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Updated: Wed, Mar 23, 2005 09:51:19 AM AEST

The World Game

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Van Basten questions Bayern
PA

Dutch national team coach Marco van Basten has admitted he was surprised to
see Roy Makaay in action for Bayern Munich at the weekend after leaving him
out of his latest squad.

Van Basten was under the impression that Makaay (pictured) would be
unavailable for international duty in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers
against Romania and Armenia after speaking to Bayern’s medical team last
week, and therefore called up young Ajax striker Ryan Babel instead.

However, although Van Basten claimed he was told by Bayern that they were
“rather sceptical” about Makaay’s hamstring problem, ‘der Phantom’ started
against Hansa Rostock on Saturday and managed 67 minutes before being
replaced.

“Normally a fit Makaay is always part of our selection,” said Van Basten,
who was also frustrated with the case of Chelsea winger Arjen Robben.

“We also had no clarity about Robben and we did not want to have two
recovering players in the group. But Makaay showed that he was able to play
on Saturday at Bayern Munich. Robben is also totally fit.”

Van Basten’s other concerns on the first day of training in Noordwijk were
PSV pair Phillip Cocu and Mark van Bommel, who sat out with slight injuries.

Cocu is expected to be fit despite a painful hamstring, while Van Basten is
confident that Van Bommel (knee) will be able to play a major role after his
hat-trick against Ajax on Sunday.

“As far as can tell now they can participate on Saturday,” said the Oranje
coach.

“The chance that he (Van Bommel) may start is very big.”

YEREVAN’S MAIN PLAN ENVISAGES TO RESTORE GREENERY

AZG Armenian Daily #051, 23/03/2005

Yerevan

Romik Kosemian, head of the Ecology Department at Yerevan Municipality,
represented the municipals ecology programs for 2005 at a regular
briefing.

The more Yerevanners and the ecology organizations blame the Yerevan
Municipality for annihilating green territories of the capital
during the recent decade, the more municipal officials try to prove
the contrary.

As 2005 is announced a year of tree planting for Yerevan, the mayor’s
office decided to renovate the water supply system to have good results
first of all. Thus, 640 million AMD are envisaged to be spend on
the tree-planting program in total. On June 1, the renovation works
of the water supply system will be completed (including 31 parks,
gardens and lawns).

The local administration bodies will allocate 326 million AMD. 90
million AMD will be allocated by a separate program for the renovation
of the water supply system of Tsitsernakaberd.

On April 16, within the framework of the annual municipal weekend
activities, 30 thousand trees and bushes will be planted. Nobody
knows whether the newly renovated water supply system will manage to
water the newly planted trees or the majority of them will get dried
up just like the ones planted during the past years did.

Generally, the Municipality will have planted 117 thousand trees
and 260 thousand bushes covering 360 hectares’ area by the end of
2007. 60-80 thousand trees will be planted in the woods, according
to the agreement signed with Hayantar.

The most unbelievable correction in the plans is that they decided to
increase the current indicator of 4sq.meters of greenery to 20-22 sq.
meters. It is envisaged in the main plan of Yerevan.

A special committee is numerating the kiosks set up on the formerly
green lawns. It is envisaged to step by step remove these unauthorized
buildings.

By Karine Danielian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS’ JOINT LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE STRESSES
IMPORTANCE OF U.S. RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

WASHINGTON, March 22 (Noyan Tapan). Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
expressed to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice their support
of recent affirmations of the Armenian Genocide by leading U.S.
officials. According to the Armenian Assembly of America, in a joint
letter sent to Secretary Rice on March 18, the Co-Chairs declared
their support for remarks made by U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans
who publicly stated, “The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of
the twentieth century.” The Co-Chairs also noted former Ambassador to
Armenia Harry Gilmore’s comments to the media that the crimes against
the Armenians do indeed constitute genocide. Knollenberg and Pallone
explain in their letter that both Evans’ and Gilmore’s comments are
in keeping with the past statements of Presidents Ronald Reagan in
1981 and George Bush, who in 2001 employed the textbook definition
of the Genocide in his April 24 remarks to the Armenian-American
community. Additionally, the Co-Chairs reason that the U.S. National
Archives contain thousands of pages documenting the crimes and that
over 120 renowned Genocide and Holocaust scholars have proclaimed the
Armenian Genocide as an “incontestable historical fact.” Furthermore,
the letter also references the findings of a key legal study
backed by the State Department. That study, by the International
Center for Transitional Justice, concluded that: “The Events, viewed
collectively, can thus be said to include all of the elements of the
crime of genocide as defined in the Convention, and legal scholars
as well as historians, politicians, journalists and other people
would be justified in continuing to so describe them.” In other news,
Knollenberg and Pallone are asking their colleagues to sign on to a
letter urging President Bush to honor the United States’ historic
leadership in defending human rights and to properly characterize
the Armenian Genocide as such in his remembrance statement next
month. Over 80 Members of Congress have signed on to this letter,
however, many more signatures are needed in order to make an impact.

