Miami Herald, FL
Aug 15 2005
System of a Down carves a distinct path
Bandmates draw on their roots and shared cultural history for their
singular prog-thrash sound.
BY EVELYN McDONNELL
[email protected]
Among the myriad norm-deviations that make System of a Down one of the
millennium’s strangest musical acts is the fact a holocaust indirectly
spawned the group.
>>From 1915-23, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the
Turkish government in a horrific campaign of massacres, deportation,
starvation and torture. For System, this history is something more
than prime heavy metal song fodder: It’s personal.
“Because of the genocide, Armenians scattered,” System bassist Shavo
Odadjian explains over the phone from his Los Angeles home. A number of
the displaced, including 4-year-old Odadjian and his future bandmates,
eventually made their way to America’s 20th-century promised land:
Hollywood. While many rock groups have their genesis in high school,
System of a Down is probably the first whose members all attended an
Armenian-American academy (albeit during different years).
Odadjian, guitarist/singer Daron Malakian, singer Serj Tankian and
drummer John Dolmayan all speak Armenian. And while their music
isn’t filled with Armenian instruments, their shared ethnic history
undoubtedly unites them — and shapes their distinct world view and
musical vision.
“We’ve all grown up not the same, but with very similar morals and
values,” says Odadjian. “We know how it is. We know not to talk about
anyone’s mother and sister.”
That cohesion has allowed System to carve a distinctive path through
the contemporary soundscape. They’re a thrash band that throws in
operatic trills. Progressive in their musical tastes and politics,
they’ve shot a video with Michael Moore. On Mesmerize, their recently
released fourth album, they mostly seem to be channeling the goofy,
artsy ghost of Frank Zappa, if he were in Metallica. (The Mesmerize
tour brings System to the Office Depot Center on Wednesday.)
The band members’ experiences as progeny of the Armenian diaspora
provided the fuel for Mesmerize and Hypnotize, its companion CD to be
released in late fall. Malakian’s family fled from Armenia to Iraq
before winding up in California. (Malakian was born in Hollywood,
Odadjian in Armenia, Tankian and Dolmayan in Lebanon.) His personal
and politicized fear, anger and sorrow drive Mesmerize, from the
opening Soldier Side, through the fierce anti-war B.Y.O.B. to the
melancholy Sad Statue, in which the Statue of Liberty — the beacon
of immigrants — weeps over her torn domicile.
“He sees it totally differently,” says Odadjian of Malakian’s view
of the war in Iraq. “It’s not because he’s from there, but because
it’s family. He doesn’t know when he’s going to get that call saying
something’s happened to somebody.”
DIFFERENT DYNAMIC
Malakian’s need to express his feelings on global politics changed
the very dynamic of the band. For the first time, on Mesmerize,
the guitarist wrote the majority of lyrics and sings leads, while
Tankian, the traditional frontman, plays such instruments as acoustic
guitars, piano and synthesizers (and cowrites and sings). It’s as if
Keith Richards and Mick Jagger traded roles in the Rolling Stones.
And unlike the famously rancorous Glitter Twins, System’s songwriting
partnership apparently made the transition smoothly.
“He’s always been a singer,” Odadjian says of Malakian. “I was not
surprised; we’re really good friends. I was surprised how Serj took
it so well and felt just like me: If you do something well, why would
I hold you back? We don’t let ego get in the way.”
Odadjian is also Zen about the way Malakian’s increased auteurship ate
into his presence on Mesmerize. The guitarist recorded many of the
bass parts himself, although Odadjian says the media has overplayed
this change.
“The way we did this album was a little different. The others we
wrote songs, played them for a while and then recorded. This time
around, Daron had a vision. He wanted the bass playing to be similar
to guitar. The way I play bass is different. I did my stuff, and he
went in with my permission, with no ego, and redid some of the tracks
the way he wanted. Some songs are me, some are not.”
Odadjian does admit that he did, for the first time, take bass lessons
while recording Mesmerize/Hypnotize.
The fact System’s members can so beatifically absorb one member’s
power move/creative burst is a testament to their strong roots. The
group formed in ’95, when Odadjian met Malakian and Tankian at a
shared rehearsal area. At first Odadjian was the group’s manager,
but eventually passed those duties on to professionals.
“That was the hardest thing to give up,” he says. “We’ve always been
forewarned that the industry will take you and make you into something
you’re not. Luckily that hasn’t hit us. We’ve totally made our own
path and not strayed.”
