FIRST PUBLIC FORUM OF JAVAKHK PRESENTS PROBLEMS OF REGION AND WAYS OF THEIR
SOLVEMENT

AKHALKALAKI, December 16 (Noyan Tapan). The first public forum
held upon the initiative of the Armenian public organizations of
Samtskhe-Javakheti was held in Akhalkalaki on December 11. The
socio-economic problems of the region were discussed during the
forum. The issues of language, culture, self-government will be
discussed during the next forums.

The name of the forums, i.e “Integration, not Assimilation” the
Armenian public organizations of Javakhk explained by the fact that
the Armenian population of the region, which wasn’t against the
integration of the krai into Georgia, at the same don’t agree with
the policy of “integration” carried out by the central authorities,
which leads to assimilation in reality.

According to the A-Info Agency, participants of the forum listened
to the reports of two experts on socio-economic issues of the region
Ashot Shipaktsian and Artashes Palangian. Rapporteurs touched upon the
discriminating policy of the central Georgian authorities, as a result
the region populated by the Armenians is in so grave socio-economic
condition now.

In the approved resolution the forum presents the socio-economic
problems facing Javakhk, establishing that Samstskhe-Javakheti yielded
to other regions of the country on the indices of human development
greatly. Such problems are enumerated: unemployment, migration,
the collapse of the public health system, the low level of social
defense, the deepening of poverty, state of roads, fuel and energy
crisis, etc. The resolution emphasizes that the participation of the
national minorities in the public and political life of the country
and in the solution of the socio-economic problems isn’t provided.

The forum expressed worry about the fact that “the available problems
and the susceptibilities of the Georgian authorities’ policy in the
spheres of national minorities’ rights and demography (…) can damage
the international authority of Georgia and the development of democracy
in the country, the unsolved socio-economic and other problems can
strike a blow to the integration of the national minorities into
society, delays in the resoution of accumulated problems can create
new unwished tension, the atmosphere, which is explosive without this,
is becoming more heated as a result of the nationalistic propaganda
of some mass medias and public and political organizations.”

The resolution suggests the ways of the improvement of the situation,
including the creation of jobs, the development of transport and other
infrastructures, the repairs of highways connecting the region with the
seaside regions of Georgia, with Tbilisi and Armenia, as well as the
overhaul of inter-village roads, the application of new technologies
in the sphere of agriculture, the provision of the agricultural
products processing in the provinces, the rapid resolution of the
irrigation problem, the reconstruction and resumption of the work of
Akhalkalaki airport.

The forum thinks it is necessary that the measures contributing to
the formation, strengthening and preservation of the atmosphere of
tolerance in the international problems should be undertaken. The
forum also emphasizes the importance of cooperation with the
international organizations, which are engaged in the issues of
democracy development, human development, human rights protection
and economic integration.

The Council is charged with the establishment of the particularized
committee that should elaborate the program on the socio-economic
development of Samtskhe-Javakheti to present it to the corresponding
bodies interested in it. Besides, the forum decided to apply to the
central Georgian authorities and the local self-governmental bodies
once again with hope for multilateral discussion and the solution
of problems, as well as decided to cooperate with the international
structures, donor-countries, a well as public organizations and mass
medias, Armenian public organizations operating in Georgia.

EUROPARLIAMENT DEMANDS FROM TURKEY RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

STRASBOURG, December 15 (Noyan Tapan). On December 15, the
Europarliament with 407 votes for and 262 votes against made amendments
and adopted a resolution on Turkey’s joining the EU written by a
Dutch deputy Camiel Eurlings.

According to the European Armenian Federation for Justice and
Democracy, the Europarliament addresses the Armenian issues at least in
8 points of the resolution. The amendments proposed in this connection
have been written by parliamentarians who represent 5 factions.

In the final version of the resolution the Europarliament asks Turkey
to be reconciled to the Armenian people by recognizing the Armenian
genocide and calls on the European Council and the European Commission
to demand that Turkey officially recognize the historic reality of
the genocide and lift without delay the blockade imposed on Armenia.

Amendment No.18 on the Armenian genocide, which was written by deputies
Fransis Wurts and Dimitrios Papadimoulids, was adopted with 395 votes
for and 273 votes against.

Amendment No.83 written by Jaques Toubou and some other deputies was
adopted with 332 votes for and 325 votes against and calls on the
European Commission and the European Council to demand that Turkey
recognize the Armenian genocide and lift without delay the blockade
imposed on Armenia “in accordance with the European Council resolutions
adopted in 1987 and 2004.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“I HAVE FULLY LIVED ALL YEARS,” GOHAR GASPARIAN SAYS

YEREVAN, December 15 (Noyan Tapan). On December 15, the glorification
evening of famous opera singer Gohar Gasparian, USSR People’s Artist,
laureate of state prizes, will be organized in the Yerevan Chamber
Music House after Komitas.