REP. KENNEDY CALLS ON ADMINISTRATION TO CONFRONT TURKEY’S DENIAL OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

WASHINGTON, March 22 (Noyan Tapan). The Armenian Assembly of America
praised Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), a member of the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, for calling on the Bush Administration to
openly deal with Turkey’s continued policy of denial of the Armenian
Genocide and to support a congressional resolution reaffirming this
crime against humanity. Kennedy, in a statement issued last week
before Congress, said the Administration’s reluctance to address
the issue stems from its refusal to alienate Turkey at a time when
Washington is seeking to repair relations with Ankara. “This approach
sends absolutely the wrong signal to Turkey and to the rest of the
world,” Kennedy stated. “As we promote relations based upon shared
values, the United States must never forget the essential value of
facing history directly.” Kennedy also added that the present day
Turkish government must stop its shameful policy of denial of the
Armenian Genocide. “The Turkish government spends millions of dollars
annually to lobby other governments to advance its revisionist cause,
claiming that the subject is sensitive and that acknowledgement would
undermine relations with Turkey,” Kennedy said. Last week, Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed calls for further study
of the Armenian Genocide, telling Reuters “If there is a need for
a political settling of accounts with history after such a study,
we, the government and the opposition, are ready to do just that.”
Assembly leaders, for their part, joined Armenia’s Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian in calling the study pointless given the scholarly
community’s publicly stated conclusions confirming the events as
Genocide. “Periodic calls by various Turkish administrations for
historical debate simply delay the process of reconciling the truth,”
Oskanian recently said in a speech before the U.N. Commission on
Human Rights. “The facts are clear. The historical record is clear.
We know well what happened to our forebears.” The Assembly in recent
weeks has pointed to such public affirmations, as well as those of
leading U.S. public officials such as Ambassador to Armenia John
Evans, as part of its campaign to urge President Bush to recognize
the Armenian Genocide in his statement of remembrance next month.

AZG Armenian Daily #051, 23/03/2005

Culture

SHAHEN KHACHATRIAN TO LECTURE IN LOS ANGELES

The lectures dedicated to 125th anniversary of Martiros Sarian and
held at the Glendale Central Library became an unprecedented evening
of the Armenian Art, when Mr. Shahen Khachatrian, a well-known art
critic from Armenia, began telling about Sarian’s exhibition hall at
Picasso Museum in Antibes.

Khachatrian stage by stage represented the creative life of Martiros
Sarian since 1901 till the last sketch Maestro made. Mr. Shahen
thoroughly spoke of each piece of the great master with devotion and
love. The audience was charmed and delighted to get so close to the
art of Maestro Sarian.

The arrangement was organized by Tekeyan Cultural Fund. The listeners
were greatly impressed both by the art of Sarian and by the lecture
delivered by Shahen Khachatrian.

Dr. Minas Gocheyan represented Mr. Khachatrian to the audience. His
name is closely connected with Martiros Sarian’s creative life. In
1967, Maestro Sarian appointed Shahen Khachatrian head of Martiros
Sarian’s Museum. He led the museum for over 40 years.

After Armenia became independent, Shahen Khachatrian was appointed
the head of RA National Picture Gallery, as well. He worked in these
two positions, enriching the collection of the Picture Gallery with
over 500 pieces purchased and collected from Diaspora and Russia. He
led RA National Picture Gallery for 13 years. During these years he
also led other 16 museums and galleries of Armenia.

Mr. Khachatrian published monograms dedicated to Sarian, Hakobian,
Minas and Ayvazovski. He has delivered many lectures, organized 60
exhibitions. The last exhibition was held in Antibes at Picasso Museum.

At present, Mr. Khachatrian is leading the newly opened Archie Gorky
Museum in Etchmiadzin.

Mr. Khachatrian was awarded “Honored Artist of Armenia” and “Movses
Khorenatsi” medal in 1998.

Media Watchdog Expresses Concern Over Press Freedoms in Russia
by Mosnews

AXcess News

The watchdog group denounced self-censorship introduced in Russia
over the past few years and pressure exerted on the media.

If you would like to receive late breaking world news on issues
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March 22, 2005 (AXcess News) Moscow – The International Press
Institute, a global network of journalists, on Thursday released its
2004 review examining 191 countries. It reveals the overwhelming
failure of the authorities in many parts of the world to properly
investigate and prosecute the killers of journalists. Russia is
no exception.

