AZG Armenian Daily #065, 14/04/2005

Concern

ISSUE OF A1+ CAN’T BE SETTLED THROUGH DEMOCRATIC MEANS

Protest Actions Ended With This Conclusion

The public and journalist protest actions against the closing of A1+TV ended
yesterday in the rally held at the park of conservatoire park. “Bekum”
political forum held a discussion at the AUA Business Center, where they
touched upon many issues, including the issue of closing A1+ TV. As a
result, they adopted a statement that was read by the end of the rally.

Levon Barseghian, chairman of Gyumri-based “Asparez” club, said: “It is
impossible to settle the issue of A1+TV by all the democratic means we know
in the conditions of the current regime. It is already the third year that I
call the TV and Radio National Committee an anti-national one, as the
frequencies are considered national wealth in the whole world, one can
utilize and get profit from them. The existence of many mass media is for
the benefit of the publicity, i.e. new job positions open, new alternative
advertisements sources are being created, the state budget gets profits.
While, the most important factor is that we have the variety of information.
This very factor frightens our anti-national committee.”

A1+TV is not the only mass media representative that is deprived of a free
frequency by the National TV and Radio Committee. This is the third year
that Levon Barseghian applied to the committee to announce a competition for
2 free radio frequencies. He hasn’t received any answer yet. They just
promised to inform him in case of announcing a competition. Barseghian
stated that if the competition isn’t announced till October, they will open
the radio station without any license with all the consequences, as all the
political means of settling this issue are exhausted.

Gayane Markosian, chairwoman of “Free Chair of Political Initiatives” NGO,
stated that the issues that got deeper in the country should be solved with
the participation of the society, not a single issue should be settled
without public assistance.

“The actions of the public position will continue until our right for the
freedom of speech is restored,” Artur Sakunts, representative of Vanadzor
Office of the Helsinki Civil Assembly, said.

Gayane Markosian read the conclusion of “Bekum” political forum that called
for making changes in our civil conscience. “The independence of each
country depends on the organization of the society and its ability to
influence the decisions that may decide its fate. Today, a situation is
created in Armenia, when the degree of our independence decreases day by
day. The senseless political strivings, the fact our society isn’t an
established civil one made our country transparent for any influence and one
can’t see the prospects of our state’s development. Either the society will
be established and will be able to take decisions or our country will be
forced to accept the decisions.”

2200 signatures were accumulated during the actions. The accumulation of
signatures will continue till May 3. New actions directed to returning the
equipments of A1+TV taken by the police will begin from April 13.

By Ruzan Poghosian

AZG Armenian Daily #065, 14/04/2005

Diaspora

IN HONOR OF HENRIK IGITIAN

The Congress of the friends of the UCLA Chair of the Armenian Studies after
Narekatsi was created to assist the activities of the chair by Peter Caw,
the head of the chair. Famous representatives of intelligentsia,
public-national figures were invited to the annual dinner. On April 10,
Henrik Igitian became the honorable guest of the second annual dinner at the
UCLA Faculty Center. The Los Angeles-based Nor Or weekly informed about
that, touching upon Igitian’s activities. He is the establisher of the first
Children’s Aesthetic Center in the territory of the former Soviet Union and
the unique Modern Art Museum. Henrik Igitian became the author of many books
on art and albums. Shoghak Hovhannisian from Chicago represented the
activities of Henrik Igitian. Mr. Igitian was awarded Narekatsi medal by
Parouyr Hakobian and Peter Cawe.

By the assistance of Henrik Igitian the exhibition of 50 Armenian children’s
paintings was opened at the AGBU Manukian center on April 7.