Dolmayan joined in ’96. System built a reputation by gigging before
releasing their self-titled debut, on Rick Rubin’s American label.
Rubin, the legendary rock and rap producer, produced the band’s four
records to date, including ’01’s Toxicity, which became an unlikely
multiplatinum global hit with such singles as Aerials and Chop Suey!
Of course System’s intensely dramatic, sometimes grandiose music
has also earned the group its share of detractors. For the haters,
the best thing about Mesmerize is the fact it’s mercifully short,
just 36 minutes. Odadjian says the group chose to release the two
CDs separately, rather than as a double album, because they thought
songs would get lost to modern listeners’ short attention spans.
“The youth of today has ADD, or at least they like to say they do.
The school we came from, albums were 11, 12, 13 songs, and every song
meant something. With 20 songs, people are going to skip songs they
can’t relate to.”
TEAM PLAYERS
Odadjian designs System’s stage shows, has directed several of their
videos, including the current Question, and is in charge of their
album art. “We look at the group as a team. Whoever’s good at what
they do, they do it. I have a visual thing.”
For the Mesmerize tour, Odadjian uses a lot of mirrors and stainless
steel. He says he was inspired by being in a small bar that seemed
twice as spacious because of a mirror on one wall. “I want to touch
every sense. It’s crazy, but not overdone.”
With his videos and the CD art, Odadjian says he tries to supplement
the songs, not duplicate or explicate them. Like the band’s odd name,
or such lyrics as “Gorgonzola gonorrhea,” some things are better
left unprobed.
“We don’t like to explain what we mean. It takes away the mystery.
It’s good to leave it to the person that’s seeing it or experiencing
it. I think our band is like an abstract painting.”

Asbury Park Press, NJ
Aug 15 2005
Bonding with their culture
Church picnic helps people keep in touch with Armenian roots
BY DAN KAPLAN, COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
LONG BRANCH – Virginia Kondakjian and two of her sisters haven’t seen
each other since Christmas, so they decided to reunite at an event
that would signify their family history.
Middletown resident Kondakjian and sisters Mary Bedrosian of Tinton
Falls and Margaret Jeffrey of Lakewood joined an estimated 600 others
Sunday afternoon at St. Stepanos Armenian Church’s 18th Annual Picnic,
a fund-raiser for the house of worship in the Elberon section.
“We came here to keep our roots,” said Kondakjian, a church member
whose parents were born in Armenia. “Too many cultures are losing
their roots. The essence of culture should be deep in family ties.”
The event coincides with two important religious occurrences in
Armenia: The Feast of the Assumption of St. Mary and the Blessing of
the Grapes, said the church’s pastor, the Rev. Mamigon Kiledjian. In
the latter observance, he said, Armenians wait to eat the first
harvest of grapes until they are sanctified by clergy.
Sunday’s feast was indeed that, with dozens of homemade Armenian
dishes on the picnic menu. Popular choices included shish, luleh and
chicken kebabs and pilaf, a rice and egg noodle combination made with
chicken broth and butter.
For dessert, there was pakhlava, a flaky dough filled with nuts and
topped with syrup, and khadayif, a thin pastry layered with nuts and
cheese and also topped with syrup.
Church volunteers began preparing the food weeks ago, organizers said.
“Some philosophers, they think you can teach the culture through the
food,” Kiledjian said. “We are trying to do that.”
For most, the event gave them the chance to eat food they normally
can’t find. Carol Brown of Lake Como and her sister, Janice Werner
of Neptune, grew up eating their mother’s Armenian home cooking.
Now, with their mother having passed away, they anxiously anticipate
the annual picnic. It also gives them a chance to expose their young
adopted children to the culture.
“We got used to the taste of the food,” Brown said.
The event, which included native music and children’s games, drew
Armenian-Americans from all parts of the state.
Silvia Papagian, 46, of Harrington Park, Bergen County, said “it’s
very rare” to find Armenian fare. The only places that serve it are
“just at the picnics and some restaurants.”
Her aunt, Rose Koseyan, 77, of Belmar, said the picnic is a chance
to bond.
“We get together and we have our food and our music,” she said.
The entrees cost $13, and side orders and appetizers mostly cost $2.50
each. Desserts ranged from $1 to $2. Money raised – expected to be
between $5,000 and $10,000 – goes toward the church, organizers said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

London’s Darkest Day
by Edmond Terakopian
The Digital Journalist, August 2005
July 7, 2005. I was looking forward to today. Yesterday had ended on a
high. London had been nominated as the Olympic City for 2012. I had two
excellent assignments today; the first was an 8.30a.m. photo-call at
the Natural History Museum to photograph a new diamond exhibition. The
second was an exclusive look at how the police were monitoring the
security for the G8 summit from their secret control center.
There must have been around 20 photographers waiting to photograph
the world’s largest uncut diamond. I was waiting patiently, macro
lens and lights in hand, for my turn. As I contemplated getting
a coffee, my phone rang; it was the Press Association office, for
whom I was working. “There’s been an explosion at Aldgate East tube
station. Get there. They’re saying it’s a power surge.” I caught
everyone’s attention as I started to pack away my gear. Slowly,
the others began to get calls.
I got in my car with a friend from AP and we started making our way
as quickly as traffic allowed. The phone rang, “There’s been a second
explosion at Edgware Road tube. Go there instead as you’re closer.” My
heart sank. This was no longer an accident as originally thought. How
can there be two explosions on the tube in the same morning? I knew
it must be terrorism. I began to think of 9/11. The first plane could
have been an accident …
We were very lucky. The traffic was a lot better than usual and we got
to Edgware Road quickly. As we got to the scene, we were greeted by
silence. The emergency services were all busy. No screaming of orders,
or the sound of sirens. Unfortunately for photographers, the police had
erected their cordons, and there was no way to get close to the tube
station. I did a quick walk around the roads and decided which would
be the best. Luckily I had picked the correct road. Within 10 minutes,
the first passengers walked out and down the road, closely followed
by the walking wounded. The first sight that drew me was a lady being
helped by a young man. Her face was burnt and she had a protective
white face mask on. She was barefoot, and had blood on her legs.
For the next five minutes, all I saw was through the viewfinder. I was
concentrating on the images that were presenting themselves. My only
thoughts were which camera to use for each image (I had three bodies,
one with a 300mm, one with a 70-200mm and one with a 24-70). It
was a very intense five minutes. So many were injured. The thing
that struck me though, was I saw only one person crying. Everyone
else was composed; there was no screaming, no running. Everyone,
including the lady with the burnt face, and even the crying lady,
were very dignified. I saw a gentleman, bandaged on his neck and
head, blood on his face and shirt, still carrying his newspaper (now
covered in blood) as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. It
was amazing. This embodied the British spirit: the stiff upper lip.
The wounded were taken to the Hilton Metropole Hotel. I decided to
sneak inside and managed to stay for several minutes, taking pictures
of the wounded waiting for treatment. It must have been the world’s
poshest triage area. The hotel’s security soon noticed me, and I was
asked to leave.
After another 10 minutes or so, it was obvious all the pictures to be
had were taken and I made my way to the nearest Starbucks to wire on
their WiFi. Although all the cell phone networks were down, WiFi was
still working. After wiring I returned to the scene. I contacted the
office and they asked me to check out Kings Cross station. By now,
we knew that there were at least four explosions; three on the tube,
and one on a bus.
As I made my way there, a friend contacted me saying that he had heard
that someone had been evacuated from Leicester Square tube following
another explosion. On arrival I encountered no cars, buses, or people.
There hadn’t been another terrorist blast. Later I heard that the
event had been a controlled explosion of a suspect package by the Army.
I got to Kings Cross. Police cordons were up and there was no access.
The explosions were below ground and there was nothing to photograph.
Knowing how long this day was going to be, I grabbed a sandwich and
a coffee.
I was then sent to Tavistock Square, where the bus had been bombed. I
had high hopes of getting an image because this was in plain sight.
Getting there I saw hoards of frustrated media: I knew this wouldn’t
be easy. Again, the police had covered everything within sight with
blue and white cordon tape. I attempted to get into a high-rise hotel,
only to be greeted rather rudely by two security men. I was rather
chuffed as another four joined them. Obviously they thought two goons
weren’t enough!
After another hour or so, I had to admit defeat; there was no way I
could find an angle. I called the office and was told not to worry,
as one of our photographers had managed to get a good shot. “Can you
get to Downing Street for Blair in 20 minutes?” I said that it was
impossible. I was sent anyway! It was for a picture of the prime
minister arriving at Number 10. I missed it. I got another call,
“Can you go to Buckingham Palace? The flag’s at half mast.” Back in
the car, off I went.
This was the last image I took. It was a sad way to end London’s
darkest day. My city had been targeted by terrorists.
— Edmond Terakopian is a freelance photographer with PA
(Press Association), and a committee member of the BPPA (British
Press Photographers’ Association). His Web site can be found at

0303zenobia.htm

Cyprus crash pilot was German – Cyprus govt
15 Aug 2005 10:40:22 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds details)
NICOSIA, Aug 15 (Reuters) – The German pilot and a family of four
Armenians were the only non-Greeks or non-Cypriots among 121 people
killed when a Cyprus airliner crashed near Athens on Sunday, the
Cypriot government announced on Monday.
There were 12 Greek dead, the other 104 victims were Cypriots, the
announcement said, releasing the official passenger list from the
crashed Helios Airways Boeing 737 flight from Larnaca in Cyprus to
Prague with a stop in Athens.
Early indications suggest the 115 passengers and six crew were dead or
unconscious when the plane plunged into a mountain north of Athens. A
Greek Defence Ministry source said on Monday autopsies showed most
of the bodies were “frozen solid”.

Movement chair arrested over link to Armenian secret service
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Aug 11 2005
Youth movement leader has been arrested on charges of plotting with
Armenian secret service to stage a coup in Azerbaijan. The apprehension
follows a testimony of another representative of organization, who
appealed to the Prosecutor’s Office last week.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, representative of the Yeni Fikir
(New Thought) movement Osman Alimuradov testified that on July 28-29,
he traveled to Tbilisi together with the movement chairman Ruslan
Bashirli, on an instruction of the major opposition Popular Front
Party (PFPA) chairman Ali Karimli. Yeni Fikir is known to maintain
close ties with the PFPA leader.
While in the Georgian capital, they met with Merabi Jibutia,
who presented himself as a representative of Georgian ‘democratic
forces’, as well as two other individuals, Georgi Ispirian and a man
named Vardan. “However, these individuals actually represent Armenian
secret service”, the Prosecutor’s Office report said. These persons
drew the movement representatives to secret cooperation.
Alimuradov submitted a video tape and a receipt proving that Bashirli
received money from these individuals.
The investigation showed that in late June-early July, Georgian
citizen Jibutia visited Baku and met with the Yeni Fikir chairman
Bashirli. Bashirli then introduced him to the PFPA chairman Karimli,
which was followed by an hour-long face-to-face conversation.
Bashirli and Alimuradov met with Georgi Ispirian and Jibutia at
a private apartment in Tbilisi on July 29. Bashirli said that the
‘forces’ he represents act on the behest of the US National Democratic
Institute and receive ‘specific instructions’ from NDI representatives
to stage a ‘revolution’ in Azerbaijan. He said that NDI representatives
arranged training sessions for PFPA deputy chair Fuad Mustafayev and
the Yeni Fikir movement member Seyid Nuriyev, in Poland.
Ispirian promised that Armenian and Georgian ‘democratic forces’
would provide all kinds of assistance, including sufficient funds,
to the PFPA chair Karimli and Bashirli to stage a change of power
in Azerbaijan.
He said that if necessary, fear and confusion would be provoked among
the population and ceasefire may be breached for a short period of
time to ‘show the incompetence of the authorities’. Ispirian also said
during the meeting that he is capable of staging shooting at one of
the opposition rallies in Azerbaijan in order to breach stability in
the country.
After an agreement was reached to jointly struggle against Azerbaijani
authorities, Ispirian gave $2,000 to Bashirli and received a receipt
for the money. Besides, he promised Bashirli to give him another
$20,000 in a few days. The plotters then agreed that Bashirli will
receive $2,000 every month.
However, Alimuradov turned down the proposal to cooperate. He
said that the afore-mentioned man named Vardan told him that they
represent Armenian secret service and video-taped the meeting with
a hidden camera. Vardan threatened Alimuradov that if collaboration
is declined, the video-tape would be aired on TV channels. He also
gave a copy of the tape to Alimuradov.
Azerbaijani law enforcement started a criminal case against Bashirli
on charges of ‘forceful capture of power’ and ‘forceful overthrow of
the constitutional system’.
‘Provocation’
PFPA chairman Ali Karimli has refuted reports on Bashirli’s cooperation
with Armenian secret service, terming them as a ‘skillfully-concocted
provocation’ of Azeri secret service against the opposition.
