DEFIXIONES: DIAMANDA GALAS
by Sybil Nolan
Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)
October 11, 2005 Tuesday
Where: Hamer Hall, Friday
DIAMANDA Galas’s one-woman show, Defixiones, intended to honour
the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek dead killed by Turks during the
disintegration of the Ottoman Empire in and after World War I.
How effective it was in its stated purpose depended on the audience’s
knowledge of this awful part of history, for we got little help from
the show itself.
Defixiones ran 80 minutes and was sung or recited in several languages,
including Greek and Turkish, with only a few minutes of English. Yet
the show lacked a narrative structure to explain the content to those
watching and listening.
This, then, was a Performance with a capital P, and you were either
spellbound by the voice and presence of Galas — who appeared covered
from head to toe in black robes, with only her face and hands showing
— or you were irrelevant.
It seemed there were many aficionados of this Californian Greek artist
in the audience, for she was rewarded with a standing ovation.
Galas has a truly amazing voice and uses it like a weapon to assault
the ears. Moving between piano and music stand on the darkened stage,
a microphone in front of her, a harsh soundtrack booming behind her,
she found 100 different ways to throw her voice.
Sometimes it evoked a long elegant spear, sometimes a stone discus
slowing spinning towards the audience. At one point, as Galas sat
in profile at the piano, I could have sworn it became a curved steel
blade flying above her head and exiting stage right, perhaps impaling
unwary stage crew in the wings.

RA DM: ARMENIA NEEDN NOT CHANGE ITS STRATEGY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, October 11. /ARKA/. Armenia needn’t change its strategy, the
RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan told reporters when commenting
on the recent statement of the Deputy of the RF State Duma Alexander
Fomenko, who said that adoption of the NATO standards by Armenia will
complicate the strategic partnership of the latter with Russia.
According to the Minister, the Deputy doesn’t understand correctly the
international and NATO standards. According to Sargsyan, the standards
of NATO imply transition to NATO armament, ideology and everything
connected with it, while international standards imply availability
of battle-worthy subdivisions in line with those standards. “These are
different conceptions”, he said. Particularly, drawing an analogy with
sport, Sargsyan noted that Russian and American sportsmen use various
standards however achieve the same goal when holding a record in one-
hundred- meter race.
To remind, on Saturday Fomenko stated in Yerevan that adoption of the
NATO standards by Armenia will complicate its strategic partnership
with Russia. According to him, partners should have the same military
standards. If they are different, it will complicate the strategic
partnership between two countries, since Russia is not going to adopt
those standards.

2787th ANNIVERSARY OF EREBUNI-YEREVAN CELEBRATED
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The 2-day celebration
“Erebuni-Yerevan”, during which a number of events were held in the 12
communities of the capital city, came to a close with the festivities
in Republic Square of Yerevan on October 9. The celebration started
on the previous day at the National Opera and Ballet Theatre after
Spendiarian.
“The capital represents a third of the country’s population and a
considerable part of its scientific and cultural potential. The
development over the past decade has shown that despite various
difficulties, we proved worthy and capable of creating our
independence. Taking a look at Yerevan, we feel sure that we are on
a path toward a sustained growth,” Mayor of Yerevan Ervand Zakharian
said.
In his words, the urban development programs, which had remained on
paper for many decades, have been successfully implemented in recent
years. It was noted that the construction of Yerevan’s Main Avenue
started, while Northern Avenue will be delivered for use in 2007.
Yerevan Mayor underlined the necessity for creating favorable
conditions not only for Kentron community but also for the other
communties in order to repair streets, reconstruct accident-prone
buildings and construct new dwelling houses.
E. Zakharian stated that the target allocations for improvement of
Yerevan increased substantially this year. Work is underway to enhance
the quality of public transport services, repair irrigation networks,
lay streets with asphalt and improve street lights.
Yervand Ghazanchian, People’s Artist of Armenia and Chairman of
the Union of Theatrical Workers of Armenia, Azat Gasparian, Honored
Artist of Armenia, Perch Zeituntsian, a prosaist, and Harutyun Kehyan,
a footballer, were presented with Yerevan Honorary Citizen cetificates.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

