A LIVELY DISCUSSION ON ARMENIAN ISSUE AT TURKISH WEEKLY
Baris Sanli
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Sept 22 2005
For those people looking for a lively debate about Armenian Issue,
Journal of Turkish Weekly(JTW) provided such a medium for it, thanks
to Maral Der OHANNESIAN & Sedat LACINER. After Mrs. OHANNESIAN’s call
for a duel, Sedat Laciner accepted the invitation and the duo started
a lively discussion.
The first and the second part of these letters were published on JTW’s
Comments page. The discussions cover a wide range of topics from the
claims to DNA tests. Mrs. OHANNESIAN will set an example for both
Armenian politicians and people with her courage and her willingness
to discuss this issue. This braveness and firm belief in her version
of the history will help the two nations to better understand what
has happened.
The letters can be accessed from:

SYSTEM OF A DOWN BRINGS ITS SUBTLY SATIRICAL SELF TO TOWN
By Ross Raihala
Pioneer Press, MN
Sept 22 2005
With its innovative, complex music and surreal lyrics, System of a Down
isn’t just the most unusual band in metal (that’s the closest genre
that fits the virtually unclassifiable band). It’s quite possibly
the weirdest million-seller on the charts.
“I love that,” said vocalist Serj Tankian during a phone interview
from Manhattan. “We’ve really never approached anything from the
typical angle. We came into the music scene in L.A. from left field.
“We always did our own thing, taking everyone’s career advice and
then not following it.”
So far, the anti-plan has worked.
The Armenian-American quartet stops by the Xcel Energy Center Friday
night during its most successful year to date. The band launched
“Mezmerize” in the spring with an instantly sold-out guerrilla club
tour. Follow-up disc “Hypnotize” hits stores in November and is
already one of the fall’s most hotly anticipated releases.
” ‘Mezmerize’ and ‘Hypnotize’ are really one record divided into two,”
Tankian said. “It’s not a concept album in terms of completing a story,
but it is kind of like completing a circle.”
Critics have long praised System of a Down’s unbridled creativity,
which brings a Frank Zappa-esque sense of the surreal to pounding,
operatic and politically charged metal. But it’s the kids who fill
the mosh pits at SOAD shows and have snatched up more than 10 million
copies of the band’s albums worldwide.
Does Tankian ever worry his young fans might be missing some of System
of a Down’s more subtle commentary in favor of merely rocking out?
“No, no – rocking out is the reason why we’re doing this,” he said.
“I think as long as people instinctively feel our music, they don’t
have to psychologically analyze it.
“A lot of people do come up with all sorts of theories and
understandings from the lyrics. A lot of people don’t, too, and that’s
OK. We just want people to connect to our music in some way.”
Tankian points to the song “B.Y.O.B.” As far as SOAD goes, it’s a
fairly straightforward protest song with pointed lyrics: “Why don’t
presidents fight the war? Why do they always send the poor?”
“You may not be anti-war yourself,” he said, “but you will definitely
feel the power of the sarcasm in that song. You don’t have to theorize
about it – you just feel it.”
But there’s also a satirical side to System of a Down that often gets
overlooked amid all the anger.
“There has been such a focus on the political aspect of the band or
the heritage aspect of the band,” Tankian said. “But I think people
are starting to get now that humor is a huge part of what we do, too.”
Pop Music Critic Ross Raihala can be reached at
[email protected] or 651-228-5553. Read more about the local
music scene on his blog, “The Ross Who Knew Too Much,” at www.
twincities.com. What: System of a Down, with the Mars Volta and Hella
When: 7 p.m. Friday Where: Xcel Energy Center, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd.,
St. Paul Tickets: $43.25-$35.75 Call: 651-989-5151

POSTPONED ARMENIAN CONFERENCE PUT ON HOLD
Anatolian Times, Turkey
Sept 22 2005
ISTANBUL – The Istanbul Administrative Court no:4 has decided today
to put on hold a conference, titled “Ottoman Armenians During the
Empire`s Fall: Scientific Responsibility and Problems of Democracy,”
that was to take place in Istanbul tomorrow.
The conference was originally scheduled in May, 2005 but was postponed
due to reactions.
The Istanbul court`s decision came after a lawyer, member of the
Foundation of Lawyers` Union, filed an application.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

REGULAR SITTING OF COMMITTEE ON RA AND NKR INTERPARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION TO TAKE PLACE IN SPRING, 2006, IN STEPANAKERT
Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 22 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The regular sitting of the
Committee on Interparliamentary Cooperation of the RA and NKR National
Assemblies will take place in spring, 2006, in Stepanakert.
An agreement about this was reached at the September 20 meeting of
Artur Baghdasarian, the RA NA Chairman, and Ashot Ghulian, the NKR
NA Chairman.
Artur Baghdasarian again congratulated Ashot Ghulian on the occasion
of having been elected the NKR NA Chairman and wished productive work
to the Parliament.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA NA Public Relations Department,
according to traditions established between the Parliaments,
continuation of the cooperation at the level of Committees was mutually
considered important. Agreements were reached concerning legislative
and experimental assistance, joint re-training of staffs, assisting
the NKR Parliament with technical means.