“The reports and relevant TV broadcasts are another subversion of
Azerbaijani secret service”, Karimli told a news conference on Friday.
Karimli said that the movement in question has been actively involved
in drawing young people to democratic processes in the country.
Bashirli has been detained on numerous occasions for his activities,
subjected to violence and insults. Nonetheless, he remained committed
to the principles of democracy, the PFPA chairman said.
“The authorities decided to resort to a provocation against Bashirli,
with the aid of the Yeni Fikir movement representative Alimuradov,
who acts as an agent of the Azeri secret service.”
Karimli stated that the authorities are trying to discredit him. “But
even Alimuradov’s letter to the Prosecutor General’s Office says that
they visited Tbilisi through NGOs but not on my instruction”, he said.
Karimli said that the individuals that spoke with Bashirli during
the visit presented themselves as representatives of Georgian
non-government organizations.
The PFPA chair said that a while ago, one of these persons, who are
now known to serve Armenian secret service, visited Baku, presenting
himself as a businessman, and met with him.
“If he works for Armenian secret service, how did he manage to enter
the city? Where were government agencies then?”
Karimli went on to say that after Bashirli returned from Georgia,
he informed him that he met in Tbilisi with a Georgian businessman,
who showed interest in the democratic processes in Azerbaijan. Bashirli
said that he was offered financial aid for democratic development in
the country, but refused to take the money.
“I am not sure now – either Bashirli was not telling the truth or
this part was removed from the TV footage.”
The PFPA chair said that he was disappointed with some statements
made by Bashirli.
“I was frustrated by what he said about the Upper Garabagh conflict
settlement and the US plans to stage a revolution in Azerbaijan….He
was in a drunken state when he made those statements. Psychotropic
substances could have been mixed in the drinks, which explains
Bashirli’s inadequate actions shown in the TV broadcast.”
The PFPA chairman did not rule that Russian secret service agencies
may be involved in the incident. Certain forces may be trying to deal
a blow on the West by such provocations, he said.
“For instance, prisoners were tortured on numerous occasions before
to get false testimony against me and the US ambassador Reno Harnish.”
Bashirli bears not criminal but ‘moral responsibility’ for the
incident, said Karimli.
The PFPA chairman said that during the conversation Bashirli was not
aware that one of the interlocutors was of Armenian nationality. He
believed that these people represented Georgian democratic forces.
Karimli regarded as ‘absurd’ the arguments of his opponents who say
that Bashirli ‘sold Azerbaijan’s interests for $2,000′.
He said that the uproar over the incident serves the authorities’
aspiration to compromise him and his party and voiced confidence that
he will ‘succeed in disclosing it’.
“We will state our position once again. We do not support violence
but intend to struggle till the end by democratic means.”
Karimli said that PFPA will appeal to the Georgian government to
achieve a transparent conduct of investigation into the incident. The
party will make every effort to draw Georgian secret service bodies
to the investigation. “This may help identify those who are said to
be employees of the Armenian secret service,” he said.
The PFPA chairman added that their goal is not to get Bashirli
acquitted but to ‘ascertain the truth’.
‘Egg and tomato attacks’
Pressures on the Popular Front Party have started after the law
enforcement issued reports on the arrest of the Yeni Fikir chair
Bashirli.
Some 500 refugees and displaced persons picketed the PFPA headquarters
on Saturday in protest against Bashirli’s plotting with the Armenian
secret service. The protesters threw eggs at the building demanding
PFPA’s closure. The police thwarted the ensuing clash between the
picketers and the party’s representatives.
The Azadlig newspaper located in the party headquarters was subjected
to a ‘tomato attack’ by unidentified individuals a day earlier. The
PFPA chairman Karimli said the incident was staged by the authorities.
“Our party’s division in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic was also
subjected to an ‘attack’ twice over a day. It has become clear that
the actions were staged by the brother of the republic’s interior
ministry crime search department chief.”
Karimli said that his party is concerned over possible attack in PFPA
divisions in other Azeri regions as well.
“The authorities add political coloring to the incident, trying
to degrade PFPA. Their main goal is to divert attention from the
opposition demanding a free and democratic election in November.”
NDI dismisses reports
The statement made by Bashirli in a meeting with his Armenian
and Georgian ‘colleagues’, which says that ‘democratic forces’ in
Azerbaijan are provided with financial support and trained by US
National Democratic Institute (NDI) has drawn criticism from the
organization.