By Melania Badalian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian News

VARDAN OSKANIAN NOT GOING TO MEET WITH ELMAR MAMEDYAROV IN LONDON

13.04.2005 05:19

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During today’s press conference Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian stated that he is not going to meet with Azeri FM Elmar
Mamedyarov in London on April 15. In his words, he is scheduled to meet with
the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who in their turn will hold separate
meetings with FMs of the two states. `Though I and Elmar Mamedyarov will
stay in the same city and in the same hotel our private meeting is not
scheduled’, the Armenian FM stressed. Besides the Minister refuted the
information that the mediators have a package of proposals on the Karabakh
conflict settlement. He also noted that there is no concrete agreement on
the meeting of Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian. According to him, the
leaders might meet in Moscow May 8-9 or later in Warsaw. When commenting on
the conflict settlement Vardan Oskanian noted that the parties are far from
final resolution as they disagree on a number of issues.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian News

VARDAN OSKANIAN: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY EXPECT ARMENIA TO BE CONSISTENT IN
GENOCIDE RECOGNITION ISSUE

13.04.2005 05:06

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During today’s press conference Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian said that today the Turkish parliament has launched hearings
upon completion of which letters referring in part to the Genocide
recognition will be sent to the parliaments of many states, including the UK
parliament, despite the fact that the book titled `The Blue Book’, which
describes the first genocide of the 20-th century, was published in that
very state in 1916. `This action will seriously undermine Turkey’s authority
and will have an boomerang effect’, Vardan Oskanian stated. In his words, to
date Turkish intellectuals speak loud of the Genocide though the government
prefers not to hear them. Turkey does not recognize the Genocide, moreover
it denies it. Such behavior proves that we, Armenians, should not forget the
crime committed against our people. Today’s Armenia faces the problem of
Nagorno Karabakh and Turkey exerts every effort to support Azerbaijan.
`Taking into account all this, we cannot live in safety. The international
community expects us to be consistent in the issue of the Genocide
recognition’, the Minister noted. `On the threshold of the 90-th anniversary
of the Genocide we should be as consistent and determined as never before’,
Vardan Oskanian stressed. When commenting on the negotiations on Turkey’s EU
membership to open this October Vardan Oskanian noted that the EU did not
make demand of Turkey to recognize the Genocide, though the issue will be
undoubtedly discussed during the hearings.

Pan Armenian News

7-TH SITTING OF MANAGERS OF BLACK SEA TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT BANK TO HELD IN
YEREVAN IN JUNE

13.04.2005 03:55

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The 7-th sitting of the managers of the Black Sea Trade
and Development Bank (BSTDB) and the Day of Black Sea Enterprise will be
held in Yerevan, June 5-6, 2005, the press service of the Armenian Ministry
of Finance and Economy reported. The members of the Board of Managers and
Directors of the BSTDB will take part in the sitting. High rank officials
from the Black Sea region and a number of international organizations – the
EU, ERDB, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and International
Financial Corporation – have been invited to the Day of Black Sea
Enterprise. The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank was founded in 1999 by
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania,
Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. The BSTDB contributes to the economic
development of its member-states via financing assistance programs for both
state and private enterprises.

Pan Armenian News

CULTURAL GENOCIDE PHOTO EXHIBITION OPENED IN YEREVAN

13.04.2005 03:05

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the initiative of the YSU students’ council and the
youth wing of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, a photo exhibition entitled Cultural
Genocide was opened. As member of the youth wing of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
Tadevos Chartian said, cultural values of Western Armenia, which underwent
grave changes after numerous wars, are presented on the photos. The pictures
recount the destroyed temples, strongholds in the historical Armenian towns
of Van, Kars, Bagrevan and Mush. `Cultural Genocide is an extremely
dangerous phenomenon as it leads to the extinction of a whole history and
national culture. We, the young people of Armenia, should know and convey
the cultural values of the past from generation to generation’, Tadevos
Chartian noted. The photos have been presented by RAA, the organization for
studying the Armenian architecture. The exhibition will also be held in the
regions of Armenia and many of the Yerevan institutes of higher education.

Pan Armenian News

RUSSIA SHOULD ACTIVATE EFFORTS FOR KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT, AZERI FM
CONSIDERS

13.04.2005 06:53

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia has the possibility to favorably impact on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mamedyarov stated, ITAR-TASS agency reports. `Russia is our friend, partner,
neighbor and co-chair in the conflict settlement’, the Azeri FM noted. He
reminded that on Thursday he is departing for London to continue the talks
on the conflict settlement with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs. `It is obvious that if we turn back to the past it will be
difficult to think of the future. I suppose it is comprehended in Moscow,
Baku and, I hope, in Yerevan’, Elmar Mamedyarov added.

