CONTRACT ON TRANSFER OF VANADZOR CHEMICAL PLANT TO SLOVAKIAN COMPANY SLZ TOL
BE CONCLUDED ON JAN 10, 2005

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24. ARMINFO. A contract on transfer of Vanadzor
chemical plant to Slovakian company SLZ will be concluded on Jan 10,
2005. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan made this statement at a
press-conference after his visit to Lori region on Dec 18.

He says that next year it will become clear whether it is possible
to exploit the plant with profits on the investments the Slovakian
party intends to attract. The transfer of the plant does not mean that
its work will be guaranteed as it is connected with a possibility of
receiving profits the following year, the president says. He emphasized
that the owner of Vanadzor chemical complex has invested funds in the
plant, but failed to put it into exploitation. “One should not make
rash steps in the big business, everything must be well-calculated
here,” the president says.

It should be noted that SLZ intends to reactivate the plant on February
15, 2005 and to restore the production of carbide, corundum and acetate
ribbon. For this purpose, the company intends to invest $880 mln for
purchase of raw materials and $600,000 for current expenses. The owner
of 100% of the plant’s shares is the OJSC “Zakneftegazstroy Prometey,”
which belongs to the Russian businessman, Armenian by origin, Senik
Gevorgyan. Vanadzor chemical complex consisting of the chemical
plant, the chemical fibre plant and Vanadzor thermal power plant was
privatized in the May of 1999 for $1.5 mln. It has been idling since
then. The owner has already invested some $20 mln in the enterprise.-m-

STATE BUDGET OF ARMENIA FOR 2005 ENVISAGES OVER 1 MLN DRAMS FOR SOLUTION
HOUSING PROBLEMS IN LORI REGION: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20. ARMINFO. The state budget of Armenia for 2005
envisages over 1 mln drams for solution to housing problems of rural
residents of Lori region for the first time. Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan made this statement at a press-conference in the
town of Vanadzor.

In his words, next year large-scale construction is planned in the
rural areas. Active construction in regional centers will start with
various facilities to be erected in the town of Spitak. Construction
of dwelling-houses in Spitak will be continued as well. A special
stress will be put on the certificates due to which the above 1 bln
drams will be distributed. The logic is as follows: a flat in Gyumri
costs some 3 mln drams, while construction of the given flat requires
10 mln drams – due to distribution of the certificates, the problem
of the families which have not received flats will be solved. The
methodology of the given action already exists. In armenia it was
introduced by Urban Institute and USAID, the president says.

He notes that the roads Stepanavan-Tashir, Stepanavan-Odzun-Alaverdi,
Armavir-Gyumri (along the boundary), Gyumri-Amasia and Aparan-Artik
will be constructed within three years in the regions of Shirak and
Lori. Next year, funds will be allocated for reconstruction of the
roads of regional importance. By increasing the financing year by year,
we shall achieve a progress in the sphere, Robert Kocharyan says.

The president says that due to reforms in the taxation sphere,
more predictable conditions in the sphere of entrepreneurship have
been created. A great attention is paid to improvement of the living
conditions of the region’s population. As regards gas supply to the
country, on the whole, and in the region, in particular, the president
notes that the gas users in the country number more than 80,000 and
8-10,000 in Lori region. The same indicators are observed in Shirak
region. As regards water supply to the region, project works are in
process and 24-hour water supply will become real both in Vanadzor
and Gyumri within the coming 2-3 years. In Vanadzor 3 of 5 operating
ATXs are digital, the remaining two are being digitized. Considerable
changes are expected in the sphere of telecommunications, with
the existing inconveniences felt earlier because of the monopoly
of ArmenTel company were connected not only with its monopoly
but also with poor management and irresponsible attitude to its
obligations. However, as compared to many CIS member-countries,
Armenia is among leaders, as to introduction of digital tele-phone
network, which can be called an achievement, the president notes.

Besides, Robert Kocharyan informs that the budget for 2005 envisages
rather big sum (some 1 mln drams) to upgrade the level of social
well-fare of refugees as this issue is one of the priorities of
the program of refugees. The budget plans a rise in the wages of
teachers, militaries and medical personnel. Another 1 bln drams will
be allocated for construction work in the communities, including 800
mln to Lori region as majority of the villages in that region have
remained unnoticed by the government. A community center will be
built in Stepanavan, and construction of a new municipality building
and regional center in Gyumri will start in 2006.

The results of 2004 will be summed up by the Statistical Service
after January 20, 2005. However, one can state that the government has
fulfilled its commitments for 2004, the president says in conclusion.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON ISSUE OF RETURN OF POPULATION’S DEPOSITS WITH
SAVINGSBANK OF FORMER USSR

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20. ARMINFO. The fact that Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on convocation of a parliamentary
extraordinary sitting to discuss the return of the population’s
deposits with the Savingsbank of the former USSR does not mean the
president supports the given initiative. President Robert Kocharyan
made this statement at a press-conference on Lori region.

In his words, he has never promised to return the population’s
deposits when running for presidency. Today, discussion of the state
budget for 2005 is more important and urgent for Armenia as the whole
financial activity is connected with this document, the president
thinks. Meanwhile, involvement into such a disputable and complicated
issue before discussion of the state budget will endanger the budget’s
adoption. This budget provides for a rise in the wages of teachers,
medical personnel, militaries and others, the president says. He notes
that it seems to be a escpecially planned action pursuing a goal of
creating tension to divert the attention of the government and the
parliamentary coalition from solution to the major issues. I am sure
that the number of reasonable MPs in the parliament is much higher
and the right ways towards solution to this issue will be found,
Robert Kocharyan says.

In the president words, a commission was convened in the parliament,
which works on the issue of returning the population’s deposits and
a governmental commission will be formed in late January, 2005 in
conformity with his instruction in order that the given problem be
further studied. As long as we lack a final idea of how to solve the
issue, we will not know the possible consequences of our decisions for
the country’s economy, and hereby, we shall not be able to solve the
problem, the president says. He expressed readiness to consider the
possible ways of its solution. Robert Kocharyan is of the opinion that
the action initiated in the parliament pursues a goal of making Orinats
Yerkir party to join the initiative hereby leaving the coalition in
an awkward situation. Meanwhile, the population’s problems bear no
relations to this interest, the president says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
12/20/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Mixed Reaction to Turkey Decision
2) EU Fears Turkey Clash May Mask Cyprus Friction
3) Armenian Genocide and Territorial Losses on Russian State TV
4) No Karabagh in Settlement Negotiations, Stresses Baku
5) US Takes ‘Terrible Tragedy’ Route

1) Mixed Reaction to Turkey Decision

BRUSSELS (Combined Sources)–While Turkish leader Tayyip Recep Erdogan
returned
home to a hero’s welcome after agreeing to accession terms with the EU, there
has been a less enthusiastic reaction in some European capitals.
Erdogan arrived back in Turkey on Saturday, December 18 to a rapturous
reception and was hailed as the “conqueror of Europe.”
He said, “We did not receive 100 percent of what we wanted, but we can say
that we succeeded,” according to Le Monde.
Reflecting the momentous nature of the decision, Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul
said, “Turkey is a very different country than it was two days ago.”

