families living in Kuwait has contributed to
the fluctuation of the figures.
Azad-Hye had also the opportunity to meet with the newly appointed Deputy
Principal Peggy Tokmakjian (graduate of Aleppo College and English
Literature Department in the University of Aleppo 1990, former Principal of
“Accad” Computer Science Center in Aleppo, Syria). She briefed us on the
educational aspects of the Armenian School in Kuwait.
See complete set of photos of the Armenian School in Kuwait here:
ure.asp?al=qhsdtrnshy111376a
net/news/viewnews.asp?newsId=734ajg67
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress