Dignitaries Set to Attend Pope’s Funeral

Associated Press
Friday, April 8, 2005

Dignitaries planning to attend Pope John Paul II’s funeral Friday:

ALBANIA: President Alfred Moisiu, Prime Minister Fatos Nano

ALGERIA: President Abdelaziz Bouteflika

ANGOLA: President Jose Eduardo dos Santos

ARAB LEAGUE: Secretary-General Amr Moussa

ARGENTINA: Vice President Daniel Scioli, Foreign Minister Rafael Bielsa

ARMENIA: Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, Catholicos Karekin II

AUSTRALIA: Governor General Michael Jeffery

AUSTRIA: President Heinz Fischer, Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel,
Parliament Speaker Andreas Khol

AZERBAIJAN: Prime Minister Artur Rasizade

BANGLADESH: Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf

BELGIUM: King Albert II and Queen Paola, Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt

BOLIVIA: President Carlos Mesa

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: Chaiman of Presidency Borislav Paravac

BRAZIL: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

BRITAIN: Prince Charles, Prime Minister Tony Blair, Archbishop of
Canterbury Rowan Williams

BULGARIA: President Georgi Parvanov

CANADA: Prime Minister Paul Martin

CHILE: Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker

COLOMBIA: Vice President Francisco Santos and his wife, Maria Victoria.

CONGO: President Joseph Kabila

COSTA RICA: President Abel Pacheco

COUNCIL OF EUROPE: Secretary General Terry Davis, Daniel Rotfeld,
chairman of committee of ministers, Rene van der Linden, chairman of
Parliamentary Assembly, Giovanni di Stasi, chairman council’s body
overseeing local authorities

CROATIA: President Stipe Mesic, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader

CUBA: National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon, Caridad Diego, head
of religious affairs for Communist Party

CZECH REPUBLIC: President Vaclav Klaus, Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda

DENMARK: Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, Prime Minister Anders Fogh
Rasmussen

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: First lady Margarita Cedeno, Secretary of Education
Alejandrina German

ECUADOR: President Lucio Gutierrez

EL SALVADOR: Foreign Minister Francisco Lainez, first lady Ana Ligia
Mixco de Saca, Interior Minister Rene Figueroa

EGYPT: Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni

ESTONIA: President Arnold Ruutel, former President Lennart Meri

ETHIOPIA: Abune Paulos, head of the Orthodox church

EUROPEAN UNION: European Parliament President Josep Borrell, European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and his wife, Commission Vice
President Franco Frattini, External Relations Commissioner Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Huebner

FINLAND: Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Evangelical Lutheran Archbishop
Jukka Paarma, Russian Orthodox Archbishop Leo

FRANCE: President Jacques Chirac and his wife, Bernadette

GREECE: President Karolos Papoulias, Greek Orthodox Church leader
Archbishop Christodoulos

GERMANY: Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, President Horst Koehler

GUATEMALA: President Oscar Berger and first lady Wendy de Berger,
Foreign Minister Jorge Briz, Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu

HAITI: Interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue

HONDURAS: President Ricardo Maduro

HUNGARY: President Ferenc Madl and his wife, Dalma, Prime Minister
Ferenc Gyurcsany, Parliamentary Speaker Katalin Szili, former Prime
Minister Viktor Orban

INDIA: Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat

INDONESIA: Religious Minister Alwi Shihab

IRAN: President Mohammad Khatami

IRELAND: President Mary McAleese, Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, Deputy
Prime Minister Mary Harney

ISRAEL: Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Haifa Chief Rabbi Shear-Yishuv Cohen

ITALY: President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi

JAPAN: Former Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi

JORDAN: King Abdullah II

KENYA: Foreign Minister Chirau Ali Makwere

KUWAIT: Sheik Jaber Al Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah

LATVIA: President Vaira Vike-Freiberga

LEBANON: President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Omar Karami, Maronite
Christian patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, Armenian Orthodox leader
Catholicos Aram II.

LESOTHO: King Letsie III, Foreign Minister Monyane Moleleki

LIECHTENSTEIN: Prince Hans-Adam II, Princess Marie and Prince Nicholas

LITHUANIA: President Valdas Adamkus

LUXEMBOURG: Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Prime
Minister Jean-Claude Juncker

MACEDONIA: President Branko Crvenkovski

MEXICO: President Vicente Fox

MONACO: Patrick Leclercq, chief of government

MYANMAR: Ambassador Khin Maung Aye, Archbishop Charles Bo

NATO: Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer

NETHERLANDS: Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende

NEW ZEALAND: Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright

NICARAGUA: President Enrique Bolanos, Foreign Minister Norman Caldera

NIGERIA: President Olusegun Obasanjo

NORWAY: Queen Sonja, Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik

PAKISTAN: Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammed Ijaz-ul Haq

PANAMA: President Martin Torrijos and his wife, Vivian

PARAGUAY: Foreign Minister Leila Rachid

PHILIPPINES: President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

POLAND: President Aleksander Kwasniewski and his wife, Prime Minister
Marek Belka, Foreign Minister Daniel Rotfeld, former President Lech Walesa

PORTUGAL: President Jorge Sampaio and first lady Maria Jose Ritta,
Foreign Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral, former President Gen. Antonio
Ramalho Eanes

ROMANIA: President Traian Basescu, Prime Minister Calin Popescu
Tariceanu, Metropolitan Daniel of Romanian Orthodox Church

RUSSIA: Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, Russian Orthox Church foreign
minister Metropolitan Kirill

RWANDA: Foreign Minister Charles Murigande

SENEGAL: President Abdoulaye Wade

SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO: Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic,
Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, Serbian President Boris Tadic,
Montenegro President Filip Vujanovic, Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova,
Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi and Kosov parliament head Nexhat Daci

SLOVAKIA: President Ivan Gasparovic, Parliament Chairman Pavol
Hrusovsky, Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan

SOUTH AFRICA: Deputy President Jacob Zuma, former President Nelson Mandela

SOUTH KOREA: Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan

SPAIN: King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, Prime Minister Jose Luis
Rodriguez Zapatero

SRI LANKA: Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse

SWEDEN: King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Prime Minister Goeran Persson

SWITZERLAND: President Samuel Schmid

SYRIA: President Bashar Assad

TANZANIA: Minister for Cooperative Development George Kahama

TAIWAN: President Chen Shui-bian, Foreign Minister Chen Tan-sun, imam Ma
Shiao-chi

THAILAND: Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai

TURKEY: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, State Minister Mehmet
Aydin, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, Patriarch Mesrob II

UKRAINE: President Viktor Yushchenko

UNITED NATIONS: Secretary-General Kofi Annan

UNITED STATES: President Bush and his wife, Laura, Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton,
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

URUGUAY: First Lady Maria Auxiliadora Delgado de Vazquez

VENEZUELA: Foreign Relations Minister Ali Rodriguez, Planning Minister
Jorge Giordanni

ZIMBABWE: President Robert Mugabe

Blow To Armenia’s Shadow Economy

Local market traders say a new law punishes them and lets the big fish
off the hook

Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Caucasus Reporting Service
(CRS No. 281, 07-Apr-05)

By Naira Melkumian in Yerevan

The Armenian government says a new law obliging market traders to use
cash registers is an important step towards cleaning up the shadow
economy and boosting tax revenues, but small-time businessmen say they
are being unfairly penalised and forced out of business.

“The law on cash registers is a real instrument for protecting the
rights of consumers, which has been adopted in all civilised countries,”
Armen Alaverdian, deputy head of Armenia’s tax service, told IWPR. “It’s
also a method of registering turnover, and is thus a weapon in the fight
against the shadow economy.”

The new law, which came into force on April 1, is designed to help
ensure increased budget income for 2005 in an economy where around half
of transactions are believed to take place outside the tax system.
President Robert Kocharian told tax officials that their main goal this
year was a “serious battle with the shadow economy” and that the extra
revenues would go on social welfare.

According to Armenia’s draft budget, about 90 per cent of total revenues
estimated at 730 million US dollars this year should come from taxation.

But market traders are lobbying hard for the abolition of the new law,
which they say will drive them to ruin.

“I have four children and I can’t afford to buy a cash register, which
costs at least 100 dollars,” said Arman, a 35-year-old trader at the
Aresh market in the capital Yerevan. “We already pay the boss of the
market 200-300 dollars a month and that does not include the large sums
we spend on customs clearance.”

Traders say they are already having to pay ever-rising taxes on imports
of goods from Russia, Iran and Turkey.

Now they face the prospect of fines if they do not begin to use cash
registers. The penalty is equivalent to 300 dollars, and the amount
doubles for a second offence.

The government first took the decision to require cash registers in
1998, but their introduction was slowed down by the lack of a
legislative framework. Currently just over ten per cent of the 130,000
commercial organisations registered in the country use tills. The
authorities want them to be in universal use by 2010.

The law was not passed at the first attempt and was much debated in
parliament. The Orinats Yerkir party in the governing coalition
initially stoutly defended the rights of the traders.

“So why is Orinats Yerkir not supporting us any more?” said market
trader Anna, blaming party boss Artur Bagdasarian. “Now that the party
leader has become speaker of parliament, our problems don’t concern him
and he doesn’t listen to ordinary people.”

Samvel Balasanian, leader of the party’s parliamentary group, denied the
charge of political opportunism. He told IWPR that thanks to his party’s
efforts, the legislation had been postponed for two years, was now being
implemented gradually and could still be amended. “Earnings need to be
made legal,” he said.

Tax official Armen Alaverdian said that Armenia’s markets were rife with
tax-free trading.

The tax service told IWPR that the country’s 130 markets provided just
0.7 per cent of tax revenues – a figure of around four million dollars –
in 2004.

Tatul Manaserian, an economist who is an opposition member of
parliament, agreed that tens of millions of dollars were going
undeclared, but he said the traders were being unfairly singled out.

“Of course the use of cash registers ought to become normal business
practice in our country, too, but it is unacceptable to restrict
opportunities for small and medium-sized businessmen, who do pay their
taxes in one way or another. The section of society that forms the
middle class is being suppressed in this manner.”

Economist Vardan Bostajian argues that enforcing the use of cash
registers is a poor way of fighting the shadow economy. “Businessmen
operating… with a very small turnover are just trying to earn their
daily bread, and to put it mildly they do not welcome the budget being
swollen at their expense without getting any government support in return.”

Other economic experts say it’s the small fry at the markets who are
being targeted, while the bigger fish who own or run the markets and
cream off big profits are overlooked.

According to the most recent report from the International Monetary
Fund, large taxpayers provide only 23 per cent of tax revenues in Armenia.

“This problem deserves more attention in Armenia. The reason for it may
be that some of the big businessmen are closely connected with the
government,” said Manaserian, adding that more political will is needed
to tackle the problem.

“Basically the government wants to solve the problems of one section of
society by impoverishing another social group,” said Gayane Grigorian,
who has worked as a trader for many years at a Yerevan market. “It
definitely won’t make the nation wealthy, but it may lead to a rise in
emigration.”

Naira Melkumian is a freelance journalist in Yerevan.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
04/07/2005
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1) Colorado Legislature Passes Armenian Genocide Legislation
2) ARF Delegation Meets with Lebanon’s Aoun
3) French-Armenian Author Jean-Jacques Varoujean Dies
4) Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey Agree on Rail Link Construction