STREET PROTESTS

But elsewhere in Europe, the reaction has been less positive. Supporters of
the populist Northern League Party in Italy took to the streets to protest at
the decision. According to media reports, they unfurled banners saying,
“Yes to
Christian roots.”
Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel announced that his country would join
France in holding a referendum on Turkey’s accession, adding another potential
obstacle in Ankara’s path.
This decision was criticized by Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot who said,
“We have never said to the Turks, neither in 1999 nor in 2002, that a
referendum would lie at the end of the process. We have to be fair.”
And Nicolas Sarkozy, former Finance Minister and rising star of French
politics, renewed his call for a “privileged partnership” with Turkey, rather
than full membership.
Sarkozy, who hopes to take over from Jacques Chirac as French President in
2007, said, “If Turkey were European, we would know it…I’m for a privileged
partnership but I’m reserved about membership, like a large number of notable
voices”.
“Europe already has difficulty functioning with 25 members. The more members
Europe has, the less we will be integrated, the less we will share common
values and the more fragile we will be.”
France will put all issues to Turkey during negotiations over it joining the
European Union, “including that of the Armenian genocide,” French Foreign
Minister Michel Barnier said Monday.
“What has to be done now is start membership negotiations which are going to
be very long, very difficult, during which we will put all issues on the
table,
including that of the Armenian genocide, with the hope of obtaining a response
from Turkey before membership,” he told French radio station RTL.
To add the Armenian issue to a list of others–most notably Ankara’s
recognition of the Greek Cypriot government–is seen as a bargaining chip in
the membership negotiations that are to begin in October next year, and a way
of showing the French public that Turkey is being made to heed Paris’s voice.
Barnier said that Chirac, in supporting Turkey, “is expressing a vision,
expressing where the interest of our country, our continent, lies for him.”
The
French president has promised that the final decision on whether Turkey
gets to
join the European Union or not, as far as French voters are concerned, will
come in a referendum at the end of the negotiations.

VETO THREATS

Cyprus warned over the weekend that it could still block Turkey’s membership
bid. Speaking on Cypriot television, President Tassos Papadopoulos said, “The
Republic of Cyprus has the right not to consent to the start of entry talks.”
Controversy over Cyprus nearly put an end to the deal during last Friday’s
negotiations, with Turkey refusing to recognize the republic and the EU
insisting that Turkey expand its customs agreement to the new Member States–
including Cyprus.
And Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter reports that the Kurdish minority in Turkey
are disappointed because their hopes to have their language recognized were
not
raised as an issue. Of the 70 million people in Turkey, 20 million are Kurds.

MUCH WORK TO DO

Even Erdogan stressed the amount of difficult work to do. Turkey must now
open
and close 31 “chapters” during negotiations, covering such areas such as
Justice and Home Affairs and Competition.
Any EU member can veto the closing of a chapter leaving much scope for
blocking Turkish progress.
And even if the laborious process of agreeing accession is achieved,
referendums in France or Austria could still see Turkey falling at the last
hurdle.

2) EU Fears Turkey Clash May Mask Cyprus Friction

BRUSSELS (Reuters)–European Union diplomats voiced concern on Friday that the
Turkish president’s refusal to let the leader of the ruling party become prime
minister might reflect friction with the powerful military establishment over
an early peace deal on Cyprus.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, a staunch secularist, vetoed constitutional
amendments on Thursday to lift a parliamentary ban on Tayyip Erdogan, head of
the Justice and Development Party (AKP), preventing him from leading the
government.
Erdogan, who has spearheaded Turkey’s drive to win a date for starting EU
accession talks and favors an early peace deal on Cyprus, was barred from
standing for office because he received a jail sentence in 1999 for Islamist
sedition.
He denies his AKP has Islamist views. The AKP vowed on Friday to use its
parliamentary majority to over-ride the veto.
“This standoff could reflect serious differences between the military and the
president, on the one hand, and Erdogan and his party on the other, over
Cyprus,” a senior EU diplomat said.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for an accord by February 28 to
reunite Cyprus after the two sides failed to agree at last week’s
Copenhagen EU
summit. Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash is widely seen as a key obstacle
to a deal.
“Erdogan and his advisers are very eager to move on Cyprus as soon as
possible
and eager to put quite lot of pressure on Denktash. The fact that this is not
the line that some hardliners might subscribe to at this point could be
reflected by this decision by the president,” the EU diplomat said.

NOT NECESSARILY SETBACK

However, other EU officials played down the dispute, saying it was neither a
major crisis nor necessarily a setback for Turkey’s drive to meet EU standards
of democracy and human rights.
“This is not a major political crisis in Turkey and we would not draw
conclusions on whether the move is in contradiction with the Copenhagen
criteria,” said one EU diplomat.
Those criteria set standards on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law
which every EU candidate must meet before it can open accession talks. EU
leaders agreed last week to review in December 2004 whether Turkey has met the
standards.
Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, said
the EU had taken a strategic decision on rapprochement with Turkey and hoped
the constitutional issue would not affect that process.
“We expect developments regarding Cyprus very soon, as the secretary-general
of the United Nations has said, therefore we hope and expect this (political)
situation will not affect the resolution of this major issue very soon,” she
told Reuters.
EU officials said Sezer had acted entirely constitutionally by refusing to
approve amendments which appeared to be tailored to the political ambitions of
one man.
“This proves that the system works. Sezer is a strong defender of democracy
and the constitutional order. We trust him,” one EU government official told
Reuters.
The amendments have the full backing of Turkey’s secularist opposition
Republican People’s Party, which has said it would vote in favor of the
changes
again when they go through parliament a second time.
Another senior EU source said it was strange to have the respected leader
of a
party democratically elected to rule a country not allowed to take office. The
EU has treated Erdogan as de facto leader of Turkey since the election.
“It is not good to have somebody as a real leader not able to exercise
power…And Erdogan is a real leader, a strong man. This is not good news,”
the
source said.
The amendments that Sezer vetoed would have let Erdogan stand in a
by-election
early next year. Erdogan’s right-hand man, Abdullah Gul, is now prime minister
but is expected to step down if his boss enters parliament.

3) Armenian Genocide and Territorial Losses on Russian State TV

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–The Russian Cultural Fund and the “Rossia” TV company, in
association with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) Moscow office,
have produced a documentary that seeks to unveil the truth about the 1917
Russian Revolution.
“Who Paid Lenin?” uses rich archival footage and rare documents to affirm
that
the success of the revolution, and subsequent Russian concessions were the
result of an agreement between Germany and Lenin.
It tells of a plan offered to Lenin by Alexander Israel Helphand (Parvus),
who
was the connection to Jacob Furstenberg–Germany’s immediate link to Lenin,
whereby the Bolsheviks seized power.
In the film, ARF Bureau member and Armenian National Assembly vice speaker
Vahan Hovhannisian speaks of the devastating consequences the Bolshevik
Revolution had for the Armenians.
With the Bolsheviks signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with Germany, they
pulled
out of the war by making vast concessions to Germany and its allies. Namely,
the Russians surrendered Ukraine, Finland, the Baltic provinces, the Caucasus,
and Poland.
Under the treaty, Russian troops–though at the edge of victory–withdrew
from
Western Armenia. The Kars and Ardahan regions of Eastern Armenia were
surrendered to Turkey, leaving Armenians open to yet another massacre by
Turkey.
The 1921 Moscow and Kars treaties upheld those concessions by the Bolshevik
government to Turkey.
The film also contains historic footage from the Armenian genocide.
“Who Paid Lenin?” will debut on Rossia TV on December 22 at 11:35 p.m. Moscow
time.

4) No Karabagh in Settlement Negotiations, Stresses Baku

BAKU (Armenpress)–Azeri Foreign Affairs Ministry Press Secretary Meti Mirza
told “Interfax” news agency that Azerbaijan categorically rejects Mountainous
Karabagh Republic’s participation in negotiating a peace settlement to the
conflict.
“It’s a mistake for the Armenian side to give direction on with whom Baku
should negotiate,” said Mirza responding to Armenia’s Foreign Ministry’s Press
Secretary Hamlet Gasparian, who said last week that if Azerbaijan does not
deem
Armenia capable of implementing independent policy, then they may speak with
Mountainous Karabagh directly.
Gasparian was responding to Azeri President Aliyev, who said that Armenia is
“Russia’s advanced post in the South Caucasus.”
“If the Azerbaijani side…is confused and doesn’t know with whom to hold the
negotiations [on Karabagh], we will again have to point to Stepanakert. We
hope
they know where Mountainous Karabagh is situated,” Gasparian warned.
Calling for negotiations only between Armenia and Azerbaijan for seeking
peace
in Karabagh, Mirza also stressed: “The Armenian community in Mountainous
Karabagh cannot participate in the negotiations with Baku because, as the
Azerbaijani community, it sees only a one-sided resolution to the conflict.”