The NDI Baku office has dismissed the allegations, saying that the
Institute is engaged in organizing training for democratic political
organizations, supports them and assists in conducting fair elections
in 50 countries, including Azerbaijan.
In a statement, NDI said that it is cooperating with the political
parties that support the conduct of free and fair elections and all
allegations contradicting this are untrue.
PFPA leader ‘responsible’
Some opposition leaders have condemned the actions by the Yeni Fikir
movement leader.
Chairmen of the Great Establishment and Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front
parties Fazil Gazanfaroghlu and Gudrat Hasanguliyev told journalists
that Bashirli has actually carried out a mediating mission and that
he is supported by the PFPA leadership, which is responsible for
the incident.
Gazanfaroghlu expressed his disappointment with the fact that some
foreign ambassadors, who refuse to meet with his party members,
‘spend several hours talking to such novices as Bashirli’.
Hasanguliyev said that Bashirli is PFPA chairman Karimli’s relative.
“Only a man like Karimli can gather around him such young people as
Bashirli.” Hasanguliyev also advised Karimli to move to a European
country.

Cyprus mourns airline disaster
Financial Mirror, Cyprus
Aug 15 2005
15/08/2005
Cyprus started three days of official mourning Monday as the island
recovered from Sunday’s disaster when all 121 people were killed on
board a Cypriot airliner that crashed on its approach to the Greek
capital Athens.
What should have been a celebration, marking the second holiest day for
Greek Orthodoxy, the holy day of ‘Panayia Theotokou’ (the Virgin Mary,
Mother of God), turned into a day of prayers as bells chimed somberly
and the faithful started their annual pilgrimages to monasteries with
a heavy heart.
Being a traditionally close-knit society with a population of 700,000,
everybody had a relative or friend that died in the tragic crash.
Complete families were wiped out as most of the travelers, as many as
48 of whom were reportedly children, had embarked on their holidays
to Greece or were expected to continue on the Helios Airways scheduled
flight to Prague, Czech Republic.
The eastern seaside town of Paralimni declared 40 days of mourning
as four families of four had been killed in the disaster with the
municipality announcing it would undertake the cost of the burial
and would help with the recovery of the remaining families.
One other family of five left behind the sole survivor, a 20-month baby
boy, who had suffered a fever and stayed home with his grandparents.
Another family of four shocked the island’s small Armenian community
as they traveled together for the first time, with their 12-year-old
son boarding his first flight.
Relatives of the air crash victims were also flown to Greece Monday to
help in the grueling task of identifying the remains of their loved
ones, many of whom were charred beyond recognition and needed blood
samples to match their DNA.
Even though the tragedy dominated the front pages of the Monday
newspapers, the local media were screaming at the incompetence of the
airline as well as the civil aviation authorities that could not give
out a list of passengers, even though 24 hours had elapsed. This was
expected to happen later in the day.
The responsible Minister of Communication refused to heed to calls by
local television stations that the young private airline be grounded,
at least in order to show an initial sympathy to the relatives of the
victims and to instill confidence to the rest of the airline travelers.
“We have to follow procedures as set out by international aviation
regulations,” said Minister Haris Thrassou.
“Panayia mou (Oh, Holy Mother), I lost three children” wrote the daily
Politis on its front page. “Why, Panayia mou” pleaded a mother through
the daily Alithia, adding that this was a Black Holy Day, while the
Simerini newspaper read “Cyprus mourns, whole families wiped out.”
The top circulation daily Phileleftheros has already been chided by
the morning television and radio shows for its gruesome display of
charred bodies strewn on a hillside on its broadsheet front page,
at a time when families had yet to identify their relatives.
The media have also reflected on public pleas for information and that
an investigation of the circumstances that surrounded the mysterious
crash be concluded promptly and with transparency.
On the other hand, calls for resignation have been directed at civil
aviation authorities that granted the leased Boeing 737-300 its air
worthiness certificate, while the general public outcry demanded that
the airline be shut down.

Crossfire War: Caucasus; Armenia/Azerbaijan Exchange Fire
By Willard Payne
NewsBlaze, CA
Aug 15 2005
Night Watch: BAKU – According to the press service of the Defense
Ministry of Azerbaijan, Armenian military units, located near the
occupied village of Kuropatklino in Khojavend region, subjected
positions of Azerbaijan armed forces on the opposite side to
machine-gun fire and that they were silenced by counter-fire.
