THE NUT LADY RETURNS

The New Yorker
Issue of 2005-04-18

By Tad Friend

Filbert by filbert, the Nut Museum is once more taking shape. For
thirty years, Elizabeth Tashjian ran the museum out of her house, a
Gothic Revival mansion in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Millions of Americans
knew her as “the Nut Lady” from her periodic guest appearances on the
“Tonight Show,” where she would expound on the metaphysics of the
nut. In both roles, she wore silk robes from her Armenian
grandmother’s trousseau, to underscore the point that many of the
“popular” nuts originated near Armenia, in Asia Minor. (Not everyone
made the connection.) At home, after pocketing the museum admission
fee-three dollars and a nut-Tashjian would show visitors paintings
she’d done of walnuts menaced by bullying nutcrackers and her “Mask of
the Unknown Nut” sculpture. In an early visit to the “Tonight Show,”
in 1981, she carried a thirty-five-pound coco-de-mer from the
Seychelles that resembled a woman’s buttocks. The existence of such a
sexually provocative nut, she informed an enchanted Johnny Carson,
utterly refuted Darwin. Away from the cameras, however, Tashjian, who
never married, lived an increasingly reclusive life with her cats,
Dinky and Pinky. By 2002, she was nearly indigent and quite frail. She
fell into a coma, and awoke several weeks later in a hospital to find
that the probate court had put her house on the market (it was later
sold to pay her debts). Her nuts and paintings and pricky-burr
sculptures, meanwhile, had been rescued by a sympathetic Connecticut
College professor named Christopher Steiner, who purchased them from
the town for the sum of zero dollars, but they were now the college’s
property. Worst of all, she herself had been declared incapable and
was a ward of the State of Connecticut.

Tashjian, who is now ninety-two, told a recent visitor to her room at
the Gladeview nursing home, in Old Saybrook, that although she never
liked being called the Nut Lady, it was vastly preferable to being a
state-certified nut. A small, stooped woman, she has a habit of
darting a shoulder forward to underline a point. “I’m in a
predicament!” she said. Still, she has allies. Professor Steiner, a
soft-spoken art historian who has featured Tashjian’s work in his
museum-studies classes, curated a show of her paintings last year. In
March, he arranged for her to perform for a local Cub Scout troop with
a few nuts he’d brought from the college’s storage locker. Tashjian
turned the scouts to making hazel-husk hats. She also told them about
the little bearded dwarf that dwells within every peanut embryo.
“There were some hardened kids there who wore black T-shirts and
looked really irritated,” Steiner said. “But after twenty minutes they
were totally into it.”

Tashjian had just learned that Steiner was going to bring ten of her
paintings to hang in her room at the nursing home. Buoyed, she was
planning a new painting about Eden: “I’m saying Eve gave Adam a nut,
and not an apple. Making a joke about sex and origin. Down with the
apple and up with the nut!” She laughed. “It’s a fresh idea, a
newie. Gauguin was attracted to the nut, and he carved on nuts. But I
use the form directly. Take this black walnut,” she continued, holding
one forward. “The fragrance of its shell would be a wonderful cologne
for a man. It’s very pungent, like Old Spice. So there’s another new
idea.”

Steiner is working on a book about unusual museums, titled “Performing
the Nut Museum.” He sometimes has difficulty discussing it with
Tashjian, because, for one thing, it’s not solely about her, and, for
another, she would prefer to be writing it herself. Don Bernier, the
director of a documentary called “In a Nutshell: A Portrait of
Elizabeth Tashjian,” which had its New York première last week,
capitulated on a similar issue: he had planned to make a film about
several roadside museums, but Tashjian insisted that he narrow his
focus. Genius demands its due. Years ago, at a Christmas Eve lunch at
the home of Katharine Hepburn, who was Tashjian’s neighbor, Tashjian
began to sing her composition “Nuts Are Beautiful.” Before too long,
“away flew Kate into the kitchen,” she recalled. “It irked her that I
was a polished artist-she didn’t want the attention not on her.”

Tashjian is distressed that Bernier’s film reveals the untidy state
her house was found in while she was in the hospital. “Liz Taylor
never showed you the interior of her house,” she said. “Whereas
showing the museum proper leaves a happy taste, showing those dirty
dishes in disarray belittles me, as though I am”-her voice
faltered-“insane. But it happened that my kitchen drainage was stopped
up, and I was ill. I was dillydallying, let’s say, gaining my poise to
call a serviceman.”