5) US Takes ‘Terrible Tragedy’ Route

WASHINGTON, DC (Washington File)–The United States said last week that it
acknowledges the “terrible tragedy” the Armenian community in Anatolia faced
during World War I, but declined to comment on whether the European Union
should make it a precondition for the start of accession talks with Turkey.
“Our position on the Armenia question is, I think, pretty well known…We’ve
acknowledged the terrible tragedy that befell the Armenian community in
Anatolia in the last years of the Ottoman Empire,” State Department Spokesman
Richard Boucher told a press briefing last week.
He said Washington had been encouraging civil society and diplomatic
discussions about the tragedy, as well as political dialogue between Armenia
and Turkey on the issue.
Boucher indicated the US position on the issue had remained unchanged since
the president issued a traditional message on April 24, 2003.
Asked whether the question of the Armenian genocide should or should not be a
precondition for Turkey’s entry to the EU, he said that it was up to the
Europeans to decide.
“We believe that Turkey has gone a long way in meeting the requirements of
membership and the requests that were asked of Turkey, and it will be for the
Europeans to make that judgment themselves.”
The European Parliament adopted a resolution last Wednesday calling on EU
leaders to open entry talks with Turkey. It also urged Ankara to acknowledge
the genocide but made it clear it would not be a condition for the start of
accession talks.

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Investment Opportunities in the Republics of Armenia and Georgia

BISNIS Search for Partners
20 December 2004

BISNIS publishes Search for Partners leads to help U.S. companies find
partner and investment opportunities in the expanding markets of the
former Soviet Union. To receive Search for Partner leads regularly,
email BISNIS at [email protected] or call (202) 482-4655. To
search previously published Search for Partner leads online, visit

This issue of BISNIS Search for Partners includes opportunities in:
– Automotive
– Chemicals
– Construction and Engineering Services
– Construction and Transportation

************************************************************************************
Automotive

Country: Armenia

Industry: Automotive

Company: Radiotechnika LLC

Radiotechnika LLC specializes in the importation and distribution of
construction materials. It also owns and operates two machine-tool
plants in Yerevan.

The company seeks a U.S. partner to establish production of container
trailers for hauling 40′ and 20′ containers.

LeadLink,

************************************************************************************
Chemicals

Country: Georgia

Industry: Mining (mirabilite) / Chemicals production

Company: Merabiliti Ltd.

The company is looking for a U.S. investor who is interested in
production of sodium sulphate and cooperation with Georgian company.

LeadLink,

***********************************************************************************
Construction and Engineering Services

Country: Georgia

Industry: Construction and Engineering Services

Company: GeoEngineering Ltd.

GeoEngineering Ltd, a private company in Tbilisi, is the only local
engineering and construction company in the South Caucasus that has
successfully completed certification process and was awarded the ISO
9001:2000 Certificate in Engineering Surveys, Design, Construction,
Project Management, Research and Planning within the fields of Civil
Engineering, Energy and Transport Systems. The company is looking for a
strategic investor who can bring investment, new equipment/technology,
and jointly promote the company to international markets.

LeadLink,

***********************************************************************************
Construction and Transportation

Country: Georgia

Industry: Construction and Transportation (Cargo Terminal)

Company: Tbilisi International Cargo Handling (TICH)

TICH is seeking a partner for construction of a multi-modal cargo
terminal at Tbilisi International Airport.

LeadLink,

*******************Note************************************************************

These opportunities are provided solely as an informational service and
do not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Verification of these leads is the responsibility of the reader.

California Courier Online, December 23, 2004

1 – Commentary
Yes to Civilized Turkey;
No to Barbarians at Europe’s Gates

By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
**************************************************************************
2 – It’s All About Location and Looks
3 – New Glendale City Council
Candidate Swells Field to 10
4 – Studio City Community Mixer Highlights
Organizations’ Tasks, Achievements
5 – Annenberg Foundation Endows $2 Million
Gregorian Chair at University of Pennsylvania
6 – Ani Darakdjian Named US Director of JAA
7 – Darchinyan TKO’s Pacheco
To Win IBF Flyweight Title
*************************************************************************
1 – Commentary

Yes to Civilized Turkey;
No to Barbarians at Europe’s Gates

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Now that the European Union has set October 3, 2005 as the start of
membership talks, the Turks have a lot of work ahead of them. So do the
Armenians!
Even though the Armenian communities of Europe did everything in their
power to make the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the opening of
the border with Armenia pre-conditions for Turkey’s membership, the EU did
not include these requests in its agreement with Turkey for the start of
the talks. The 25 heads of the EU member states, not only ignored the
Armenian issues, but more significantly, they did not demand the withdrawal
of the Turkish occupying forces from Cyprus — the territory of an EU
member state!
Since the decision to start the talks with Turkey had to be unanimous, the
negative vote of even a single country would have cut short Turkey’s dreams
of joining the EU. Despite the fact that most Europeans are strongly
opposed to Turkish membership, the heads of these states overlooked the
wishes of their own citizens and chose to set a date for talks with Turkey.
Even more amazing is the fact both Greece and Cyprus – having the right to
veto the start of talks with Turkey — chose to go along with the rest of
Europe. The Greek and Cypriot leaders may have felt that by allowing the
Turks to begin the membership process, they would have more leverage in the
long run, than rejecting them outright. It remains to be seen whether the
Turks can dupe the Europeans into accepting them into the EU more than 10
years from now, by simply making a lot of cosmetic changes in their laws
and giving the appearance of complying with all the EU requirements. Of
course, the Turks could also face a rude awakening. If 10 years from now
the Turkish troops are still occupying Cyprus, there would be practically
no chance that Turkey would be admitted to the EU. The Cypriots would
certainly use their veto then.
Ironically, some Armenian officials are much more accommodating to the
Turks than most Europeans, by contending that Turkey as a member of the EU
would be much more amenable to recognizing the Genocide and lifting the
blockade of Armenia. I believe that the opposite is true. Once Turkey joins
the EU, its huge population would entitle it to have the largest number of
deputies in the European Parliament and the largest number of votes in the
European Council, enabling it to win every dispute with Armenia, a non-EU
member. Armenians would then be completely blocked from pursuing their
demands through the EU.
The time to pressure the Turks is prior to their joining the EU, not
afterwards! Armenians should use their lobbying clout as leverage to get
what they want now from the Turks. The Turks should be told in no uncertain
terms that unless they open their border with Armenia, recognize the
Armenian Genocide, make amends for the Armenian losses, and restore the
cultural, religious, and educational rights of the Armenian minority in
Turkey, Armenians would create incessant obstacles to Turkey’s EU
membership!
Armenians, of course can’t do this alone. As non-members of the EU, they
have to work closely with the larger and more powerful European political
forces that are already opposed to Turkey’s EU membership for their own
reasons.
While the Turks are celebrating their temporary victory this week,
anti-Turkish demonstrations have been held in Italy. More than 50,000
supporters of the Italian populist Northern League Party took to the
streets to protest the EU decision.
Trouble also looms for Turkey in several other European countries. The
Chancellor of Austria announced shortly after the EU vote that his country
would be joining France in holding a referendum on Turkey’s accession, thus
adding a major potential obstacle in Ankara’s path.
Nicholas Sarkozy, former Finance Minister and rising star of French
politics, is against offering Turkey full membership in the EU. Sarkozy has
a good chance of replacing Jacques Chirac as French President in 2007.
The Turkish plans could also suffer a major setback in Germany if the main
opposition party, which opposes Turkey’s EU membership, comes to power in
2006.
Unless Turkey becomes a true democracy, it should not be allowed to join
the union of civilized European nations.