1) Colorado Legislature Passes Armenian Genocide Legislation

DENVER–The Colorado State Legislature unanimously passed on April 6, a joint
resolution commemorating the Armenian genocide of 1915-1923. During this
period, 1.5 million men, women, and children of Armenian descent were
annihilated–accounting for more than half the Armenian population.
Senator Lois Tochtrop and Speaker Andrew Romanoff were the co-sponsors of the
lengthy resolution describing the Armenian atrocities and continued denial of
the events by the current Turkish government. A portion of the resolution
reads: “Whereas, Armenian-Americans living in Colorado have greatly enriched
our state through their leadership in business, agriculture, academia,
government, and the arts; now, therefore, 1. That this legislative body pause
in its deliberations to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide to be recognized at a memorial service on Sunday, April 24, 2005, at
the Armenian Genocide memorial plaque located in the northeast quadrant on the
State Capitol grounds; 2. That we, the members of the General Assembly, hereby
acknowledge April 24, 2005, and every year hereafter, as “Colorado Day of
Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide;” 3. That the State of Colorado
respectfully urges the United States Congress to likewise commemorate the
Armenian Genocide.”
“This year marks the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and it is
fitting that the Colorado Legislature continue its tradition of designating
April 24 as Colorado Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide,” said Kim
Christianian, chairperson of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee for
Armenians of Colorado, a non-profit cultural organization.
The 90th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide Commemorative events in
Colorado
begins on April 21. The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society’s
ACC
Chapter, with co-sponsor Armenians of Colorado, will host The Greatest Crimes
of the 20th Century: Genocide/Holocaust Commemoration. Ken Allikian, an
Armenian/American whose parents survived the genocide, will be the guest
speaker, as well as Walter Plywaski, a Holocaust survivor and scholar. Phi
Theta Kappa chapter president Simon Maghakyan will present briefly on the
cultural genocide that destroyed thousands of Armenian churches and historical
monuments in historic Armenia, at the Arapahoe Community College Waring
Theatre.
On Sunday, April 24, Armenians of Colorado will host the Commemoration of the
90th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide at the Memorial Plaque located in
the
N.E. Quadrant of State Capitol grounds. Guest speakers will include State
Senator Lois Tochtrop and Speaker Andrew Romanoff. The community is invited to
participate in a joint commemorative church service at the Assumption Greek
Orthodox Church beginning at 2PM. There will be clergy from both the Armenian
Apostolic Church of Denver and from the Armenian Apostolic Church of Colorado
and the Rocky Mountain Region. There will also be a talk with Tatul
Sonentz-Papazian, long-time Armenian National Committee activist and Armenian
Relief Society International Office Publications Director and Editor of “Hai
Sird,” the multi-lingual periodical of the ARS. Papazian is the recipient of
the St. Mesrop Mashtots Medal by Catholicos Aram I, for meritorious
contributions to the promotion of Armenian culture in the diaspora. The talk
will be held in the church cultural center 4610 E. Alameda Avenue Denver,
Colorado 80246. For directions and more information please visit
<;
Armenians of Colorado Inc. was established in June 1980, as a 501( c) (3)
non-profit, cultural organization. Its purpose is to create a cohesive
Armenian
community and to further the understanding of Armenian history, culture, and
heritage. AOC actively supports issues and concerns of the Armenian/American
community here in Colorado, as well as those identified within the Armenian
Diaspora throughout the world. AOC represents the interests of over 1000
Colorado Armenian residents accounting for over 300 Armenian families
throughout the state.

2) ARF Delegation Meets with Lebanon’s Aoun

BEIRUT (ARF Press Offices)–An ARF Lebanon delegation composed of central
committee representative Hovig Mkitarian, and Lebanon’s Minister of Youth and
Sports Sebouh Hovnanian, met with former Lebanese Prime Minister, Army
commander, and opposition leader Minister General Michel Aoun on April 6, at
his office in Paris.
The ARF presented its position on recent developments in Lebanon and means to
resolve the building political tension, proposing that dialogue is the only
viable option and that the country’s various sides must participate in the
formation of a government.
The ARF delegation also conveyed their support for the implementation of the
1989 Taif Agreement that constitutes a compromise among the Lebanese deputies,
political groups, and parties, militias and leaders, in an attempt to tackle
the structure of the political system and the sovereignty of the Lebanese
state. They also spoke of the election process and the country’s election
laws.
For his part, Aoun said that after his recent meetings with the leadership of
the ARF, he fully grasps the party’s stance on issues, and conveyed his vision
of what will unfold in Lebanon.
The Armenian leaders said they seek Aoun’s return to Lebanon to
participate in
the political process.
Aoun said that it is vital to continue meetings with the ARF, and envisioned
future cooperation with the party in a variety of areas.

3) French-Armenian Author Jean-Jacques Varoujean Dies

PARIS–French-Armenian author and intellectual Jean-Jacques Varoujean passed
away on April 2, in his home in Paris. The author of such plays as A plus, La
Voleuse d’histoires, and A L’autre Bout Du Pont, Varoujean was born Varoujean
Ouzounian in Marseilles in 1927, to immigrant Armenian parents.
Varoujean is undoubtedly one of the rare French Armenian authors; Armenians
know little about his work and even less about the man. Jean-Jacques Varoujean
had said, “There is in me a great contradiction: I am an anti-nationalist, but
I wish that justice is returned to the Armenian nation.”
Like so many other artists or intellectuals, he did not hesitate to give an
opinion in a clear and committed way about Armenian political problems.
A great admirer of Levon Shant, Varoujean translated and adapted his
masterpiece, the Former Gods (Heen Asdvadzner). “The theater plays an
essential
role to awaken the conscience, to help to keep the eyes about good and evil.
>>From the very start of the century, with the Former Gods, an Armenian author
dared to announce something as it is,” Varoujean had written.

4) Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey Agree on Rail Link Construction

TBILISI (Civil Georgia)–The Georgian, Azeri and Turkish sides signed a
protocol in Baku on April 6, over the construction of a railway link between
the eastern Turkish city of Gars and southern Georgian town of Akhalkalak,
which will also enable Azerbaijan to gain access to its strategic partner
Turkey via Georgia.
According to the Georgian Railway Department, a joint Azeri-Georgian-Turkish
venture will be set up with headquarters in Istanbul to implement this
project.
According to the preliminary estimates, the price tag will be $400 million.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Government Invites Decker to Perform at Memorial Concert
Commemorating 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Government has officially invited U.S. world musician
Daniel Decker to perform at the Memorial Concert in Yerevan, Armenia on
April 23 to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the 1915 Armenian
Genocide. Decker will sing Adana,” a song that tells the tragic story of
the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians during WWI. It is a collaboration
between Decker, who wrote the song’s lyrics, and Ara Gevorgian, one of
Armenia’s premier composers.

PRWeb.com
April 6, 2005

Syracuse, NY (PRWEB) April 6, 2005 — American singer-songwriter
Daniel Decker () today announced that the Armenian
government has extended an official invitation to him to perform the
song “Adana” at a special Memorial Concert it is hosting to commemorate
the 90th Anniversary of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. The concert
will take place at the Opera and Ballet Academic Theatre in Yerevan,
the capitol of Armenia, on Saturday, April 23, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.

The Armenian Opera Orchestra, and Ara Gevorgian, one of Armenia’s
premier composers, will accompany Decker’s performance at the Memorial
Concert. Armenia’s President, Robert Kocharian, will be attending. Also
in attendance will be the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, His
Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

The song “Adana” tells the story of the Armenian Genocide, during which
soldiers of the Ottoman Empire forced 1.5 million Armenians into
starvation, torture and extermination because they would not renounce
their Christian faith. The song is a collaboration between Decker, who
wrote its powerful lyrics, and Gevorgian, its composer. “Adana” is
already played at the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, Armenia, whenever
visiting foreign dignitaries visit.

Decker met Gevorgian by chance on a trip to Armenia in 2002. They first
collaborated with Decker writing the lyrics to a song the composer had
written for Armenia’s National Independence Day. “Noah’s Prayer”
chronicles the biblical story of Noah and his spiritual journey on the
ark to Mt. Ararat. With Gevorgian and the Armenian Opera Orchestra
accompanying him, Decker performed “Noah’s Prayer” live in 2002 during a
nationally televised outdoor concert with Mt. Ararat looming in the
background. Armenia’s President Kocharian, as well as ambassadors from
countries around the world, attended the event. After the concert,
President Kocharian approached Decker to shake his hand and personally
thank him for his participation.

The television broadcast transformed the song “Noah’s Prayer” into an
immediate hit and Decker into an instant celebrity in Armenia. The song
was repeatedly featured on Armenian radio and television, and Decker
gave numerous performances and press interviews. On his last visit to
the country in 2004, a reporter and television crew followed him
everywhere he went for three days.

It was the day after the 2002 concert that Decker heard Gevorgian’s
composition entitled “Adana.” Decker felt it was perfect to tell the
story of the Armenian genocide, an issue that moved him deeply, so he
arranged to meet Gevorgian the next day. “Before I could tell him my
idea to write the about the genocide, he said, ‘Please choose “Adana,
and please write about the genocide.'” Decker later discovered that
“Adana” is the name of the city in present-day Turkey where one of the
first massacres of the Armenian people took place. Thus, a second
collaboration was born.

“I wrote ‘Adana’ not only as a way to draw international attention to a
terrible tragedy, but as a source of healing to the Armenian people,”
explains Decker. Neither modern day Muslim Turkey, nor the United
States, an ally of Turkey, has formally recognized the Armenian
Genocide. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to perform with Daniel
again,” says Gevorgian. “Daniel has done a great thing for the people of
Armenia. When you listen to ‘Adana,’ you know that he was meant to write
the lyrics of this song to bring greater international awareness to the
Armenian Genocide.”

In addition to the work Decker has done to garner attention for the
genocide, Decker has also been working with relief organizations in
Armenia to bring aid to the poorest regions and to those that have been
hit the hardest, children and the elderly.

Both “Adana” and “Noah’s Prayer” can be found on Decker’s latest
recording entitled, “My Offering,” available on his website. With a
musical journey that has taken him to England, Puerto Rico, Canada and
Armenia, this CD reflects Decker’s love and appreciation of the many
cultures he has experienced. Along with his unique piano stylings, the
CD “My Offering” is a rich fusion of world music influences, with
flamenco guitars, Armenian duduk, Brazilian samba, Latin jazz, and
special performances by the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra.