The watchdog, uniting media executives, editors and journalists from
120 countries, denounced self-censorship introduced in Russia over
the past few years and pressure exerted on the media.

“The situation of the mass media in Russia continues to be difficult,”
IPI said in a statement. “Attacks on journalists are frequent… In
addition to the attacks on journalists, the media have engaged in a
great deal of self-censorship, which is evident in reporting on the
presidential election campaigns.

“Although only three of the 78 journalists killed this year died
in Russia, and only one was targeted directly, the country remains a
dangerous place for journalists. The Glastnost Defence Foundation (GDF)
listed ten journalists killed in 2004 for their work, and a further
four that died in car or airplane crashes while on their way to an
assignment. In total, the number of press freedom and journalists’
rights violations recorded by GDF was 1,236.”

“Adlan Khasanov, a cameraman working for Reuters died in the blast
that killed Chechnya’s President Akhmed-hadji Kadyrov on 9 May. The
bomb exploded in the Dynamo Stadium in the Chechen capital of Grozny,
where Khasanov was covering the annual Victory Day parade celebrating
the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.

“Paul Khlebnikov, editor-in-chief of Forbes Russia, was shot and killed
outside his office in Moscow on 9 July. Police suspect that his murder
was a contract killing, linked to his work as a journalist. Khlebnikov,
an American of Russian descent, was shot from a passing car about
100 meters from Forbes’ editorial offices in northern Moscow after
he left work in the evening…

“The body of Payl Peloyan, editor-in-chief of the Russian-language
Armyanski Pereulok (Armenian Lane), an arts and literature magazine
serving the Armenian community in Moscow, was found on 17 July at the
side of the MKAD ring road that circles Moscow. His body bore knife
wounds to his chest and signs of beating on his head and face. The
police did not rule out the possibility that his murder was linked
to his work as a journalist.”

“Direct censorship, as well as intimidation by physical means
(beatings, murder, etc.), is less frequent now than in the early 1990s,
but indirect censorship is on the rise,” the review reads.

“According to reports by the OSCE and the RUJ, the Russian media,
as a whole, failed to provide fair and objective coverage of the
election campaign. Indeed, media outlets devoted from 57 to 100
percent of their campaign coverage to Vladimir Putin, and there was
no substantial difference between state-controlled and private media.”

Source: Mosnews

Several players returning to Romanian team

Sports Network
03/22 17:08:09 ET

Bucharest, Romania (Sports Network) – With Victor Piturca back as the
Romania national team coach, several old faces returned to the mix.

Roma’s Cristian Chivu, Dynamo Kyiv’s Tiberiu Ghioane and Politehnica AEK
Timisoara’s Viorel Moldovan and Cosmin Contra are all back with the squad
after extended absences. All four players will be at Piturca’s disposal
Saturday against the Netherlands.

Victor Piturca was re-appointed as Romania’s national team coach back in
December. Piturca replaced Anghel Iordanescu, who resigned on November 19
following a disappointing 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw against Armenia.

Romania, which failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup finals and EURO
2004, is second in its World Cup 2006 qualifying group. The squad has 10
points from five matches, and hosts leaders Holland on March 26. The Dutch
also have 10 points but are ahead on goal differential and have only played
four games.

GOALKEEPERS:

Bogdan Lobont (Ajax)

Marius Popa (Politehnica Timisoara)

DEFENDERS:

Cosmin Contra (Politehnica Timisoara)

Cristian Chivu (Roma)

Sorin Ghionea (Steaua Bucharest)

Adrian Iencsi (Spartak Moscow)

Petre Marin (Steaua Bucharest)

George Ogararu (Steaua Bucharest)

Mirel Radoi (Steaua Bucharest)

Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk

MIDFIELDERS:

Constantin Galca (Almeria)

Tiberiu Ghioane (Dinamo Kiev)

Nicolae Mitea (Ajax)

Dorinel Munteanu (Steaua Bucharest)

Daniel Pancu (Besiktas Istanbul)

Florentin Petre (Dinamo Bucharest)

Mihaita Plesan (Universitatea Craiova)

FORWARDS:

Gigel Bucur (Sportul Studentersc)

Andrei Cristea (Steaua Bucharest)

Adrian Ilie (FC Zurich)

Viorel Moldovan (Politehnica Timisoara)

Daniel Oprita (Steaua Bucharest)

03/22 17:08:09 ET

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WAITING THE UPCOMING HIGH LEVEL NEGOTIATIONS

AZG Armenian Daily #051, 23/03/2005

Press release

In early April, a delegation from Armenia comprising Archbishop Pargev
Martirosyan, Head of the Armenian Diocese in Nagorno-Karabakh and
member of the ecclesiastic counsel, Bishop Yeznik and Professor Rafael
Papyan, in charge of the department of inter-confessional relations,
will travel to Georgia to discuss the problems connected to Norashen –
and not only those.