**************************************************************************
2 – It’s All About Location and Looks
By Andrew Blazier
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
PASADENA – Emile Aoun didn’t build just any old chocolate shop.
When he and partner Marina Meguerditchian, both of Azusa, opened their
latest venture, they stayed away from the routine.
First, two Glendora friends allowed the pair to franchise a chocolate shop
with a French name, “L’Etoile Chocolatier.” Then they placed it in a
heavily Armenian east Pasadena neighborhood – a far cry from the company’s
largely white Glendora headquarters.
Aoun – who manages L’Etoile – looked at the neighboring storefronts on
Washington Boulevard. Many already catered to the local population –
several had Armenian names and owners – but one façade tended to blend into
the next.
What followed was three months of construction in which Aoun,
Meguerditchian, and the company’s founders, Jessy and Johnny Jabbour,
decorated and remodeled the small storefront themselves. They gave the
building an elaborate, pristinely white Mediterranean façade, like a
miniature version of something you’d see on Rodeo Drive. They added rich
Middle Eastern purples and golds, with chic draperies and lighting to set
the store apart from its plain-looking neighbors.
“We wanted to enhance the appearance of the neighborhood,” Apen said. “We
wanted to make something to attract them.”
In the month since L’Etoile opened, Meguerditchian, who is Armenian, has
seen the benefits of a marketing strategy that precisely targets the local
customer base. The chocolates are hand-wrapped in Glendora, then
hand-decorated for specific special events – from baptisms to births to
weddings.
With more than 40 varieties of chocolates and important Middle Eastern
dried fruits, Aoun believes the shop offers plenty of choices.
Aoun said he is simply filling a need his customers can’t satisfy nearby.
“It’s almost like having a wedding. That’s how much importance they pay to
it,” Aoun said. “We want to provide them with something to remember
afterward.”
L’Etoile Chocolatier is located at 1781 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena.
***************************************************************************
3 – New Glendale City Council
Candidate Swells Field to 10
By Naush Boghossian
Daily News
GLENDALE — A new candidate — one who is being called the voice of the
youth — has entered the race for City Council. Hovik Gabikian, 35,
announced Monday that he would run for a seat on the City Council — the
10th candidate to run for the four available seats — and would fight for
issues including affordable housing, traffic regulation, environmental
protection and expanding fire and police services.
An eligibility worker at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social
Services, Gabikian also serves as a leader with his labor union.
“My intention is to expand and improve the quality of public life by
offering effective services,” said the graduate of the University of
California, Los Angeles.
Some race watchers believe that Gabikian, who helped organize more than
70,000 people to march in Hollywood last year to commemorate the 89th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, distinguishes himself with his large
following among Armenian young people.
“He’s highly respected by the youth who attend universities and colleges,
so he may not have name recognition in the political arena, but he’s
definitely known, especially in the Armenian youth circles,” Mayor Bob
Yousefian said.
In addition to incumbents Dave Weaver, Frank Quintero and Bob Yousefian,
those who have said they will run are Glynda Gomez, Ara Najarian, Garry
Sinanian, Steve Hedrick, Pauline Field and John Drayman.
**************************************************************************
4 – Studio City Community Mixer Highlights
Organizations’ Tasks, Achievements
STUDIO CITY Calif. – Armenian Relief Society (ARS) chapters and other
community organizations continually contend with how to attract new
members, how to provide services to the community, and how to engage the
non-Armenian political and community organizations.
At the Armenian Center in Studio City, a recent community mixer was the
solution determined to be the best plan of action by the local Armenian
organizations.
It was simple and yet an ideal solution on how to introduce the leadership
of organizations working outside the Armenian Center to get to learn about
what goes on inside the walls within the shopping mall. It didn’t matter
that the center space was not huge, what mattered was that the Armenian
spirit was alive and well and Armenian hospitality, complemented with good
food, caught the attention of the civic leaders who were invited to the
mixer.
Judge Greg Keosian was the master of ceremonies, who invited the Armenian
organizations to present information about what they do for the community,
and the guests to give their impressions of the event and how they could
benefit from the community. Manig Sakayan of the Armenian National
Committee made the first introductions of the role of the various
organizations which operate from the Armenian Center.
Regional Executive Chair of the ARS of Western USA Board, presented how the
ARS has been serving those in need since 1910, empowering members as
leaders of the organization and the community, contributing to the
education and well being of citizens with five Social Services Centers,
and a Child, Youth and Family Guidance Center. Savoian’s PowerPoint
presentation was impressive with a sprinkling of photographs showing
scenes from the LA Marathon, the ARS Armenian Festival, and new ARS members
taking their oath. She highlighted the work of the ARS “Meghri” Chapter,
which operates from the Armenian Center in Studio City. ARS services
include a Social Services branch office. The chapter also sponsors an
after-school Armenian language program at Erwin Elementary in Van Nuys.
Other speakers included Raffi Hamparian, chair of the Armenian National
Committee, Western Region, Jack McGrath of the Studio City Chamber of
Commerce, and Alan Dymond, Rafi Kuyumjian and Michael Klausman of the
Studio City Neighborhood Council. Klausman is also President of the CBS
Studio Center.
Christina Asadourian, a Senior Field Deputy for Los Angeles Councilmember
Wendy Greuel, presented a certificate on behalf of the Councilmember and
LA Mayor Jim Hahn.
**************************************************************************
5 – Annenberg Foundation Endows $2 Million
Gregorian Chair at University of Pennsylvania
PHILADELHIA – The Annenberg Foundation of Radnor, PA, has endowed a $2
million Vartan Gregorian Chair in the Humanities at the University of
Pennsylvania and provided an additional $500,000 for graduate student
fellowships in t he humanities.
An advisor to the Annenberg Foundation and close friend of the Annenbergs,
Gregorian is a former provost at Penn.
“Vartan Gregorian is a scholar, a humanitarian and a truly remarkable
individual, whose wisdom, leadership and counsel have benefited several
universities and important philanthropic endeavors,” said Leonore
Annenberg, president of the Annenberg Foundation.
Gregorian was provost from 1978 to 1981 at Penn, where he also served as
founding Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. He has been widely
recognized for his work in revitalizing the New York Public Library, where
he served as president from 1981 to 1989. Gregorian also served for nine
years as president of Brown University.
Penn President Any Gutmann said, “We are honored to have a chair in the
humanities named for Vartan Gregorian, one of the outstanding leaders in
higher education of our time.”
“Vartan Gregorian’s leadership in the area of civic education has guided
the Policy Center work in the area for the decade and will continue to do
so in the future,” said Center Director and Annenberg School professor
Kathleen Hall Jamieson.
At the luncheon celebration of the Policy Center anniversary, Gregorian,
who is the president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, delivered a
keynote address on the impact of scholarship on policy.
**************************************************************************
6 – Ani Darakdjian Named US Director of JAA
LOS ANGELES – The Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Armenia (JAA)
has named Ani Darakdjian its US Director, a new full-time post based in Los
Angeles, California.
“The appointment of Ani Darakdjian as US Director marks a significant
development in the history of our organization,” commented Armine
Hovannisian, JAA’s Executive Director. “She is the perfect addition to the
JAA family and comes on board at a time when our growth presents new and
exciting challenges.”
Darakdjian’s responsibilities cover the entire spectrum of JAA’s stateside
operation, including financial management, collaborating with JAA’s
Armenia-based staff to coordinate and manage all programs and activities,
and actively pursuing new sources of funding for the organization.
“The establishment of a US Director position is a testament to JAA’s
continued commitment to achieving excellence both in programming and in
organizational operations,” said Jack Berberian, President of the JAA Board
of Directors.
Darakdjian comes to JAA after an exhaustive nationwide search that produced
many impressive candidates. Her resume stood out among the dozens received
because of her exceptional professional and academic accomplishments. Her
career spans corporate consulting, business development and international
affairs, including experience both in the US and Europe in economic
development and international trade. She holds an MBA in Finance and
Management as well as a Master of International Affairs, both from Columbia
University.
“It’s a privilege to contribute to Armenia’s economic and political
development in this capacity,” said Darakdjian.
The hiring comes amidst the expansion of JAA’s vital and much-lauded work
in Armenia, which today reaches 170,000 annually through both its economics
and civics courses.
In 2005, JAA will sustain and expand its economics courses (currently in
500 high schools), launch the expansion of civics education and instruction
in Armenia’s Pedagogical Institutes, train future civics instructors, and
continue to offer quality extracurricular activities that enhance both
economics and civics education.
The future of the civics program is secure. JAA has successfully rolled
out its civics program to all of the country’s high schools. With the
conclusion of its current USAID grant in 2005, the Armenian Ministry of
Education and Science will assume the administrative and financial
responsibilities of the program in the 8th, 9th and 10th grades. JAA will
continue to play a critical role in civics education by providing advanced
teacher training, innovative extracurricular programs, increased access to
the Internet, international competitions, and supplemental civics
materials.
With JAA’s proven track record, the organization has recently been selected
to partner with the Academy for Educational Development (AED), one of the
world’s foremost organizations dedicated to improving education, leadership
capabilities and economic opportunities around the world. The goal of this
new collaboration is to develop young leaders as catalysts for change.
Junior Achievement of Armenia was established in 1992 to assist Armenia’s
transition to democratic governance and a free-market economy. JAA’s
mission is to give today’s Armenian youth the necessary skills and
knowledge to compete and succeed in tomorrow’s world through economics and
civics education. Today, this program reaches more than 170,000 students
in all 1400 of Armenia’s high schools. By 2005, nearly 20% of the total
population will have taken a course taught by a JAA-trained teacher.
For additional information, call (818) 753-4997 or visit JAA’s website at