In February, after a doctor examined her, the probate court declared
Tashjian capable of managing her affairs. Next, if she can find an
obliging attorney, she hopes to reclaim her home. The woman who bought
it hired Martha Stewart’s plasterers to spruce up the place, renamed
it Garden Roads, then resold it. “She cut down all my nut trees,”
Tashjian said. “Carpathian walnut, black walnut, chestnut, filbert-all
gone. All.” Tashjian also wants to sue the State of Connecticut. One
of her planned causes of action is that while she was comatose the
state’s conservator took nearly six thousand dollars from her bank
account to buy her a casket and a funeral policy. “They want to bury
me in their plot,” she said, “but I’m not allowing that.” Her
shoulder jumped. “I’m increasing my identity. I’m complicating the
plot. I’m going just the other way. The Nut Museum marches on!”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 14 2005

Military weigh in on Armenian, Greek issues

The New Anatolian/ Ankara
April 14 2005

Armenian issue: The General Staff has collected documents from
military archives in four books. Those who read them will learn who
imposed a genocide on whom

Response to Arinc: Casus Belli is a state policy that is in effect.
It aims at preventing possible conflicts

Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug yesterday called for
common sense in the wake of tensions following an attempted flag
burning in Mersin and recent clashes in various cities, including a
lynching attempt in the Black Sea city of Trabzon.

At a press briefing yesterday, Basbug and Gen. Erdogan Karakus urged
Turkish citizens not to involve themselves in violent confrontations,
and to leave the ordering of society to the proper state
institutions.

Basbug also strongly rejected a recent suggestion by Parliament
Speaker Bulent Arinc to lift the `Casus Belli’ (reason for the
declaration of war) decision, saying that it is a state policy.

The debate refers to a declaration by Parliament dated in 1995 made
in response to a Greek attempt to extend its territorial waters to 12
miles.

`This decision is in effect officially. The main goal of the
declaration is too prevent all possible conflict, rather than
creating any tension,’ said the deputy chief of General Staff.

Basbug met with a group of journalists yesterday where he made
important statements.

Call for common sense

`The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will not tolerate or accept any
attack on the Turkish flag. This country belongs to all of us. Any
tension or event that confuses this truth that takes place in Turkey
harms the entire country. The TSK does not want to witness such a
thing,’ said Basbug.

He also called on people not to get involved in provocations and to
stay calm.

`We believe that people should act according to common sense within
the boundaries of law, no matter who does an illegal act, and
regardless of its purpose,’ stressed Basbug.

Armenian Issue

Basbug and Karakus also made comments on the so-called Armenian
genocide.

According to the statements made by Karakus, head of the Military
History and Strategy Institute, the General Staff has collected
documents from the military archives in four books. The first two
books will be in bookstores today.

The books include translations of documents from Turkish Army
archives in the Ottoman language, Turkish and English.

`Those who read them will learn who imposed a genocide on whom,’ said
Karakus

Turkish Press
April 14 2005

Yakis: Turkish – German Relations Will Be Negatively Affected If
Armenian Bill Passes From German Parliament

BERLIN – ”Turkish-German relations will be negatively affected if
the bill prepared by German Union Parties’ (CDU/CSU) parliamentary
group defending Armenian claims of genocide passes from the German
Parliament,” Yasar Yakis, chairman of the Turkish parliamentary
commission for EU adjustment, said on Thursday.

Yakis, speaking at a press conference staged to give information
about his meetings with the German officials, said they conveyed the
uneasiness felt over the bill.

Yakis stated that CDU politicians told him that the bill was prepared
to contribute to Turkish-Armenian relations. ”We have told them that
Turkish-Armenian relations in fact would be damaged from the bill,”
Yakis noted.

Yakis said the bill was used as a tool for domestic policy by some
parties, and reiterated that the bill was full of mistakes.

Yakis and the other group members later left for Istanbul.

Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
April 14 2005

Oral histories chronicle survivors
Thursday, April 14, 2005

On Sunday, April 17, from 2-4 p.m., a panel discussion entitled “Oral
Histories of Armenian Genocide Survivors: Going Online,” will take
place at the Armenian Library and Museum of America, Inc., moderated
by Dr. Robert Mirak, historian and author of “Torn Between Two
Worlds.” The event commemorates the 90th anniversary of the genocide
of the Armenian people (1915-1923) at the hands of the Ottoman Turks.

The panelists will look at the past, present and future of oral
histories by members of the Armenian community. Varoujan Froundjian
(curator, Armenian Oral History Archive, Columbia University), Roger
Hagopian (documentary film-maker) and Dr. V. Adrian Parsegian
(physicist and author) will be members of the panel.

Audience participation will be a major part of the event. A
reception will follow the panel discussion. Admission is free and
open to the public.

ALMA is located at 65 Main St. in Watertown Square. For more
information, please call 617-926-2562, ext. 3, or visit

Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
April 14 2005

‘Trees of Hope’ campaign to beautify homeland
Thursday, April 14, 2005

This month, the Armenia Tree Project announced the launch of its
“Trees of Hope” campaign in observance of the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.

“ATP is inviting Armenians all over the world to join us as we
remember the past and embrace the future by planting Trees of Hope
all across the Armenian homeland,” stated ATP Executive Director Jeff
Masarjian. “These memorial trees are not only an inspiring way to
honor our lost ancestors but also a very practical way to preserve
the precious Armenian homeland – restoring its environmental
integrity and scenic beauty.”