This is why the Caucasus is more of a flashpoint than even the
Balkans. Azerbaijan has excellent relations with Iran and could
easily receive military support from Iran, which could use the next
war between the two to have more control over an area that not only
borders Iran but also the oil rich Caspian.
Though Armenia does have working relations with Iran they are not as
substantial as the military agreements Azerbaijan has signed with
Tehran. Yerevan still has hostile and mutually suspicious relations
concerning Ankara so their only hope of international assistance is
most likely Moscow-Berlin.
Perhaps the importance of this region will dawn on Washington.
Night Watch Information Service
Based in Flossmoor,IL 60422.
ph:708-957-9651/fax:708-798-2929.
e-mail:[email protected]

Ukraine, Georgia fuming over planned Russian sex film
By GRAEME SMITH
Globe and Mail, Canada
Aug 15 2005
MOSCOW — Alexei Mitrofanov, deputy leader of Russia’s Liberal
Democratic Party, says he cannot understand the ruckus over his
dirty movie.
What’s so wrong, he asks, about writing a film script that imagines
a steamy rendezvous between a buxom woman named Yulia and a darkly
handsome gentleman named Mikhail?
What does it matter if the porn star selected for the role of Yulia
wears the same braided hairstyle as Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia
Tymoshenko? Or that she climbs into a Russian attack helicopter,
zooms over the mountains along Georgia’s northern border and makes
love to someone who resembles Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili?
“How can they react like this when they haven’t even seen the film?”
said Mr. Mitrofanov, a senior member of the State Duma, or lower
parliament, better-known for his extreme nationalist politics than
his prowess as an author of sex films.
Ukraine and Georgia have voiced displeasure with Mr. Mitrofanov’s
side project, which is scheduled to start filming next week.
Rumours are circulating about possible retaliation by Ukrainian
filmmakers, who are reportedly trying to cast a male porn star who
resembles Russian President Vladimir Putin for a gay film.
It’s the latest, and most bizarre, sign of tensions between Russia
and the two former Soviet republics, which have drifted away from
Moscow’s influence after recent revolutions in both countries.
Ukraine squabbled with Russia over energy prices, while Georgia
demanded the closing of Russian military bases on its soil.
Despite the recent history, Mr. Mitrofanov seems hopeful that his
26-minute sex film, titled Yulia, will take foreign relations to new
heights — literally and figuratively.
“Political erotics are a new genre that I have discovered,” he said.
“The film is about politics. It makes a political statement, they
don’t just [have sex].”
The politician was vague about the film’s message, but he dismissed
any suggestion that he was trying to demean Mr. Saakashvili, 37, who
will be played by an unnamed Armenian actor, or Ms. Tymoshenko, 44,
whose role has been taken by a well-known porn actress, Elena Berkova.
Russian audiences are already intimately familiar with Ms. Berkova,
who gained celebrity on the popular Dom-2 reality television show.
She initially described herself as the 20-year-old director of a
marriage agency, but was kicked off the show after revelations about
her career as an adult-film star.
Ms. Berkova has reinvented herself as a musician, with a recording
scheduled for release in the fall. Her producer, Alexander Valov,
acknowledges that she signed on to Mr. Mitrofanov’s project to generate
publicity for the album.
It’s still unclear whether Ms. Berkova intends to reprise her hard-core
performances in the film; the politician has pushed for more graphic
scenes, while Ms. Berkova’s producer hopes for fewer. The film isn’t
intended for theatres in any case, with distribution directly to DVD,
video, the Internet and possibly television.
A Black Shark helicopter will be rented for the filming, Mr. Valov
said. The modern Russian attack helicopter is armoured against
12.7-millimetre bullets, which could be useful if Mr. Valov follows
through on his intention to film the climactic love scene in the
air above the Pankisi Gorge, an area still racked by battles between
Chechen fighters and Russian security forces.
“You could be shot down by a rocket any time you cross that border, and
this increases the thrill during the moment of sex,” Mr. Valov said.
Temuri Grigalashvili, a spokesman for the Georgian President, wasn’t
particularly thrilled by the idea. “This is a cheap public-relations
trick,” he said.
“One should not do such things,” said Nikolai Novosad, the first
secretary of the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow. “A state politician
cannot talk about another one in such a way.”
Mr. Mitrofanov rejected the idea that he’s creating propaganda.