***************************************************************************
*
7 – Darchinyan TKO’s Pacheco
To Win IBF Flyweight Title
HOLLYWOOD, FL – Vic Darchinyan scored an 11th-round technical knockout of
defending champion Irene Pacheco to win the IBF flyweight title on Dec. 16.
Darchinyan, a native of Armenia now living in Australia, controlled the
pace for most of the bout and finally knocked down Colombia’s Pacheco in
the 10th round with a right to the head.
Darchinyan came out in the 10th round and dropped Pacheco for the first
time in the fight with a left hand.
Pacheco, 33, took a mandatory eight count, got up and made it to the end of
the round. He was dropped again in the 11th round with another pile-driving
left hand. Then Pacheco’s corner called a halt.
It was Pacheco’s first career loss in 31 professional fights and seven
title defense.
Darchinyan’s win took his record to 23-0, with 18 knockouts.
Darchinyan became Fenech’s first boxer to win a world title.
“The straight left Vic threw at him in the 11th that finally ended the
fight was a piledriver. The punch would have stopped a raging bull in its
tracks,” said Fenech.”
Born and raised in Vanadzor, Armenia, Darchinyan was spotted by Fenech at
the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
“I’ve waited for this chance a long time,” Darchinyan said. “While I’m
proud of my Armenian heritage, I am also proud to be a naturalized
Australian. “I’m so happy, having my girlfriend Olga Stovvoun in my corner
tonight.
“This is a dream come true for me. I’ve been a fighter for 20 years. But I
knew if I wanted to win, to beat Pacheco, I needed to throw more punches.
He proved to be a tough and very strong opponent.”
***************************************************************************
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ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
12/17/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) EU-TURKEY: Europe Capitulates without Immediate Conditions
2) Thousands of European Armenian Demonstrate against Turkey-EU Accession
3) Turks Eye Europe for Jobs
4) Gasparian Strikes Back
5) New York Times Journalist Skews the Truth about the Lives of Young
Armenians
6) Former ARS Sponsored Student Gives the ARS a Boost
7) AYF New Jersey “Arsen” Senior Chapter Member Wins Afghanistan’s First
Marathon
8) ANC Mixer Attracts Community Leaders
9) Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on EU’s Door
10) Irritants II
11) Armenian Youth Protest at Netherlands Consulate

1) EU-TURKEY: Europe Capitulates without Immediate Conditions

“These were not negotiations; this was surrender. The idea of an integrated
Europe has been seriously compromised”

BRUSSELS–The European Council, in a meeting on Friday in Brussels, voted to
open discussions, without any preconditions, on Turkey’s future admission to
the European Union. The process is set to begin on October 3, 2005.

Debates preceding the European Council vote were heated, with Turkey’s
failure to recognize Cyprus being the primary obstacle. The specific point of
contention was the Turkish Prime Minister’s refusal to sign a draft Customs
Agreement on Friday between Turkey and the ten new members of the European
Union. In the end, the European Council yielded to Turkish demands,
agreeing to
postpone this signature until sometime before next October.

The draft EU entry terms Turkey has agreed to dictate the following:
Turkey must sign a customs accord extending to all EU members, including
Cyprus; the accord must be signed by the start of entry talks, proposed for
October 2005; membership talks will be open-ended; there is no guarantee of
full membership if conditions are not met; if negotiations do fail, Europe
will
not turn its back on Turkey; Turkey must continue with political and economic
reforms; some safeguards may remain over migration of workers from Turkey.

A Turkish official quoted Erdogan as saying at one point: “You are choosing
600,000 Greeks (Cypriots) over 70 million Turks, and I cannot explain this to
my people.”

The Council decided to open talks with Turkey despite the fact that Turkey
fell short of meeting the clearly identified expectations of the European
Parliament, as adopted in a resolution this past Wednesday. Among these are
calls for Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian genocide, recognition of an
independent Cyprus, progress on the Kurdish question, and human rights
concerns. Significantly, European Council members did not even raise the
Parliament’s recommendations at their meeting.

In a dramatic development that lowers the bar for Turkey’s eventual
acceptance
into the Union, the Council abandoned its traditional consensus model, in
which
one nation could essentially veto Turkey’s membership. In its place, they
stipulated that fully one third of the EU member states would need to object
before negotiations are halted.
“These were not negotiations; this was a surrender. The idea of an integrated
Europe has been seriously compromised,” declared Laurent
Leylekian, Executive Director of the European Armenian Federation. “This
unfortunate result is due to the weakness of the European Union’s political
structures and the failure of leadership on the part of European heads of
state
in standing up to Ankara’s inflexibility and outright rejection of European
values.”
“We are, of course, gratified that our efforts over the last several years
have successfully placed the Armenian genocide and Turkey’s blockade of
Armenia
on the agenda of the highest levels of discussions concerning Turkey’s
possible
acceptance into the European Union. However, in light of the failure of
European leaders to stand up against Turkey’s aggressive and denialist
government, we call on citizens of the European Union to safeguard Europe’s
values through the exercise their democratic rights.” added Leylekian.

2) Thousands of European Armenian Demonstrate against Turkey-EU Accession

BRUSSELS (Combined Sources)–Thousands of Europeans of Armenian origin
demonstrated during a European Union summit in Brussels on Friday calling on
Turkey to admit to its genocide against Armenians.
The protesters, who arrived from throughout 10 European countries
specifically for the gathering outside EU headquarters, insisted such an
acknowledgment must be a precondition for Turkey to begin talks on joining the
EU.
“We wish to let the 25 EU countries now gathered know that citizens of
Armenian extraction want Turkey to acknowledge genocide as a precondition for
opening membership negotiations,” said one of the protest organizers.
Busloads of demonstrators arrived from Paris, while planes were chartered
to ferry in others from around Europe.
Speakers addressing the crowd included Garo Hovsepian, mayor of a district
of the French Mediterranean city of Marseille. He said a delegation had been
received here by the Dutch, who currently preside over the EU.
Meanwhile in Armenia, more than 200 young people demonstrated outside the
European Union Commission’s office in the capital Yerevan.
“European countries must not weaken because of false reforms in Turkey and
must not integrate into their ranks a country that committed the great crime
against humanity, genocide,” they declared in a letter to the commission
office.
“In agreeing to start negotiations, European countries are taking on
responsibility for this crime,” it added.
France, in 2001, became the third European Union nation to pass a measure
describing the 1915-1917 Ottoman Empire massacres of Armenians as genocide.
The European Parliament, in 1987, adopted a resolution which stated that
the
“tragic events of 1915-1917 against the Armenians based on Ottoman territory
constitute a genocide” according to the United Nations definition.