ATP’s inaugural planting for the 2005 season will begin with
90,000 trees, symbolizing the 90 years that have passed since the
first genocide in modern history.

“Our goal is to grow many thousands of Trees of Hope to maturity
in time for the milestone 100th anniversary commemoration,” said
Masarjian. “With a thriving Armenian landscape in 2015, it will be
evident that the Armenian Spirit is alive and well with all the life,
beauty, and hope of nature.”

Given the importance of breaking ground during this year’s
planting season, the Trees of Hope initiative is supported by a
comprehensive campaign designed to reach the widest audience
possible.

Those who adopt Trees of Hope may participate with gifts
starting from $15, which covers the propagating, planting and
care-taking of one tree. In addition to a single commemorative tree,
they can adopt a four-tree cluster, an eight-tree grove, a 35-tree
arbor, or pledge a 100-tree woodland or 335-tree forest. Participants
also can opt to receive a personalized Trees of Hope certificate as a
keepsake.

Carolyn Mugar, founder of the Armenia Tree Project, said, “By
planting these memorial trees in Armenia, we are helping to put hope
and pride on the Armenian horizon for both its struggling citizens
and its worldwide diaspora. Through this and other tree-planting
initiatives, we also hope that our efforts may serve as an
inspiration for other developing nations or recent survivors of
genocide now in the process of healing and rebuilding.”

Mugar added, “It is our vision that one day the images of uprooted
Armenian victims on a death march through the Syrian desert will be
replaced by images of an Armenian homeland flourishing with bounty
and firmly rooted in opportunity. Not because we have forgotten the
past, but because we now are able to redeem it. We urge Armenians
everywhere to take a few moments of their time to share in this
positive expression of remembrance.”

Donations can be made by mail, phone, or online. For additional
information, call 617-926-8733 or go to

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
04/14/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Conference on Armenians in Turkey Held at European Parliament
2) Students Honor Mkrtchian’s Accomplishments for Karabagh
3) Moscow Conference Addresses Armenian Genocide
4) Greek Armenians Doubt Turkey’s EU Mentality
5) US Secretary of State to Visit South Caucasus
6) Marchers Conquer 150 Mile Mark Despite Sore Muscles, Aching Joints

1) Conference on Armenians in Turkey Held at European Parliament

Speakers Ambiguous about Turkey’s Present Responsibility for 1915 Genocide

STRASBURG–A conference focusing on the plight of the Armenian community in
Turkey was held in the European Parliament on Tuesday April 12. Held under the
auspices of the Green Party, and through the assistance of the Turkish
diplomatic corps, the conference was organized by European Parliament member
Cem Ozdemir (Green, Germany).
Speaking at the conference were historian and Turkish dissident Taner Akcam,
Turkish-Armenian journalist for Zaman Daily Etyen Mahcupyan, and editor of the
Armenian weekly Agos, Hrant Dink.
Confirming the European Armenian Federation’s fear that the government of
Turkey had pressured some of the panelists into stepping over the genocide
issue, and suggesting that Turkey’s entry to the European Union will help
solve
the problems faced by its minority population, Ozdemir, in his opening
remarks,
avoided using the term “genocide” in describing the events of 1915, and told
the attendees that the conference was designed simply for the purpose of
“historical interpretation.”
During his presentation, Akcam spoke about the myriad of problems researchers
face when accessing Turkish archives, which he said had been cleansed in an
effort to erase all traces of documentation linking the Ottoman-Turkish
government to the events that transpired during the first World War. Akcam
rejected the alleged discrepancies that exist between official Turkish
documents and Western archival sources, arguing that in addition to its
censorship, the Turkish government in some instances has resorted to
fabricating documents, and harassing those researchers who attempt to create a
narrative through the use of the archives that counter the state’s “official
history.”
The use of the term “genocide,” Mahcupyan argued during his presentation, is
detrimental to the process of reconciliation, because of the legal
ramifications associated with it. He stressed that, to this day, the concepts
of duty and submission still define the relationship between the Turkish state
and its citizenry, and that a clear ideological connection existed between
those who planned and executed the genocide, and the Kemalist state that
replaced it. However, Mahcupian went on to blame both Turks and Armenians for
the tragedy, arguing that today, the “defense of identity has become identity”
of many Armenians.
Dink told his audience that it was “too much to ask a state to define and
qualify what took place 90 years ago,” and that a more appropriate alternative
would be to ask whether “the State denies what it knows to be true.” He
continued by praising recent calls for the establishment of a committee of
historians commissioned for the purpose of evaluating the facts of the
genocide, arguing that it will allow for open discussion on the topic. Dink
stressed, however, that Armenia-Turkish relations should not be limited to
historical issues. Today’s political reality, he noted, must take precedence
over history. Absolving the Republic of Turkey of responsibility for the
Genocide, Dink urged European nations and institutions to help rebuild and
strengthen Armenia-Turkey relations.
“The presentations of both the Armenian minority representatives from Turkey
were full of ambiguities and incoherence. It was clear that these individuals,
muted by fear, censored themselves both through the language they utilized and
the ideas they promoted,” said Laurent Leylekian, Executive Director of the
European Armenian Federation. “Their speeches dealt with everything except the
genocide,” he added. “In reality, the purpose of the conference was not to
discuss recognition of the Armenian genocide by Ankara nor was it to alleviate
the plight of Armenians living in Turkey. Rather, its purpose was more, as
described in the invitation, to avoid or smooth over obstacles to Turkeys
admission into the EU.”
“This conference fist perfectly into Turkey’s strategy to exclude this
question from the international arena, reducing it to a minor quarrel between
the Turkish and Armenian societies,” claimed Leylekian. “The new approach
lies
in pitting the so-called “bad” Armenians from the Diaspora against the “good”
Armenians from Turkey, by making the latter an instrument in its denialist
policy. Nevertheless, the forced self-censorship and the limits imposed on
such
‘hostages’ fool no one.”
“The Europeans should not fall into this trap as they had with the
attempts at
reconciliation without prior genocide recognition. The situation is clear:
Turkey committed a crime that does not have a statute of limitations–the
Armenian genocide–and it must assume responsibility, through full
recognition,
in order to uphold European values. Genocide denial, today, like the act of
genocide 90 years ago, demonstrates a lack of understanding of European
values,” continued Leylekian.
Leylekian concluded by stating that “Once again, this attempt by the Greens,
who have for many years now been fighting against the European Parliament’s
attempts to urge Turkey to recognize this genocide, appears to be clearly
inspired by diversion tactics initiated by the Turkish state.”