S. SARGSIAN: TODAY PROBABILITY OF WAR IS NO GREATER THAN EVER
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Despite the bellicose mood of the
Azeri side, today the probability of war is no greater than ever. RA
Defence Minister Serge Sargsian expressed this opinion during a talk
with reporters on October 11.
S. Sargsian said that three years ago the Azeris were also speaking
about solving the problems using arm power, and how much thier present
statements correspond to reality will be evident in two months,
after the elections in Azerbaijan. The minister underlined the
existence of an element of election propaganda in these statements:
“Simply I cannot fully imagine the size of this element.”
Having read the media reports about the situation in Azerbaijan,
the minister took the view that the party lead by Ilham Aliev will
win in the elections.
Asked if this victory would be a real one, Serge Sargsian noted that
there may be violations but “great things cannot be done by rigging”.
In response to NT correspondent’ question, the minister said that
no increase in the tension at the Armenian-Azeri borderline has
been observed in connection with the upcoming elections. “Today’s
situation does not differ from the one existing, say, 2 or 5 months
ago. Compared with the situation 7 months ago, today is quite calm,”
Serge Sargsian stressed.
Speaking about the increase of Azerbaijan’s military budget, RA
Defence Minister noted that after a while the quantitative factor of
the budget changes into the qualitative one, but it is not yet clear
when it will happen. “No doubt it is dangerous when the enemy, or
rival, or neighbor has a budget several times greater than yours. But
there is also the problem of using this budget efficiently, various
forms of meeting the needs of the army,” Serge Sargsian noted.
“It would be most advantageous if we had comparable financial
possibilities. On the other hand, the difference in our budgets will
never become a reason for making any concessions,” RA Minister of
Defence stated.

AZERI LEADERS MAKING WARLIKE STATEMENTS DUE TO ELECTION – ARMENIAN MINISTER
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
Yerevan, 11 October: Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said
today that the warlike statements made by the leaders of Azerbaijan
are to some extent due to the forthcoming parliamentary election in
that country.
Sarkisyan said today that we will be able to judge the real sentiments
of the Azerbaijani leadership more precisely in two months’ time
after the parliamentary election, Mediamax reports.
The Armenian defence minister said that the ruling party will be named
as the winner in the forthcoming parliamentary election in Azerbaijan.

ARMENIAN DM AWARDS PEACEKEEPERS FOR SUCCESSFUL SERVICE IN IRAQ
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
Yerevan, 11 October: Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan today
thanked the Armenian peacekeepers serving in Iraq “for successfully
implementing their task”.
Serzh Sarkisyan said this at a ceremony to award the Armenian
servicemen who participated in the international peacekeeping operation
in Iraq, Mediamax news agency reports.
The first rotation of the Armenian peacekeeping contingent, which
serves in Iraq as part of the multinational division under the Polish
command, took place this July. The first non-combatant unit of the
Armenian armed forces, which consists of sappers, medical officers
and drivers, left for Iraq in February 2005.
“You represented the Armenian armed forces in Iraq with credit and
promoted the authority of your motherland. Striving to integrate into
the European family, Armenia cannot stay away from problems facing this
family. We cannot remain indifferent, which is why we are carrying out
peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Iraq,” the defence minister said.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT DISMISSES BORDER TROOPS CHIEF
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
Yerevan, 11 October: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has dismissed
Col Vyacheslav Voskanyan from the post of the commander of the Border
Guard Troops of the National Security Service, the presidential press
service has told Mediamax news agency.
Nothing is reported about the appointment of a new commander.

ARMENIAN DM AWARDS MEDALS TO ARMENIAN PEACE-MAKERS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, October 11. /ARKA/. RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan
has awarded medals and diplomas to a number of Armenian servicemen
that carried out a peace-making mission in Iraq for successful
accomplishment of their task. In Iraq you upheld the honor of our
armed forces thereby contributing to our Homeland’s reputation,”
the Minister said. According to him, Armenia, which is seeking
integration into the European family, cannot be indifferent to the
problems facing it. “We cannot be indifferent to their problems just
as they cannot be indifferent to our problems. This is the reason
why we carry out peace-making missions in Kosovo and in Iraq,”
the Minister said. According to Sargsyan, Armenia carries out these
missions in the interests of its partners. It means that the partners
will act in Armenia’s interests as well. Sargsyan pointed out that
besides Armenia’s efficient army, “our partners” contribute to the
11-year-long relative peace in the region. “It is not a secret,”
the Minister said.