3) Turks Eye Europe for Jobs

(Bloomberg)–Almost half the respondents in a poll of 1,326 Turkish people in
20 Turkish cities said they would like to work in another European Union
country should Turkey become a member of the bloc, Stern magazine reported.
Twenty percent of the people surveyed between Nov. 8-19 by Nuremberg-based
Gesellschaft fuer Konsumforschung said they would like to work in Germany
while
29 percent said they would like to work in another EU country. Of those
wishing
to work in Germany, 71 percent would like to bring their family, the poll
showed, Stern said in an e-mailed statement.
Seventy-six percent of the respondents said they want Turkey to join the
EU, 42 percent said Germans would like Turkey to become a member, and 38
percent said Germans are opposed to Turkey’s membership. Stern said the
poll is
representative of 65 percent of Turkish people living in cities. Its margin of
error is 5 percent.

4) Gasparian Strikes Back

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–Armenia again stressed that a “package solution”
must be
sought in resolving the Mountainous Karabagh conflict rather than the
“step-by-step approach,” singled out by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev last
week,
while he expressed doubts about Armenia’s ability to implement independent
policy, saying “Armenia is Russia’s advanced post in South Caucasus.”
“Armenia’s position concerning the Karabagh negotiations is clear and
hasn’t changed. We once again assure that negotiations in Prague were based on
the package solution, and we are ready to continue them as we have stated many
times,” said Armenia’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamlet Gasparian. “If the
Azerbaijani side… is confused and doesn’t know with whom to hold the
negotiations, we will again have to point to Stepanakert. We hope they know
where Mountainous Karabagh is situated.”
While the “package solution” proposes settling key problems, including
status, security guarantees, and troop withdrawal, with a single,
comprehensive
agreement, the “step-by-step” approach
calls for Armenia to surrender specific buffer zones to Azerbaijan, in
exchange
of deployment of international peacekeepers in Mountainous Karabagh.

5) New York Times Journalist Skews the Truth about the Lives of Young
Armenians

Quite a stir has developed in response to Susan Sach’s article, Young
Armenians Puzzle over Their Homeland, published in both The New York Times and
International Herald Tribune, and was rerun in Asbarez on December 11.
It all began with an announcement on an Armenian internet-forum on
November 4,
about a New York Times journalist who had arrived in Armenia to find out how
the Armenian youth live. “She just wishes to communicate in a natural
environment,” read the posting.
For Sachs, the natural environment was apparently a smoky corner of the Red
Bull bar, a favorite hangout for university students. The meeting was planned
and conducted there.
Participants met Sachs, talked about a variety of issues, then forgot about
her fairly soon.
The peace broke in the December 9 issue of the New York Times, bearing the
rather depressing title: “For Young Armenians, A Promised Land without
Promise.” The article was also reprinted in the International Herald Tribune
under the title “Young Armenians Puzzled Over their Homeland.”
Sachs, incidentally, works as an Istanbul correspondent for The New York
Times.
Zara Amatuni, 21, one of the students who participated in the
forum, is
quoted in the article as saying, “We can fit in anywhere…The only place we
can’t is Armenia.”
Amatuni, however, surprised when the article hit, said Sachs “omitted all the
good that was said and left only what was interesting to her. I said I
would do
my best to stay here because it is my country. Moreover, a lot of improvements
have already taken place. But she did not publish that statement.” Amatuni,
who
has been debating about the article on forum, said the worst
part
is that Sachs agreed with her on every point, but later convoluted the story
and chose to ignore the central topics covered during their discussion.
In her attempt to depict totally desperate Armenian youth who are ready to
seek a future anywhere but in Armenia, Sachs introduces 22-year-old programmer
Viktor Aghababov, who plans to travel to Moscow in search of better luck,
revealing that his monthly salary is $650.
To the average American or European who has no idea about the cost of living
in Armenia, the figure is dismal. In reality, however, a $650 salary in
Armenia
is more than enough to maintain a relatively high standards of
life–especially
for a twenty-two year old.
Aghababov simply calls the article a “provocation,” and questions why Sachs
did not report that all the participants particularly expressed that
Armenia is
developing.
The interviewees, who say they did not know their photos and names would be
published, say their rights were violated and plan to submit a letter of
complaint to the New York Times editorial office.

6) Former ARS Sponsored Student Gives the ARS a Boost

–“I will never be able to repay the ARS,” said Ajemian.

GLENDALE–The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) of Western US Regional Executive
received an encouraging boost just in time for the holidays. An exciting
office
dedication at the ARS regional headquarters in Glendale, along with an elegant
luncheon, with over 400 members in attendance, marked a memorable end to a
great year.
As a former ARS sponsored student, Abraham Ajemian, with his wife Antaram,
returned the favor by sponsoring one of the ARS offices. Last May, as Mr. and
Mrs. Ajemian accompanied ARS members on a trip to ARS project sites in Armenia
and Karabagh, they were inspired to do more for the ARS, in addition to the
eight orphans they were already sponsoring through the ARS Sponsor-A-Child
program.
The ARS General Accountant/Controller of the Western Region, Jasik Jarahian,
arranged for the sponsorship of one of the offices located on the second floor
of the ARS Western Region headquarters building in Glendale. The generous
donation of $20,000 was officially made during a luncheon, with ARS Regional
Executive Vice-Chair, Sona Madarian, calling it “a day of celebration.”
Speaking on behalf of the Regional Executive, Madarian said, “There were,
there are, and there will be those who believe in the ARS, because they
appreciate the ARS’ accomplishments. Our work speaks for itself.”
Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, along with parish priest of St.
Mary
Church in Glendale Rev. Ardag Demirjian, officiated the blessing of the newly
refurbished office on December 5.
As Vice Chair of the ARS Central Executive Hasmig Derderian, along with
Madarian, placed the ARS emblem and tri-color ribbons on the couple, the
sponsors cut the ribbon to the office. In attendance were ARF Central
Committee
representative Karo Khanjian, Chair of the Armenia Fund West Coast Board Maria
Mehranian, Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Association’s Regional
Executive
representative Hrayr Shirikian, representatives of the Homenetmen Ararat
Chapter, as well as over 100 former sponsors, current and former members of
ARS
Regional Executives, and current members of ARS chapter executives.

7) AYF New Jersey “Arsen” Senior Chapter Member Wins Afghanistan’s First
Marathon

US soldier Mike Baskin, a senior member of the AYF NJ “Arsen” Chapter, won
Afghanistan’s first marathon on December 12. The AYF, along with the rest of
the country, is proud both of Mike’s accomplishment and duty to his country.