2) Students Honor Mkrtchian’s Accomplishments for Karabagh

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–The first President of Mountainous Karabagh Republic
(MKR) Arthur Mkrtchian was honored on Thursday during a ceremony marking the
13th anniversary of his untimely death.
Organized by the ARF Nigol Aghbalian student organization, the commemoration
took place at Yerevan State University, and included a book presentation by
Ashot Poghosian, who has written on the life and activities of the beloved
president.
Recalling Mkrtchian’s dedication, General Arkadi Ter-Tadevosian, a decorated
field commander during the Karabagh war, said the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation joined Mkrtchian and other devoted people during the war of
liberation. “We were not defeated then, and will never be defeated because
there still exist people such as Arthur Mkrtchian.”
The head of MKR Parliament’s Foreign Relations Commission Levon Melik
spoke in
details about Mkrtchian’s patriotic, political direction, and struggle for the
survival of Karabagh and the entire Armenian nation.
Mkrtchian, an ARF member, was elected president of the MKR’s first Supreme
Council on Jan. 7, 1992 at the age of 33.
He played a crucial role in creating the independent state of Karabagh, used
his superior diplomatic skills, along with the support of a strong army and
the
unwavering dedication of the people, to assist Karabagh’s struggle for
self-determination and self-rule.
He died on April 14, 1992.

3) Moscow Conference Addresses Armenian Genocide

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–A conference dedicated to 90th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide took place on April 13 at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.
Addressing the theme “Genocide is a Crime Against Humanity,” speakers
categorically stressed that the Armenian genocide, perpetrated by the Turks in
1915, must be recognized by present day Turkey.
They included Professor Yuri Pivovarov of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Professor Yuri Barseghov, Director of the Armenian Institute for International
Law and Political Science, Vasil Manich of Serbian Science Association, and
Italian historian Giovanni Guaita.
Serbians, Kurds, and Greeks also spoke of respective genocides against their
nations by the Turks.
Armenian National Assembly Vice Speaker and Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF) Bureau member Vahan Hovhannisian addressed the conference and delivered
Prime Minister Andranik Margarian’s message.
A resolution adopted at the end of the conference states that the Armenian
genocide has not been recognized by the international community and Turkish
government due to political reasons.
The event was organized by the Russian-Armenian Cooperation Organization,
Russian and Armenian scholars, and sponsored by the Union of Russian
Armenians.