For more information about Decker, please visit
Please direct press inquiries to Anne Sharp at (818) 994-2309.

# # #

Contact Information:
Anne Sharp
SHARP CONCEPTS

818-994-2309

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Council newcomer outpolls all; Weaver squeaks in
By Naush Boghossian, Staff Writer

Najarian No. 1 in votes

Los Angeles Daily News
Thursday, April 07, 2005

GLENDALE — After ballot-counting that went into the wee hours,
Glendale College trustee Ara Najarian and three incumbents emerged
Wednesday as the winners of four open City Council seats.

Najarian, 44, received more than 10 percent of all votes cast in
the election, which drew higher-than-average turnout — about 26,100
of the city’s 101,200 registered voters. About half the voters used
absentee ballots.

Mayor Bob Yousefian received the second-most votes, followed by
Councilman Frank Quintero. Fourth-place finisher Councilman Dave Weaver
will serve two years, closing out the term of Councilman Gus Gomez,
who left in January after he was elected to the Superior Court bench.

“I never thought I would be the top vote-getter, but the only thing
I can attribute it to is running a positive, clean campaign, just
trying to reach a broad swath across the community,” said Najarian,
an attorney who campaigned on traffic and development issues.

City Clerk candidate Ardashes Kassakhian, who established his lead
during early returns Tuesday night, defeated eight other candidates
to capture a post that has not previously had an open election for
75 years. Current clerk Doris Twedt is retiring.

“The support we’ve gotten has been such a humbling experience,” said
Kassakhian. “There were difficult times and there were good times,
but after today, the real work needs to begin.”

City Treasurer Ron Borucki handily defeated challenger Phillip
Kazanjian.

Voters also approved 21 City Charter amendments that officials said
generally are designed to clean up outdated provisions.

All of the election winners will be sworn in Monday night, when the
council also will elect a new mayor.

In the nine-candidate race for three Glendale Unified School District
board seats, incumbents Greg Krikorian and Chuck Sambar were re-elected
and substitute teacher Joylene Wagner will fill the seat vacated by
Lina Harper.

Glendale Community College trustees Victor King, Armine Hacopian and
Anita Gabrielian all were re-elected, edging out their only competitor,
medical receptionist Linda Sheffield.

This year’s city election distinguished itself from others in city
history with its record number of candidates — 42 — and aggressive
fundraising.

Of the four elected to the council, Najarian and Yousefian were among
the top fundraisers, each collecting more than $100,000.

But money wasn’t the deciding factor for some voters.

Vrej Agajanian, who raised more than $116,000, finished in 10th place.
City clerk candidate Paulette Mardikian, who with the help of a loan
from her husband raised more than $90,000, finished in fourth place.
School board candidate Maria Rochart raised nearly $60,000 — the
most of all the board candidates — and finished sixth.

With the elections, the city of 200,000 residents — about 80,000
of them Armenian — now has a council with three members of Armenian
descent.

“It’s a reflection of the community. It’s no different if there were
80,000 Koreans in Glendale. We’d probably have three Koreans on the
council,” Yousefian said. “But we have to recognize that the ones who
got in were the ones who had votes in all sectors of the community, so
once again it’s been proven that you need the support of all parties,
not just Armenians, to win.”

Naush Boghossian, (818) 546-3306 [email protected]

,1413,200~20946~2802790,00.html

ERDOGAN ASKING SCHROEDER TO POSTPONE DISCUSSIONS ON GENOCIDE
By Hakob Chakrian

Azg/arm
8 April 05

A possible crisis in German-Turkish relations because of the Armenian
Genocide resolution discussions in the German parliament was averted
the last moment. In its April 7 issue Turkish Sabah newspaper cites
a reliable diplomatic source informing that Turkish PM Recep Tayyip
Erdogan had a phone talk with German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
over the Genocide resolution.

According to Sabah, Erdogan called Schroeder asking “to postpone or
cancel” discussions of the resolution. Schroeder met Erdogan halfway
and postponed discussions till the end of his Turkey visit on May
3. Together with the German opposition, the Greens also back the
resolution and that greatly worries Ankara, Sabah writes. Moreover,
certain circles in Ankara are sure that Germany will adopt the
resolution.