TIRIN KOT, Afghanistan (AP)–A US soldier won Afghanistan’s first marathon on
December 12, battling the country’s thin mountain air for more than three
hours
before crossing the finish line, where he promptly burst into tears
remembering
four comrades killed in recent fighting.
A total of 184 soldiers and civilians working for the US military took
part in
the race at Firebase Ripley, a remote camp near Tirin Kot in central Uruzgan
province, facing high altitude and a bumpy track as well as the threat of
attack.
Plastic palm trees among the gun stores and bunkers near the course lightened
the mood for the runners, who the Afghan National Olympic Committee said were
competing in the first marathon in the war-ravaged country’s history.
But the darker side of their mission resurfaced as the winner labored across
the finish line after five long laps of the airstrip to cheers and handshakes
in 3 hours, 12 minutes and 15 seconds–an impressive time for the conditions.
“I just thought about those four guys when I crossed, that they won’t be
going
home with us, and it kind of hit me,” 1st Lt. Mike Baskin, a native of
Santiago, California, told an Associated Press reporter.
The race, which ended nearly three hours before 20,000 people began the
Honolulu marathon, was the idea of members of the US Army’s 2nd Battalion, 5th
Infantry Regiment, based at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, who didn’t want to
miss out on the competition.
The unit, part of the 25th Infantry Division, is operating in one of
Afghanistan’s most hostile areas. It suffered its latest casualties when a
bomb
ripped through a patrol near Deh Rawood, another town in Uruzgan, on Nov. 24,
killing two soldiers. A similar attack killed two other soldiers in October.
Helicopters flew troops in from across Afghanistan for the race. Before the
start, the assembled runners cheered as two military jets thundered low over
the base, which lies 4,500 feet above sea level, and into the surrounding
mountains.
The competitors, shorn of their guns and flak jackets, toiled around the
circuit in shorts and T-shirts under cloudy skies and in temperatures of about
13 Celsius (55 Fahrenheit).
Some of the course was gravel, but most was covered by fine dust that a rare
overnight shower had turned to mud in patches. Its single hill was dubbed
Diamond Head for the Honolulu landmark, an extinct volcano.
The first woman to finish was Spc. Jill Stevens, a 21-year-old from Utah,
whose helicopter battalion is deployed at Bagram Air Base near Kabul.
All 153 finishers were presented with the same medals, certificates
and
black sponsored T-shirts as their Honolulu counterparts, and their times
are to
be recorded and listed in the same booklet.

8) ANC Mixer Attracts Community Leaders

GLENDALE–Over 90 community leaders and elected officials gathered at The
Cove
Thursday evening for a mixer hosted by the Armenian National Committee,
Glendale Chapter. The event provided guests an opportunity to meet the new
Executive Director, Alina Azizian, as well as the 2004-2005 board members.
Guests included State Senator Jack Scott, representatives from Congressman
Adam Schiff’s office and Assemblyman Dario Frommer’s office, Mayor Bob
Yousefian, and Councilmembers Rafi Manoukian, Frank Quintero, and Dave
Weaver.
Other guests included: Glendale Unified School District Superintendent Dr.
Michael Escalante, GUSD Assistant Superintendent Alice Petrossian, Glendale
Fire Chief Christopher Gray, Assistant Fire Chief Donald Biggs, Assistant
Police Chief Ronald DePompa, City Attorney Scott Howard, City Manager James
Starbird, Glendale Teachers Association President Sandra Fink, Armenian
National Committee of America Western Region Executive Director Ardashes
Kassakhian, Glendale Unified School District Board chairman Greg Krikorian,
and
board members Chakib Sambar and Pam Ellis, Glendale Community College Board of
Trustees members Ara Najarian and Anita Quinonez Gabrielian, and numerous
commissioners from the various city commissions.
“During the holiday season, it’s difficult to get so many busy people in the
same room,” commented Azizian, “but we had a fantastic turnout. It was
great to
meet the people that help make this city so wonderful. We have a great
coalition of community leaders working together to make this city even better,
and I look forward to working with them.”
Board members also spent the evening informing the community about the five
sub-committees within the ANC Glendale Chapter. Board Chairman Pierre
Chraghchian noted, “This year we have established five separate committees to
handle fundraising, media relations, community relations, elections, and
Genocide commemoration.” With the busy election season around the corner and a
new director to run the operations, the five subcommittees will play a key
role
in the organization.
Alina Azizian was appointed in November as the organization’s first Executive
Director. The Armenian National Committee, Glendale Chapter, is located at 721
South Glendale Ave. in Glendale. You can reach ANC Glendale at
818.243.3444. To
find out more about the subcommittees (or to join), please email
[email protected].

9) Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on EU’s Door

BY SKEPTIK SINIKIAN

This last week has been an action packed one vis-à-vis Turkey’s attempts to
storm the gates of the European Union. The media wishes the public to believe
that this is an issue of a Christian Boys Club wanting to admit the Bad Boy
Muslim–painting this issue with a brush that is reminiscent of private clubs
in America denying African-Americans or women access during the pre-civil
rights era. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Reporters, like their readership, are like children. They like a good
story. If the news isn’t interesting, they have to find an angle that is. The
media and particularly the American media try to portray this as an issue
where
Turkey is this poor misunderstood child that has always lived in the
neighborhood but the other kids just don’t want to play with him. Turkey sits
inside his house, staring out the window at the kids playing soccer (or foot
boll in Europe) in the park, and when he runs out to join them, he’s ridiculed
and told to go home. (Cue the violins…wait for it…) Poor, sad Turkey. (wow!)
What will Turkey do? All it wants to do is play with the other children.
This is the story the media wants you to buy. This is the after school
special that wrenches people’s hearts. “The must-see political issue of the
winter” –European Times. “Turkey’s performance as the lonely outcast has EU
written all over it”–USA Tomorrow. “This tale of hope and courage is perfect
for the Holiday Season and reminds all we need to be more tolerant. Two thumbs
up, way up!” –State Department and Ebert.
Well, sometimes real life is scarier than anything Stephen King can
cook
up. Here’s the story that you won’t hear. You know that kid that lives in
that
house at the end of the street? Yeah, that kid who just sits there and stares
at us from his window and never goes to school? Well, you know why the other
kids never let him play with them? Sit down and let me tell you the real
story
of what happened–the Nightmare on Anatolia Street.
Years ago, there was a family that lived in that house. This was before
anyone had even moved into this neighborhood and before we had built the
bridge
across the creek that connects us to them. Well, that house has been there for
a long, long time. And actually, that mansion-sized house there was the
site of
about three or four different houses…at least until they came. Everyone liked
the family who lived there. The Armens were a polite family. They were hard
working, industrious, always went to church, and never bothered anybody. Then,
one day, a new family moved in from across town…way across town. They called
themselves the Seljuks or Ossmans or something, but nowadays they go by the
name Turk. Well, the Armens didn’t want the Turks moving in but these guys
were
from a rough part of town. In fact, the reason they even moved to Anatolia
Street was because they were pushed out by some rough gang called the Mongols.
They were pretty pissed off when they moved out here and they took it out on
the poor Armens. Pretty soon, they’d moved into the Armen house too and made
the Armens into their butlers, maids, chauffeurs, and gardeners. If it wasn’t
for the Armens, that house would have collapsed. One day, they tried to even
move into Mr. Austria’s house, but the neighborhood council met and pushed
them
back to their original property borders.
The Turks tried to fit in with the rest of the neighborhood, but the
more they tried, the more they stuck out like sore thumbs. There was that one
annual block party many years ago when the Turks came over to Balkans house
and
allegedly tried to kidnap their youngest son or daughter. I’m not sure about
the details now. It was so long ago. But the point is that the Turks never
quite fit in.
Well, over time, because the neighborhood kept growing, there came a
point where all of the bad things that the Turks had done to the Armens were
forgotten. The poor Armens had become so used to being butlers and gardeners
that hardly anyone, except the old timers, even really remembered that the
Armens used to own that property. Every now and then one of the Armen’s
younger kids would move away from the house never to come back. They’d tell us
stories of horrible abuse and domestic violence, but no one wanted to rock the
boat by going over there and telling the Turks how to live their lives.
Then things got really bad. One day, while the garbage man was
collecting
trash, he saw what he thought was a bloody rag in the trash and it looked like
human blood. He decided to call the cops. And so the cops showed up and asked
the Turks a bunch of questions. But in the end, there wasn’t enough
evidence to
do anything about. Plus, like I said, this was a quiet neighborhood and
everyone had their own problems to deal with.
Every now and then, when I’d walk home from school and walk past that
house, I’d see ol’ Mrs. Armen either watering the lawn or taking out the
trash.
She had this sad look on her face. And she was always, and I mean ALWAYS
bruised. She’d look at me with these eyes that seemed to call out for help,
but
I was a kid and there’s nothing I could have done. But after what happened a
few years later, I wish I had. I wish someone had.
It was around the time when things were really bad in the neighborhood.
The Kërmans weren’t getting along with the Francois family and there was
always
bickering going on between one family or another. The Turks had their own
problems. Mr. Turk had lost his job, three of his sons had moved back home
from
college, and were helping him get his house in order, and the Armens were
being
beaten worse than before. Then one night, we heard a series of blood curdling
screams and everyone was woken from their sleep. The screams went on for a
good
hour and everyone rushed out of their homes to see what had happened. On the
front lawn of the Turk Household was Mr. Armen, Mrs. Armen, and their 9 month
old baby sprawled across the lawn, both bodies bruised as usual but unusually
bloody and from what we could tell, the entire family lay there lifeless. Mr.
Turk stood over them with his hands covered in blood, a look of insane rage in
his eyes and kept staring around at everyone. Some say it was only a matter of
time before something happened. Others think the Armens were stupid to stick
around when all the signs were already there. But can you blame a family for
staying in their own household? Wasn’t it our fault that we didn’t act when we
saw all the signs? The cops came by and arrested Mr. Turk. His sons escaped
but
were hunted down in the following months by vengeful relatives of the Armens.
The cops kept Mr. Turk for questioning but somehow he was able to post bail.
Over time, the case dragged on and on and after another disaster hit the
neighborhood and another after that, no one seemed to even remember what had
happened on that tragic night. Or at least no one wanted to remember because
what Mr. Turk did was pure evil, but what the rest of us didn’t do to stop it
was even worse.
Some say that the Turk has the rest of the Armen family members still
buried in his backyard. No one, not even the cops are willing to go over and
reopen the investigation. Every time I walk by that house, I know that a
murderer lives there. And even though all the heads of the different
households
will politely nod their heads in greeting when they see Mr. Turk or his
wife or
his poor lonely child in the street, at night, when they are home with their
own children, and they’re tucking them away in their beds, they tell them
“Stay
away from that Turk house. Those people are murderers. They’re not like us.”