4) Greek Armenians Doubt Turkey’s EU Mentality

(Reuters)–Armenians in Greece said on Thursday that EU hopeful Turkey is
still
a long way away from becoming a true European nation.
Greece has one of the largest and oldest Armenian communities in Europe
numbering more than 55,000 people. The Armenian National Committee of Greece
says some 1.5 million Armenians died between 1915 and 1923 and wants Turkey to
recognize it as genocide before it joins the European Union.
Turkey is due to start entry talks with the bloc on Oct. 3, but rejects the
claim saying Armenians were victims of a World War One partisan conflict in
which Christian Armenians also killed many Muslim Turks.
“Imagine if Germany persistently denied ever having committed the holocaust
against the Jews, but still wanted to be a member of the EU. What kind of
respectability would Germany have in Europe then?” committee chairman Kasbar
Karabetian told Reuters in an interview.
“We have doubts that Turkey is determined to implement European reforms
because a modern European nation first reconciles itself with its past.
That is
the true essence of a democratic European state,” Karabetian said.
The committee has organized rallies, speeches and exhibitions on April 24 to
mark the 90th anniversary of the deaths and draw attention to Turkey’s EU bid.
More protests are planned in September ahead of Ankara’s accession talks.
Turkey fears an outburst of anti-Turkish feeling that could damage to its EU
bid.
Armenians have settled in Greece since the mid-18th century and enjoy close
ties to Greeks. Annual April 24 Armenian commemorations are enshrined in Greek
law.
“The Greeks, who have had a similar fate with us, understand our plight
better
than anyone,” Karabetian said. “We are very lucky in that sense.”
Karabetian said if Turkey joined the 25-nation bloc it would benefit both
Greece, which has backed Ankara’s EU bid, and Armenia, which has no diplomatic
ties with Turkey. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in protest at
Armenian occupation of part of Ankara’s ally, Azerbaijan.
“First we want Turkey to stop being the Turkey of today as we know it and
become a Turkey with a true European mentality,” Karabetian said.
The European Parliament and France, home to Europe’s largest Armenian
community, have both urged Ankara to recognize the killings as genocide.

5) US Secretary of State to Visit South Caucasus

BAKU (Armenpress)–According to an Azeri news source, US State Secretary
Condoleezza Rice will most likely pay a visit to the South Caucasus in early
May to meet with Armenian, Azeri, and Georgian leaders.
Day.az reported on Thursday that Rice will refer to military and political
cooperation with the US, regulation of regional conflicts, and the
democratization processes in the region. The source also revealed the US
official will discuss details of the Mountainous Karabagh conflict regulation
process with Armenian and Azeri officials.

6) Marchers Conquer 150 Mile Mark Despite Sore Muscles, Aching Joints

STOCKTON–Marking the eleventh day of their 19-day trek towards Sacramento,
those participating in the March For Humanity, passed the 150-mile point of
their 215 mile march, arriving in Stockton on Wednesday.
Revitalized by expert alternative medicine, the marchers, ranging in age from
16 to 63, eat from a mobile lunch truck, shower in an RV, and sleep in church
halls.
“When I first heard about the March For Humanity, I knew that I wanted to
walk
the full distance,” said Sanan Shirinian, a 16-year-old high school junior. “I
was often questioned about my ability to walk the full 215 miles, but I knew
that this was the least I can do to seek recognition for the murder of my
ancestors 90 years ago.”
Beginning each day by telling a story of a family member who survived the
genocide, the self-sacrificing youth walk an average of 12 to 15 miles each
day, at times braving heavy rain and forceful winds.
The walkers have experienced serious aches and sores in their feet and legs.
Inspired by the huge task undertaken by the dedicated group, Dr. Shahe
Jierian,
an expert in holistic and natural medicine, provided the walkers with massage
utilizing acupressure to relax and heal pulled muscles and strained feet.
“I believe in the cause of the marchers…I myself lost family members to the
Genocide,” said Jierian. “I have a God given talent and this is the least I
can
do for those who volunteered to sacrifice a part of themselves. After all,
holistic medicine and the well being of human beings, humanity, go hand in
hand.”
Jierian, whose grandmother is a 97-year-old survivor of the Genocide, also
walked more than 40 miles with the marchers to show his solidarity with the
victims of the Armenian genocide.
Defying sore muscles, blistered feet, and aching legs, the marchers will
continue to walk an additional 70 miles–rain or shine–until they arrive at
the California State Capitol on April 21 and join a mass rally to thank the
California State Legislature and those of 36 other state legislatures for
officially recognizing the Armenian genocide.
In honor of Pope John Paul II, the marchers held a candle light vigil on the
ninth day and 130th mile of their walk. “Pope John Paul II was a peace-loving
man. He visited Armenia and condemned act of genocide committed against the
Armenian people,” said Vicken Sosikian, March For Humanity director. “His
virtues and ideals guided millions across the world and helps guide us in our
quest for justice.”
Commending the marchers’ genuine efforts and determination to bring Genocide
recognition to a new level, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western Region
Central Committee Representative, Hovig Saliba, concluded the vigil by
reassuring them that their efforts will reinforce Armenian communities’
worldwide to continuously pursue the goal until it is achieved.

All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.

ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.

Persian Journal, Iran
April 14 2005

Iran, Armenia boost consular co-operation
Apr 14, 2005, 14:51

The first joint consular meeting between Iran and Armenia was held in
Yerevan on Thursday. The meeting held concurrently with the current
visit of the Iranian foreign ministry’s director general in charge of
consular affairs Rasoul Mohajer, studied social affairs of Iranian
and Armenian nationals in both countries as well as consular issues.