At the end of the 19th century, Tbilisi counted 29 active Armenian
Churches, today a mere two are left. Eight Armenian Churches have
undergone appropriation efforts and were turned into Georgian ones,
in addition thereto frescos, khachkars and all Armenian references
have systematically been destroyed. The fate of five churches,
including Norashen, currently lies in the hands of the Georgian
Patriarchate. And this is just in Tbilisi. The destruction and
appropriation process of the Armenian spiritual and ecclesiastical
heritage continues throughout Georgia. Many historians already refer
to it as the genocide of the Armenian cultural heritage in Georgia.

The Armenian delegation furthermore intends to discuss the status of
the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, an unresolved problem which affects
not the Armenian Church alone, as the only religious group included
in the Georgian legislative framework today, is the Georgian Orthodox
Church.

A draft law is apparently in the making which will enable religious
groups to register as legal persons of private law. However, the
Armenian Apostolic Church can look back on a centuries old historical
presence in Georgia, and declares that it has no intention of
registering as a person of private law, since the Church, in essence,
is of societal nature.

The Armenian Diocese in Georgia hopes that the upcoming negotiations
will settle the outstanding problems, including the one connected to
Norashen, the appropriation of which continues as of now, despite
counter-declarations that the resolution of the question would be
left to be dealt with on the highest level.

Today, construction works of a new wall around the Armenian Church
Norashen were undertaken under the supervision of Georgian priest,
Father Tariel (the same who destroyed in 1994 Armenian khachkars and
frescoes of the 19th century from the Hovnatanyan school and whose
actions were labeled by the Georgian patriarch Iliad II as “his own”,
while in turn Father Tariel cites orders from above). And all this
only a mere hundred meters away from the administrative building of
the Georgian Orthodox Church’s Patriarchate.

After the meeting, the representatives of the Armenian clergy will
hold a press conference, the details of which will be announced at
a later time.

Armenian Diocese of Georgia

Valley Star , CA
March 22 2005

High School Riot Closes Child Development Center

Child Development Center faced lockdown when ethnic tensions between
students led to a riot at Grant High School last week.

By Lagina Phillips, Tiffany Farmakis

A brawl at Grant High School forced a lockdown of Valley College’s
Child Development Center, across the street from Grant, sending four
students, two high school faculty members and an LAPD officer to the
hospital for minor injuries.

“The fight was very horrible,” said 15-year-old Grant freshman Mary
Kirishyan. “All you saw was trash cans flying in the air and everyone
running around, it was very scary.”

Grant was under total lockdown for three hours after the noontime
fight between Armenian and Hispanic students erupted into a
full-blown riot involving 200-400 students, according to Deputy
Police Chief Larry Manion.

“Faculty and school administration did a superb job assisting. We
were very happy it ended peacefully,” said Manion. “The worst injury
was when one police officer got hit on the head with a golf ball.”

The Child Development Center, located off Ethel Avenue at the
northeast end of Valley, is only yards away from the high school.
Police notified Terry Teplin, director of the Center, to keep all
children inside while campus police patrolled the college’s
perimeter. Up to 72 children from preschool to 12 years old were at
the Center at the time of the lockdown.

“The preschoolers don’t know what’s going on, but we’ve explained to
the [older] children that some high school students got into a fight
and we are staying inside for safety,” Teplin said. “The police
officers and firemen have been coming in to talk with the children.”

The Child Development Center provides child-care for student-parents
while they attend classes. The center has a well-rounded program for
pre-school to school-aged kids and includes many different indoor and
outdoor group activities.

“We called campus police around 12:30 because we heard helicopters
and we were concerned,” Teplin said.

She was directed to the LAPD, which instructed a lockdown. Children
were escorted outside once their parents arrived, with the last of
the children not being picked up until 10:20 p.m.

Moscow Times
Wednesday, March 23, 2005. Issue 3130. Page 4.

News in Brief

Putin Will Visit Armenia

YEREVAN, Armenia — President Vladimir Putin is to make a two-day
visit to Armenia starting Thursday.

Putin will hold talks with his Armenian counterpart, Robert Kocharian,
and participate in a gala ceremony marking the start of the “Year of
Russia” in Armenia, presidential spokesman Viktor Sogomonian said. (AP)