“Is the film The Interpreter propaganda or big cinema?” he said. “Is
the film JFK propaganda or big cinema? Why is it that in America
these films are considered big cinema but films like this in Russia
are considered propaganda? This is big cinema and I am a great master.”

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO CONDUCTING PROPER
ELECTIONS IN LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES
ARKA News Agency
Aug 12 2005
YEREVAN, August 15. /ARKA/. Armenian Government attaches great
importance to conducting proper elections in local self-government
bodies, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan said at his
meeting with members of Union of Communities of Armenia. In his
opinion, these elections will become a touchstone that will lay the
ground for parliamentary and presidential elections in 2007 and 2008.
In his words, these elections will also be the first test for amended
Election Code and “if some problems arise, we’ll have time to put
the things right”. The Premier stressed the importance of ensuring
transparent, fair and democratic elections without irregularities.
“Even slight fault can undo what has been done”, the PM said. He also
emphasized that heads of communities will be elected regardless their
party membership. “Every head of community will work with the republic
authorities regardless their party belonging and party membership
shouldn’t cast shed on the course of election”, Margaryan said. “I’ll
do my best to support my fellow partisans, but only in the frames of
the law, not at any price”, the Armenian PM said. M.V. -0–

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Aug 12 2005
Briner: 1915 Events Should Be Investigated by Turks and Armenians
Jan SOYKOK (ANKARA
~U Briner, a member of the centre-right Radical Party, maintains the
Senate’s position is that a committee of historians from the two
countries involved should investigate the events of 1915. Briner has
given an interview to SwissInfo and repeated that the Armenian issue
is not business of parliaments. Briner says “we felt that the policy
of our government was the wiser”.
~U Briner had said ‘Armenia issue’ is not the business of Swiss
Parliament
~U Armenian Government claims that 1915 Events was a ‘genocide’
while the Turkish Government rejects the allegations, claiming that
the Armenian deaths as a result of mass evacuation and starvation
were not a result of a state-sponsored plan of extermination. More
than 520,000 Turks were also massacred by the Armenians during the
1915 Events. According to the Turkish historians 1915 Events was an
Armenian riot when Turks were in war against the Russians. Turkish
scientists have found many mass killing graves of Turkish villagers
in Eastern provinces of Turkey. Dr. Nilgun Gulcan says “Of course
many Armenians were also killed during the communal clashes. However
thousands of Turkish villagers were tortured and massacred as well.
Armenians just focus on their pain. They cannot see our memories.”
——————————————— Full-text of Interview
with Peter Briner by SwissInfo
swissinfo: You say reports are false which claim you said the Senate
will never recognise the Turkish massacre of Armenians 90 years ago
as genocide. What is the Senate’s position regarding those events?
Peter Briner: Those reports are based on either a misquote or a
misunderstanding – and this is of course most regrettable. What I did
say was that when the Swiss House of Representatives had [voted to]
recognise the genocide, this was not an issue in the Senate.
The policy of our government – and the Senate foreign-affairs
committee – is that the two countries involved, Turkey and Armenia,
should investigate the terrible events of 1915 with a committee of
historians from both sides.
swissinfo: Two years ago the House of Representatives recognised the
massacre as genocide. Why did the debate not pass to the Senate?
P.B.: The House of Representatives vote was only [in response to]
a motion and not on the parliament’s agenda. We discussed this and
we felt that the policy of our government was the wiser course.
swissinfo: So the Armenian question is still a topic of discussion
for the Senate?
P.B.: I can never be sure what will be on the Senate’s agenda, of
course, but right now the postponement of Economics Minister Joseph
Deiss’ invitation to Turkey will certainly be discussed during our
next committee meeting on August 23.
swissinfo: Morally, shouldn’t the Senate recognise the Armenian deaths
as genocide like other western countries?
P.B.: I think that the position of our government is the better one.
I don’t feel comfortable being the judge of the whole world and of
something that happened a long time ago.
These are evidently terrible events and I think that they should
be investigated, but they should be primarily investigated by the
parties involved.
swissinfo: How would you describe Swiss-Turkish relations at the
moment?
P.B.: They are normally good – we felt this when a delegation of the
Senate foreign-affairs committee visited the Turkish parliament last
September. Then a Turkish delegation visited us this summer and we
talked about these things in a friendly way.
Relations have of course been strained by recent events but I think in
the long run good relations will prevail. I think relations between
the two countries will remain good and prosper as they have done in
the past.
swissinfo-interview: Thomas Stephens