In the first round of talks, the two sides underlined the important
role of such meetings in promoting good-will among neighboring
countries.

In the two-day meeting a number of issues concerning social affairs,
residence of Iranian and Armenian nationals, easing formalities for
issuance of visas, education and transportation are to be discussed
by the two sides.

Both sides underlined that having good-will in developing ties in
various fields and the historical commonalties shared by the two
countries are considered as suitable back-up for deepening of
suchties.

The Armenian side, for his part, called the presence of Iranian
university students in Armenia as very effective and underlined that
the Yerevan government is to provide them with their required
facilities.

The Iranian delegation is scheduled to confer with a number of
Armenian officials on issues of mutual interests.

Orange County Register , CA
April 14 2005

Hambarian defense lawyer denounces accusers

The former trash executive is charged with bilking the city of Orange
out of $4.3 million.

By JIT FONG CHIN
The Orange County Register

SANTA ANA – Jeffrey Hambarian negotiated good deals for the city of
Orange as a trash executive and was wrongly implicated in crime by
unreliable people and individuals with whom he had personally
clashed, his attorney told a jury today.

Mark Geragos, whose high-profile clients have included Winona Ryder,
Scott Peterson and Michael Jackson, portrayed Hambarian’s late
father, Sam, as an hardworker who built a trash empire on the values
of frugality and honesty.

Hambarian, 50, is so similar to his father, it was as though he
`falls out of your father’s nose,’ Geragos said, invoking an Armenian
saying during his opening statement.

Hambarian, arrested in 1998, is accused of bilking the city of Orange
of $4.3 million by underreporting revenue and inflating costs when he
was an executive in family-owned Orange Disposal Service and Orange
Resource Recovery Systems. He has pleaded not guilty to 57 charges,
including fraud, money laundering and commercial bribery.

After Geragos concluded, the 12 jurors and six alternatives started
watching 20 hours of taped testimony from Pat Augimeri, who said he
cashed checks for Hambarian at several stores owned by Augimeri’s
family.

`He was taking money from his company and putting it in his pocket,
as far as I could see. I didn’t ask much about it, but that’s what I
surmised,’ said Augimeri, who was 87 and sick with emphysema when the
testimony was recorded in 2000.

Hambarian’s trial will continue Monday and Tuesday, then pause until
April 18.

Azerbaijan News Service
April 14 2005

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA TO MET IN LONDON OVER
QARABAQ CONFLICT
2005-04-14 09:50
Peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Daqliq Qarabaq
conflict expected now to proceed with negotiations in London on April
15. Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia Elmar Mammadyarov and
Vardan Oscanian will meet here with OSCE Minsk group co-chairs
mediating peaceful process. In his interview with ANS Elmar
Mammadyarov informed that the issues within the so-called Prague
process stand on the agenda of the meeting. First we shall meet with
OSCE Minsk group co-chairs because the last time we had a broad
discussion with co-chairs in Prague. But Armenian minister could not
attend the meeting due to his health illness. We made our position
known. First of all it is a continuation of Prague process and we
shall carry on discussions within this frame. As to earlier statement
by Russian co-chair Yuriy Merzlyakov that a package of concrete
proposals readied to present to the sides Mr. Mammadyarov said If the
co-chairs consider it is time to put concrete proposals on the table
we are ready to work within Prague process. Maybe during meeting with
Oscanian he agreed that experts may proceed within Prague talks.
Regarding in stage settlement of Daqliq Qarabaq conflict Azerbaijani
minister says if would be known after London meeting at the same time
not ruling out failure to achieve concrete results here. Maybe there
would be a need for more meeting or meeting between heads of states.
Foreign ministers of the conflicting sides are going to discuss
issues last word remaining up to presidents.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER – April 14, 2005

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN ATTENDS FUNERAL FOR
FORMER GREEK PRIMATE, ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan attended funeral services today for
Archbishop Iakovos, who was the primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in
North and South America for 37 years. His death on Sunday, April 10, was
announced by Archbishop Demetrios, the current primate of the Greek church
in the United States.
Archbishop Iakovos was an imposing religious leader who moved the Greek
Orthodox Church into the mainstream of religious and political life, and a
fierce defender of social causes. He was 93 and lived in Rye, New York.
Archbishop Oshagan expressed his sympathy to the Greek Orthodox
community describing Archbishop Iakovos as a special friend of the
Armenians. “He was a dynamic leader who advanced the visibility and work of
the Greek Orthodox Church and in many ways became a model for younger
clergymen.”