Skeptik Sinikian would like to be your neighbor or roommate. If you don’t
drink or smoke and keep to yourself, contact him at [email protected] or
visit his blog at

10) Irritants II

By Garen Yegparian

Today we’ll hit some more items that leave me peeved!

Why don’t we hold “louder” remembrances of the Sumgait massacres? I’ll bet
you
can’t even remember the month and year they occurred! Such activities would
certainly keep Azerbaijan’s diplomatic corps and their hirelings occupied with
denial instead of being able to act preemptively to Armenia’s detriment.

Why don’t we create more of a fuss over Azerbaijan’s disruptions of the
ceasefire? This too would keep Azerbaijan’s representatives skittering like
cockroaches to do damage control.

Why didn’t we picket or otherwise counteract the Holocaust memorial held
in LA
last April featuring that despicable, genocide-denying-Holocaust-survivor of a
Congressman from the bay area, Rep. Tom Lantos? There were full page ads in
the
LA Times with that cretin’s picture. I shudder as I remember it!

Why is the Soviet spelling of our language still in use both in Armenia and
diaspora? That divisive, orthographically destructive obscenity should be sent
off to join the dinosaurs!

Why don’t we CELEBRATE, and yes I mean exactly that, the assassination of
Talaat Pasha and his ilk? Imagine. We’d be drinking toasts all night to
Shiragian, Tehlirian, Torlakian, Yerganian, and the others. It’d be great!

Why do we keep purchasing massive quantities of made-in-Turkey products? I
know, I know, this is a rerun, but well worth bringing up again because
it’s so
abhorrent!

Why are we not cynical about the publication of General Antranig’s biography
in Turkish earlier? Is the translation true to Chelabian’s original? Did the
author pre-approve it? How could that happen when Antranig is one of the
biggest ogres in Turkish eyes? What’s up?

Why do we tolerate vermin such as those Armenians who are willing to become
willing tools of Turkish and American diplomacy by lending their names to TARC
(Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission) or anything like it that might
come as recently reported by Harut Sassounian. These people are traitors, pure
and simple. We ought to shun them completely. The let’s see what kind of
legitimacy they can bring to such debauched initiatives.

Enough, more in a few months.

11) Armenian Youth Protest at Netherlands Consulate

LOS ANGELES–Over 100 Armenian American youth protested at the Netherlands
Consulate General Offices on Thursday, December 17. The protest was in
reaction
to the impending European Union accession talks with the Republic of Turkey.
The Dutch currently hold the six-month EU presidency. Official representatives
of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) met with the Consul General of the
Netherlands and expressed their opposition to Turkey’s possible membership in
the EU. In an official letter, the AYF outlined numerous human rights
violations by Turkey and specifically called on European leaders to hold
Turkey
accountable for perpetrating genocide against Armenians between the years of
1915-23. Spanning across two blocks of Wilshire Blvd. during the afternoon
rush
hour and holding placards with various slogans such as “No EU for Turkey” and
“First Justice, then EU,” the protesters joined in the international Armenian
effort to voice opposition to Turkish membership in the EU and to bring into
the limelight Turkey’s gross violations of basic human rights.

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Choice for Turkey or Europe?

Yerkir
17 Dec 04

Today Europe is making a crucial choice: it will vote to approve or
deny Turkey a membership in the European Union. Today’s decision,
indeed, is a critical one for the future of Turkey, its neighbors,
including Armenia, and the region.

But most of all the decision will influence Europe’s future. If Turkey
gets a green light, it would be hard to predict whether or not that
country — with its present standards, civilization approaches, the
burden of its internal problems and attitude toward its neighbors —
would become a nation of European values, but one thing is apparent:
the Europe we — and the Europeans — knew will never exist any more.

Because Europe is not just about geography, it is a first of all a
certain civilization. And Turkey does not belong in there especially
because it denies the measures and conditions on the road to Europe.

That makes us make certain conclusions, like urging those who give
us lessons and advice on European standards, to respect those values
themselves.

Loss of school
By Hovhannes Yeranian

Yerkir
17 Dec 04

Last representative of the Armenian classic theater, Khoren Abrahamian
has passed away. The brief description of his of his acting history
would be accurate play, perfect match to scenic psychology and role.

It was a school that the actor had inherited from his teacher,
Armen Gulakian. A school that needed continuation, but found no
organizer. Today we can only learn the school by studying Khoren
Abrahamian’s play records.

Some ten days before his death, Abrahamian said in an interview
that he needed a studio, where he would train over ten gifted young
people. Who was he applying to? Neither he knew, nor do we.

Recently, the press commented on the fact that Abrahamian’s last
service at the opera house was followed by a concert show. We believe
artificial funerals should be ended and Armenian sons and daughters
should be laid in the Grigor Lusavorich church, where people can come
and pass last respects.

NOR ZHAMANAKNER PARTY SUGGESTS TO SEND DETACHMENT TO ANOTHER REGION

Azg/arm
21 Dec 04

Nor Zhamanakner party (the New Times) made a statement in which the
party members again condemn the Armenian authorities for sending an
Armenian detachment to Iraq, taking into account the bitter experience
of 1970s in Lebanon, when one of our Diaspora communities was on
the verge of disaster. The tragedy was averted only by conducting a
balanced and neutral policy. The statement said that the necessity
to join the international anti-terrorist struggle should not endanger
the interests of Armenia, otherwise we should look for an alternative
version of joining the program. The party suggests to discuss and
find another hotbed for sending the Armenian detachment under the UN
shelter, where the interests of the Arabic world and the Republic of
Armenia will not clash. At the same time, the party calls on holding
an open vote at RA National Assembly on the abovementioned issue, so
that both the people who took the decision and the ones who approve
it feel responsibility.

Itâ~@~Ys worth mentioning that recently, John Evans, US ambassador
to Armenia, visited the office of Nor Zhamanakner party where he
had a conversation with Aram Karapetian, leader of the party, for
several hours.

–Boundary_(ID_wYcKM2m7R04QQUneD6uCsg)–