Armenpress

URUGUAY HAS BEEN MOST DEVOTED SUPPORTER OF INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS: Uruguay was not only the first nation to
officially recognize the Armenian genocide back in 1965 when Armenians were
marking its 50-th anniversary but has been also showing an unreserved
assistance to its international recognition over the last forty years.
The country’s parliament keeps an extensive file of various resolutions,
statements and other official documents made in support of the rightful
cause of Armenians.
A year ago, Raffi Hunanian, a young member of Montevideo’s city council,
proposed that one of its streets be named 1915 April 24. The council
considered his motion on March 30 and decided instead to call one of the
busiest squares of the capital The Square of Armenian Genocide. A special
monument dedicated to the genocide victims will be erected and unveiled on
April 22.

Armenpress

8 PARTIES TO RUN FOR KARABAGH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS: Voters in Nagorno Karabagh will go to
the polls on June 19 to elect their fourth parliament since their secession
from Azerbaijan. Under the revised election law contenders for parliament
seats will be fighting under proportional (by party slates) and majoritarian
(single-mandate constituencies) system, which the authorities say is
evidence of the ongoing democratic reform of the country’s political system.
The local central election commission has reduced the number of
constituencies from 33 to 22, eight of which are in the capital Stepanakert.
Eleven of the overall 33 parliament members will be elected under the
proportional system and the rest from majoritarian constituencies. Eight
parties have confirmed already their desire to run for parliament , six of
them said they would run by their separate slates.
The local chapter of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun
and a recently founded Movement-88 will form an alliance. Another party,
Armenakan, decided against running by party list and will nominate
candidates only for majoritarian election.

Armenpress

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEORATED IN SWEDEN’S UPSALA

UPSALA, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS: Armenian cultural center Raffi in Sweden’s
Upsala held an event dedicated to the 90-th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide on April 9, attended by local students and representatives of the
city, who heard a report on Armenians’ past and present.
The library hosted also an exhibition of photos about the genocide and a
documentary shot by Pea Holmquist, an independent Sweden filmmaker and
Suzanne Khardalin, a Lebanon-born Armenian journalists, called I Hate Dogs.
It is about the 1915 Armenian Genocide, planned and carried out
mercilessly by the government of the Ottoman Turkey. The main character is a
98 year-old Armenian, Garbis, a survivor of the genocide. Garbis tells his
devastating story-about how he survived the genocide. He lost his entire
family when he was only 9.
One morning the Turks seized his village; the men were separated from the
women.
Garbis did not realize the gravity of the situation and took leave of his
mother- a last hug and a last kiss, as it was to be, from his weeping
mother.
Together with his father and several thousand other Armenians, Garbis was
forced to go on a death march, all the way to the Syrian desert. He was in
the company of his elder brother and a cousin but en route both of them died
of hunger and exhaustion and several days after died his father.
He was only nine years old and some people helped him carry the body away
and bury it.
Later in the evening Garbis wanted to see his father’s grave. “Then I saw
several stray dogs feeding on my father’s flesh. They were tearing his
thighs apart. I grabbed some stones and threw them at the dogs to frighten
them off, but the dogs had become wild-they started growling and ran towards
me. I was terrified, so I ran away. That picture has haunted me all my life.
I see the dogs, right in front of me, just ten meters away.”
Garbis started his first business at the age of 15 in Mosul, Iraq, then
he moved to France where he settled down. His son Serge, has taken up his
business of a textile factory. “It took my dad 40 years before he felt able
to tell me the story. He just could not tell it to me,” Serge, a very
distinguished gentlemen, living in a fashionable apartment in Paris, says.
Turkey has not recognized the genocide so far, but is eager to join the
EU. “I am planning to live at least 100 years. There are so few of us left
and for God’s sake, I am not ready to take my story with me to the grave,”
Garbis says.
Holmquist, a film school professor in documentaries and Suzanne
Khardalian, have shot other films about the Armenian genocide and
Armenians-Back to Ararat and Her Armenian Prince.