JOINT 90TH COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS IN NEW YORK CITY
EXPECTED TO ATTRACT THOUSANDS FROM EAST COAST
Thousands of Armenian Americans are expected to converge on New York
City on Sunday, April 24, to attend the various commemorative events on the
occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
Communities all along the east coast, and even the Midwest, are filling
buses for the trip to New York in order to attend the various memorial
events.
The day will begin at 9 am with Divine Liturgies celebrated at St.
Vartan Cathedral and St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York City. Mass will
also take place at St. Ann’s Armenian Catholic Church in Brooklyn, and
services will take place at the Armenian Evangelical Church in New York
City, and the Armenian Presbyterian Church in Paramus, New Jersey.
Memorial Gathering at Times Square will begin at 12 noon until 1:30 pm.
The day will conclude with a solemn ecumenical requiem service at St.
Patrick’s Cathedral, Fifth Avenue at 50th Street, beginning at 2:30 pm to
4:30 pm.
Visit for full details.

BEAST ON THE MOON BEGINS PREVIEWS
The much anticipated New York debut of the Beast on the Moon, a play
about two Genocide survivors, began its preview performances this week.
Beast on the Moon has received 40 international awards, has been performed
in 17 countries, and translated into 12 languages. The play, which has been
described as “heartwarming” and “uplifting,” tells the story of an Armenian
immigrant and his mail-order bride, as they come to terms with their tragic
common past.
Tickets can be ordered through telecharge at 212-947-8844. A number of
Armenian organizations have purchased blocks of tickets. We published a list
several weeks ago and add the following as well:
Armenian National Committee of NJ, April 17.
Armenian National Committee of NY, April 22
Armenian Presbyterian Church (NJ), April 30 (matinee)

EPISCOPAL CONSECRATION IN ANTELIAS
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, ordained
and anointed V. Rev. Khoren Doghramdjian, Prelate of the Diocese of Greece,
and V. Rev. Fr. Shahan Sarkisian, Prelate of the Diocese of Aleppo, as
bishops on April 9 and 10.
On the evening of Saturday, April 9, the bishops made their vows in St.
Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral. The two prelates declared their
faithfulness to the creed of the Armenian Orthodox Church. Then they read
their vows and expressed their loyalty to the Catholicate of Cilicia, His
Holiness Aram I, and their readiness to serve the Armenian church and
people.
The anointing service took place on Sunday, April 10. The service was
conducted by the Catholicos, who was assisted by Bishops Kegham and Nareg.
Members of the Cilician brotherhood, clergy guests and a large number of
faithful from Aleppo, Greece and Lebanon congratulated the bishops following
the service.

AREC SPONSORS SEMINAR FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Sixteen Sunday School teachers and directors from four New England
parishes gathered at St. Stephen Armenian Church on Saturday, April 9, 2005,
for a daylong seminar on the Bible and the Sacraments of Christian
Initiation-Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist.
Sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC), the
four-hour seminar focused on the service of the Word in these sacraments.
Deacon Shant Kazanjian, director of AREC, led the seminar.
Dn. Shant walked the participants through the services, highlighting the
ritual movements, prayers and the readings of the scriptures. While the
service of the sacrament of Baptism-Chrismation contains several fixed
biblical readings, the scriptural readings for the Soorp Badarak (as for
every day) are prescribed by the lectionary of the Armenian Apostolic
Church. “The way the Church uses the scriptures in her services provides an
important lens through which we can learn about the mind of the church, how
the church understands a particular passage,” said Deacon Shant.
“For instance, reading John, chapter 3, where Jesus teaches about new
birth or being born ‘of water and spirit,’ a passage which is read during
the service of baptism indicates that the Armenian Church understands the
new birth as something brought about in and through baptism. But this same
passage is read on the third Sunday of Easter {last Sunday’s reading), known
as the Sunday of World Church (Ashkharhamadran Giragi), which commemorates
the establishment of the first church. By doing so, the Church wants to
remind us also of our baptism, in and through which we became members of the
Church of God, we were born into the family of God. Hence, on the third
Sunday of Easter, we commemorate and celebrate our own baptism as well.” He
continued, “We should not view this as simply a souvenir from the past. This
invites us and challenges us to live the new life that we have received in
Christ as a gift in Baptism, to actualize the grace of baptism in our daily
lives. This means then we have to live as aliens to sins, to confess the one
true and holy faith, to submit ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ,
and to live according to the teachings of scriptures,” said Deacon Shant.

ONNIC MARASHIAN WILL REPRESENT PRELACY
AT COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS IN ARMENIA
Onnic Marashian, a former chairman of the Prelacy’s Executive Council
and faithful supporter of the Armenian Church, will represent the Eastern
Prelacy at a series of commemorative events for the 90th anniversary of the
Genocide in Armenia. The events are sponsored by the ARF, and include an
international symposium on the Genocide. Delegations from all over the world
are expected to attend the events which will begin on April 20th and
continue through to April 24th with a visit to Dzizernagapert, the martyrs
memorial in Armenia.