GREEK AMBASSADOR ANTONIOS VLAVIANOS FINISHES HIS DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 22 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The term of the
tenure of Greek Ambassador to Armenia Antonios Vlavianos is expiring,
on the occasion of which the ambassador was received by RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian on September 22.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, highly estimating Armenian-Greek relations
developing dynamically in all spheres, Minister Oskanian mentioned
ambassador’s contribution to strengthening of friendship between the
2 countries.
The ambassador in his turn mentioned the obvious economic progress
and growth in international interest towards the country registered
in Armenia during his tenure and expressed hope the in the nearest
future Armenia can provide stable development and solve its main
socio-economic problems.

ARMENIA DISPATCH: 4 A BIT OF A PRIMER
by Erik Olsen
Gadling: Engaged travel for adventurers
Sept 21 2005
So I left off saying that Armenia is a country that is only beginning
to recognize its promise as a travel destination. My guess is that
many people don’t even know where Armenia is, and so I figured I’d
talk a little bit about the country.
Well, the fact is that Armenia is surrounded by a lot of folks
you probably HAVE heard of. Namely, Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan,
and Georgia. And my guess is that with the exception of Turkey,
these countries are also not on the top of your travel list (although
perhaps we should all expand our horizons a bit…I am told that Iran,
for example, is a superb place to see). But Armenia especially deserves
consideration. Why? Because there are some things happening here right
now that are changing the face of the country, and because Armenia has
some unusual characteristics that make it a very appealing destination,
even if you’re just stopping by on the way to some place else.
The first big thing happening is modernization and Westernization. As
a former Soviet republic that only gained independence in 1991,
Armenia has been locked in a post-Soviet stupor that it is only now
emerging from….or so the folks I’ve been talking to tell me. Basic
democratic freedoms that are less vibrant in other countries nearby
are alive and well here. People feel free to speak their minds,
and they are building a culture of tolerance and freedom. People are
building successful businesses, examining their place in the world.
They want to play a larger role, and their culture It is a very
exciting time for Armenia.
Another thing is that Armenians (already very friendly and welcoming)
are particularly fond of Americans. They are a Christian nation
surrounded by Muslim nations. Many people speak English and/or
several other languages. I was out last night with a couple of guys
who between them spoke German, Spanish, French, Armenian, English
(perfectly), Japanese and Italian. The fact is, more Armenians live
outside of Armenia than inside the country. The reasons for this are
several, but include the genocide around the First World War, the
Soviet occupation and to seek a better life in general. Many of these
Diaspora Armenians, as they are called, ended up in the US, mostly
California, and so they are completely versed in American culture.
And now many of these so-called Diaspora Armenians are heading back
here to live and build up the country, to make it a viable Western
democracy, which, although there are some problems (corruption and
so forth) it is doing.
Anyway, I don’t want to speak in such detail about a place I’ve only
been visiting for a short time. What I write here is based partly on
what I’ve read, but also significantly on what I’ve learned in talking
to people on the streets and while hanging out in Yerevan. As I said,
I am impressed and excited for this small country. It is very much
the kind of place that Americans should celebrate and support.
Western-looking, entrepreneurial and enterprising, rich in culture,
friendly and open…I honestly think you should check it out. (and
if any of this seems rambling and nonsensical…forgive me. I was
out until 2 am last night and just woke up)

ARMENIA DISPATCH: 6 GENOCIDE MUSEUM
by Erik Olsen
Gadling: Engaged travel for adventurers
Sept 21 2005
Wow, so I got back from a visit to the Armenian Genocide Museum here
in Yerevan. The museum is located up on a hill over-looking the city,
and it is a tasteful and elegant, but very somber and powerful place.
The Armenian genocide gets short shrift in the international and
American media, but the reality is the death of as many as a million
(or more!) Armenians at the hands of the Turks is an event that
should be both remembered and better understood around the world. As
one of the curators as the museum said to me, the Armenian genocide
was the first genocide of the 20th century, and as such it should
have helped prevent the horrors of the Holocaust, but it did not,
partly because it went under-reported around the world.
The museum here does an excellent job telling the story of the genocide
in visual detail (photographs, old journals, etc.). And the grounds
of the museum, which features an eternal flame surrounded by twelve
walls (said to signify the twelve states of Armenia at the time),
as well as an elegant pointed spire, very nicely, and powerfully,
commemorates a horrible human tragedy.