FIRST 5 VOLUMES OF SERIES “MATENAGIRK HAYOTS” COME OUT
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The presentation of
the first five volumes of the series “Matenagirk Hayots” (“Manuscript
Armenian”) took place on October 3 at the American University of
Armenia (AUA). “Matenagirk” is an unprecedented manual in the history
of Armenology that envisages to publish the examination texts of the
whole medieval Armenian literature with the use of scientific and
technical achievements of the 21st century.
The first two volumes of the manuscript series, in which the literature
of the 5th century is summarized, were presented in 2003.
Now another three volumes that represent a summary of the 6th and
7th centuries and contain 148 works by more than 50 authors have
been published.
The speakers were unanimous in the opinion that a really monumental
work elevating Armenology to a new qualitative level has been done.
“The Digital Library” of Armenian literature that was created under
the direction of Meruzhan Karapetian and received in 2001 an award
of the RA President forms the work’s basis.
“This is the most valuable work financed by the Gyulbekian Fund in
Armenia,” Professor Paruyr Muradian noted. The publication costs were
covered by the Catholicosate of the Great Cilician House.
Alexan Hakobian, editor-in-chief of the volumes on the 6th and 7th
centuries, presented the principles of the group’s work, which allow
to come as close as possible to the original texts of the manuscripts,
most of which were preserved in the form of late centuries’ copies
with numerous distortions during their copying.
“Thanks to this work the Armenologists all over the world received
an instrument meeting the requirements of time,” Michael Stone,
Professor of Jerusalem University, said.
The computer version of the work has voluminous glossaries that
provide researchers with unprecedented opportunities.
Ashot Melkonian, Director of the Institute of History of the RA
Academy of Sciences, and Harutyun Armenian, President of the AUA,
expressed their concern about the possibility to continue this most
important work.

T. TOROSIAN: ONLY OSCE MG TO BE ENGAGED IN NK SETTLEMENT
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The autumn session
of PACE was held on October 3-7 in Strasbourg. It was the first time
since 2004 January that no issue immediately concerning Armenia was
on the agenda of the session. Tigran Torosian, head of the Armenian
delegation in the Assembly, RA NA Vice-Speaker, reported this at the
October 11 press conference.
According to speaker’s prognostication, such issues will emerge in
2006. In particular, the report of the commission on Nagorno Karabakh
issue created within the framework of the Assembly will be heard at
the January session.
Three meetings were held with participation of the Armenian party
on the days of the session. In particular, the Armenian delegation
in PACE met with Roland Wegener, head of the Ago Group. The subject
was the process of constitutional amendments in Armenia. According to
T.Torosian, Wegener expressed hope in connection with the successful
process of referendum on constitutional amendments and regret in
connection with the repulsive position of the opposition in this issue.
The third meeting was held on the initiative of Rene van der Linden,
PACE Chairman, with participation of heads of Armenian, Georgian and
Azerbaijani delegations. The high-ranking official asked about the
process of constitutional amendments in Armenia and also expressed
his assistance.
The third meeting was held within the framework of Assembly’s ad hoc
commission on Nagorno Karabakh issue with participation of Russel
Jonston, commission’s Chairman, and Armenian and Azeri delegates
included in the commission. The subject of the discussion was the
future fate of the commission. T.Torosian didn’t exclude that the
commission will be given additional authorities in the future for the
fulfilment of the clauses of the resolution on NKR conflict adopted
at the PACE 2005 January session. At the same time, he once more
reaffirmed that the processes of Nagorno Karabakh settlement will
develop within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and PACE will
provide the necessary atmosphere within the framework of its mandate
in order to make the future solutions admissible.