PASHALIAN FUND TRUSTEES MEET
The annual meeting of the trustees of the Pashalian Family Scholarship
Fund took place on Monday, April 11, at the Prelacy offices. The trustees
reviewed the financial reports of the Fund and then discussed the
distribution of funds for the current year. Recipients of grants will be
announced shortly.
The trustees of the Fund are: H. E. Archbishop Oshagan (exofficio), Ms.
Gloria Tarsy, Dr. George Dermksian, and Michael Derian.

NALG CONFERENCE THIS SATURDAY
The National Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG) and the Ladies Guild of
Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church will host the 2005 regional religious
conference this Saturday, April 16, 10 am to 3 m at the church, 4906 Flint
Drive, Bethesda, Maryland.
The keynote speaker will be Yeretzgin Joanna Baghsarian from Providence,
Rhode Island. Her presentation will focus on women of integrity in the
Bible. Mary Derderian, adjunct instructor at George Washington University
and Stratford University, will conduct a workshop for special event
coordination, implementation and evaluation.
For information contact Mary Derderian, 703-759-3908.

ORDINATION OF ALTAR SERVERS IN PHILLY
Ordination of altar servers will take place Sunday, May 1, at St.
Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the Divine Liturgy. His
Eminence Archbishop Oshagan will preside. A banquet in honor of the newly
ordained altar servers will take place immediately after the services. For
information contact the church office, 215-482-9200.

PHOTOS OF FATHER TANIEL ON WEB
Last week we reported on V. Rev. Fr. Taniel Garabedian, who celebrated
the Divine Liturgy in the parish he grew up, Sts. Vartanantz, Ridgefield,
New Jersey. To see some photographs of that day go to:

INTERCOMMUNAL COMMITTEE OF PHILADELPHIA
WILL COMMEMORATE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENOCIDE
The Armenian Intercommunal Committee of Philadelphia will commemorate
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on Thursday, April 21, 7 pm at
Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church, 630 Clothier Road, Wynnwood,
Pennsylvania, with a prayer service and program. Guest speaker on this
occasion will be Mgr. James E. King, PhD.

BAYRAKDARIAN WILL PERFORM IN BOSTON
FOR BENEFIT OF ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY
The acclaimed soprano, Isabel Bayrakdarian, will perform on Thursday,
May 5, at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston, along with pianist Serouj Kradjian.
All net proceeds will benefit the Armenian Relief Society Eastern USA’s
programs in Armenia and the Diaspora. An afterglow reception will follow for
VIP guests.
For information contact the ARS regional office at 617-926-3801.

ARMENIAN SISTERS ACADEMY WILL UNVEIL
NEW EXPANDED 24,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY
Armenian education in the United States is an important endeavor and we
here at Crossroads are pleased to support the educational institutions which
provide outstanding educational opportunities for our younger generations.
The Armenian Sisters Academy in Radnor, Pennsylvania, will unveil its
newly expanded and renovated 24,000-square foot facility on April 29. The
event will salute three individuals who have supported the school’s goals:
Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York; Wallace
F. Forbes, son of the founder of Forbes Magazine, and currently president of
Forbes Investors Advisory Institute; and Janet Janjigian, Senior Vice
President of Corporate Communications at Metro-Goldwyn Mayer Inc. (MGM).
The April 29th celebration will feature inspiring and oral depiction of
the meaningful lives of Gregorian, Forbes, and Janjigian. For information
contact Rita Ohanyan, 610-647-2016.

THIS SUNDAY IS RED SUNDAY
This Sunday, April 17, the third Sunday after Easter, is called Red
Sunday (Karmir Kiraki). The name does not have an ecclesiastical origin, but
rather similar to Green Sunday, it is a celebration of nature, especially
the rebirth of springtime when red flowers grow in the green fields. The
forty days after Easter are also a commemoration of Christ’s various
appearances to His disciples before His ascension. The two Sundays, Green
and Red, are good days to concentrate on our relationship with nature and
our stewardship of this good earth given to us by our Lord.

TOMORROW IS TAX DEADLINE
And, of course, tomorrow, April 15 is the deadline to file your income
tax returns, unless you filed for an extension, which would allow you a
reprieve until August.
In 1913, the 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified
empowering Congress to tax “incomes, from whatever source derived, without
apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or
enumeration.” While some states do not have an income tax (i.e., Nevada),
all residents and all citizens of the United States are subject to the
federal income tax.

“The tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but
was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'” Luke
18:13 (NRSV)

We leave you this week with these words of Archbishop Iakovos, who was laid
to rest today.
“I will not remain still or I will die. I will use the time I have left to
further my ecumenical work. I will elucidate the positions of the Orthodox
Church in America. It must be an active church and an activist church,
because the world today needs to be rearranged.”
>From statements made by Archbishop Iakovos, at the time of his retirement as
prelate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America.

Visit our website at