THE OPPOSITION COLLECTS DOSSIER AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES
Margaret Yesayan
Aravot, Armenia
Sept 21 2005
According to the leader of Democratic Party Aram G. Sargsian, the
time of retribution will come.
There is such a situation in Armenia when the issues rich of certain
facts and numbers raised by the opposition aren’t paid to attention
and the authorities keep privatizing new objects very cheaply.
Doesn’t it mean that the oppositionists’ sayings are without any result
and they, the oppositionists knowing it very well keeps speaking
of privatization and other bargains. One of the officials of the
authority noticed rather ironically; “The oppositionists simply want
to raise rating speaking of those bargains and they win but we don’t
have any interest. They also know very well that they won’t benefit
from speaking in vain, but they must something.”
We asked to the leader of Democratic Party of Armenia Aram Sargsian
that how long this situation would last, why to make a noise in vain.
Aram Sargsian noticed; “You are right, we are forming a dossier by
these steps against the authorities, we won’t swallow all these.
Today we don’t have an opportunity to take their hands and other places
and throw the appropriate place. Today we don’t have that opportunity,
I agree with you, that we are such an abnormal condition, when we
say, they do what they want like cat Vaska, and they listen but keep
eating. If some people think that this will continue always then they
don’t know history and don’t know the elementary history. There were
guardsmen in ’60’s who thought that they were the lords of the world,
now they are, nowadays authorities, it’s the same level. But those
who know the history also know that it won’t remain in this way,
the time will come and they will be responsible for today.”
Aram Sargsian noticed; “Some people pretending themselves clever ask
to the same oppositionists that why you don’t raise questions. Yes,
we raise, we also raise for those who only ask questions and give
remarks standing like impotents.” Our interlocutor noticed that the
above-mentioned are as dangerous as others are. And they, nowadays
oppositionists know their business very well.
We also noticed that the decision of “Justice” wasn’t understandable;
to take part only in the discussion of the most important issues but it
wasn’t clear who will distinguish important from the less important,
for example serious social drafts were discussed in the NA in the
last four-day session but “Justice” didn’t take part. Aram Sargsian’s
remark was the following that they have taken into consideration that
no demand of boycott is fulfilled consequently they don’t have any
right to stop boycotting. “As regards the participation the special
session of Constitutional amendments showed that people wait for our
speech. As regards your important social issues that we have discussed
here I’m sorry for not taking part. If those issues were so important
we had to take part in the discussions.”

ARMENIAN PARTICIPANTS OF TRIAL ON CASE OF GURGEN MARGARIAN’S MURDER TO LEAVE FOR BUDAPEST ON SEP 23
Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 22 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Defence
Minister’s representative Hayk Demoyan representing the aggrieved
party on the case of RA Armed Forces Officer Gurgen Margarian’s murder,
lawyer Nazeli Vardanian, victim Hayk Makuchian will leave for Hungary
on September 23 in order to participate in the September 27 trial on
the above-mentioned case. Noyan Tapan’s correspondent was informed
about it by Hayk Demoyan.
Defence Ministry’s representative mentioned that at the sitting it’s
envisaged to listen to the experts who made up two conclusions of
psychiatric-medical expertise about Ramil Safarov who killed Gurgen
Margarian under aggravating circumstances and with a special cruelty,
as well as committed an attempted murder in relation to RA Armed
Forces Officer Hayk Makuchian. According to both of the conclusions,
the experts found Safarov guilty, but the third one contained some
extenuating elements contradicting the first conclusion. As the
Hungarian legislation doesn’t envisage to sum up documents containing
certain contradictions, so the court considered it necessary to hold
the third expertise as far back as in May. Possibly, Hayk Makuchian
will additionally testify at the court sitting.
Hayk Demoyan mentioned that the trial won’t finish in September,
probably, a court sitting will be appointed in early 2006, too.

CHURCH HOSTS ARMENIAN BONE MARROW DRIVE
Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
Sept 22 2005
The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry and the Caitlin Raymond
International Registry at the University of Massachusetts Memorial
Medical Center will be holding a donor recruitment drive at the First
Armenian Church of Belmont, 380 Concord Ave.
The drive will take place at the church immediately following services
on Sunday, Sept. 25, and will continue until 4 p.m. Just a few minutes
of your time and a simple mouth swab is all it takes.
The ABMDR’s mission is to ensure that every ethnic Armenian struck
with a life-threatening blood-related illness is able to find hope
for long-term survival through the identification of a genetically
suitable bone marrow match.
Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 60, and be in general
good health.
For more information, visit the registry site at , or
contact Marilyn at 617-484-1072 or [email protected].