GENOCIDE MONUMENT OPENS IN BOSTON

Azg/arm
8 April 05

“After hard efforts we managed to get to the end of the tunnel,” Peter
Kutujian, member of the House of Representatives, said during the
arrangement at the Art Center of the Clark University on March 18. He
said that the building N13 in Parcel Street of Rose Kennedy Green Way
will officially become another Monument to the Armenian Genocide. The
representatives of Wooster and Boston Armenian communities praised
the consistent efforts of Kutujian that led to a success. The first
Armenian church was built in Wooster in 1895. The location of the
monument was defined by the Telalian Association of Architects and
Programmers. The whole area will be called “The Armenian Heritage
Park.” It will look like a circle, defining the long path of the
history. A twelve lateral abstract statute that will symbolize the 12
provinces of Armenia will be set up in the middle of the park. The pool
and the ever-flowing water will symbolize the hope and the rebirth.

The Armenian Mirror Spectator weekly informed that the Armenian
dioceses as well as NGOs supported the program. It is envisaged to
hold annual meetings and deliver lectures dedicated to the Genocide
and the human rights issues in the Armenian Heritage Park.

By Hakob Tsulikian

DISCORDS BETWEEN COMMITTEE OF ARMENIAN CAUSE AND ARMENIAN CONGRESS

Azg/arm
8 April 05

Turkish Hurriyet newspaper informed in its April 6 issue under the
title “Split among Diaspora Armenians in the USA” that contradiction
arouse between the Committee of Armenian Cause and the Armenian
Congress over the Armenian Genocide issues.

Hurriyet said that the committee accessed the congress of a conspiracy,
stating that Bush administration tries to carry out a plan according to
which the Armenians should abandon any territorial claims or demands
of compensations from Turkey against the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. While the Armenian Congress, supporting the abovementioned
plan, participates the conspiracy of the US.

It’s hard to say whether Hurriyet told the truth but it is well-known
that the Committee of the Armenian Cause and the Armenian Congress
always compete.

By Hakob Chakrian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERGE SARGSIAN: ‘WE’LL CERTAINLY DEEPEN OUR RELATIONS WITH NATO’

Azg/arm
8 April 05

Defense minister of Armenia, Serge Sargsian, told on April 6 that
Armenia will deepen its relations with Nato but “as we occasionally
mention, it will not oppose to our responsibilities within the
framework of the Organization of Collective Security Treaty”.

Mediamax agency quoted Sargsian as saying at a joint press conference
with his Lithuanian counterpart Gediminas Kirkilas: “Having European
integration as a goal before us, we cannot stay away from Nato which
is responsible for security in Europe”.

Serge Sargsian said that Armenia will deepen its relations with Nato
but will not step into military cooperation with the Organization
as yet. “The reason is not that the Nato states are disinterested in
that. All our military equipment is made in Russia and USSR. Trading
even an imperfect structure for a new one in today’s conditions will
not be right both economically and politically”, he said.

Lithuanian defense minister said that Lithuania being a Nato member
“welcomes Armenia’s close relations with Nato”. “We mainly welcome
Armenia’s decision to join the peacekeepers in Iraq, and as we know,
it was a difficult decision”, Kirkilas said.

Regnum agency quotes Lithuanian minister saying: “We were concerned
that our relations with Russia will spoil if we join Nato but as we
see they were nor justified. Just the opposite, before joining Nato
Lithuania settled all its issue with Russia”.

A press release by the Defense Ministry of Armenia notes that on
April 6 Kirkilas was received by President Robert Kocharian, prime
minister Andranik Margarian and foreign minister Vartan Oskanian. The
Lithuanian minister laid a wreath at the Monument of Armenian Genocide
Victims the same day.

OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE PLANS EXTENSIVE STUDY OF PROBLEMS OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISORDERS

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian branch of the Open Society
Institute plans to conduct an extensive study of social, legal and
other rights of people with mental disorders within several next
years. According to Anahit Papikian, who supervises health projects
of the Institute in Armenia, no such study was conducted, though the
need for it has matured.

She said the study could be used as a basis for implementing various
mental health programs.

The Open Society Institute is already funding a Yerevan-based center
for people with mental disorders, which renders various services
to some forty such people. The center does not provide them with
medications. The goal is to help people who spent a lot of time in
mental hospitals to get integrated back into the society.

Another center in Ashtarak gives lodgings to three such people who are
actually homeless. Papikian said financial problems and the absence
of government assistance are the main obstacles to expanding the
network of such centers.