According to RA NA Public Relations Department, the previous
day, the singer’s birthday, Hranush Hakobian, Chairwoman of RA NA
Standing Commission on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Affairs,
Heghine Bisharian and Ararat Malkhasian, members of the commission,
visited the singer and congratulated her on the occasion of her
80th anniversary. They said warm words in the memory of her husband,
Tigran Levonian, as well. By the way, Tigran Levonian’s birthday is
also on December 14.

According to the great singer, she has fully lived all years, doesn’t
want to bring back anything from her past, she misses her late husband
and needs him very much.

PRESENTATION OF “FATAL TOYS” VIDEO FILM TAKES PLACE IN ETCHMIADZIN

ETCHMIADZIN, December 15 (Noyan Tapan). The “Fatal Toys” video
film was presented in the patriarchate of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin. The film is dedicated to the children who became disabled
because of the mines and other uncontrolled ammunition left after
the war in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and border regions. About 10
children tell what happened to them and speak about their problems in
the 30-minute film. Photographer German Avagian’s works, photographs
and stories of disabled children put down by him were used in the film.

“The war is still going on in Nagorno Karabakh, occupied territories
and other border regions of Armenia,” Tigran Paskevichian, Director
of Shoghakat TV company, the author of the film, said in his opening
speech. He also said that they intend to publish a book representing
the stories of these children and showing the arms crippling them
with their characteristics.

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II was also present at the
presentation. In his speech he praised the film and thanked its
producers.

The film was produced by the Shoghakat TV company with the grant of
the Internews NGO.

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II EXPRESSES SATISFACTION WITH CAREFUL ATTITUDE
OF RF AUTHORITIES TO ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

ETCHMIADZIN, December 16, (Noyan Tapan). On December 15, His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians received
Mr. Boris Grislov, President of the State Duma (Parliament) of the
Russian Federation.

His Holiness welcomed the honored guest to the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin and reflected on the increasing cooperation between
Armenia and Russia in economic and cultural spheres. Thanking His
Holiness for the audience, Mr. Grislov informed the Catholicos of
the details of his recent visit to Armenia and the agreements which
were made between the two governments.

His Holiness and Mr. Grislov also spoke of the close ties that exist
between the Armenian Apostolic and Russian Orthodox Churches. Offering
his best wishes to the President of the Duma, the Catholicos of All
Armenians extended his appreciation to the Russian authorities for
their care and attention to the Armenian community in Russia.

Present for the meeting were His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrossian,
Director of Inter-Church Relations for the Mother See; Mher
Shahnazarian, president of the standing committee for defense,
national security and internal affairs for the National Assembly
of the Republic of Armenia; and Anatoly Dryukov, Ambassador of the
Russian Federation to Armenia.

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES DEAN OF POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF AMERICAN
UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT

ANTELIAS, LEBANON, December 15 (Noyan Tapan). Dr. Farid El Khazen, the
Dean of the Political Science Department of the American university
of Beirut, met on December 14 His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of
Great House of Cilicia.

According to the Press Office of the the Armenian Catholicosate of
Cilicia, the agenda of the meeting covered issues related to the local
political life, the prevailing situation in Iraq and peace process,
as well as the question of membership of Turkey in European community.

Dr. Farid El Khazen is a well known politician and a key member of
the opposition in Lebanon.

Dr. Khazen was accompanied by Dr. Nora Bayrakdarian, a member of the
Ecumenical Relations’ Committee of the Catholicosate.

ARAM I: “HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO ACCEPT TURKEY IN EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
WHEN IT STILL IGNORES GENOCIDE COMMITTED AGAINST ARMENIAN PEOPLE”

ANTELIAS, LEBANON, December 15 (Noyan Tapan). In the context of a
telephone interview with a European press agency, and in answering to a
question concerning the membership of Turkey in European community, His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, expressed his concern and said:
“European community was not established only on economic interests
and political collaboration. It is fundamentally a community of human
values which ensure the identity, integrity and unity of Europe,
and give a particular place and role to Europe in international
community. Among these values human rights occupy an important place”.

According to the Press Office of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia,
His Holiness Aram I raised a great doubt and concern about the way
the human rights are respected in Turkey. He said: “To what degree
and in what way the human rights values are accepted, respected and
practiced in and by Turkey? Turkey still ignores its immediate past;
it still rejects to recognize the Genocide which was planned and
executed by the Ottoman Turkey in 1915. I believe that the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey is not only an “Armenian problem”;
it is a problem that pertains to the entire international community,
since it is a problem of justice and human rights. The recognition of
the Armenian Genocide by Turkey must be taken very seriously by Europe
as Turkey is trying by all means to become a full member of Europe”.

Then concluding his remarks, said: “In this globalized world of ours
nations, religions, cultures and civilizations must live together
on the basis of peaceful coexistence. But living together as good
neighbors and as part of broader community implies to accept our fault,
to affirm the truth and recognize the rights of the others. In fact,
the real community is built on the basis of mutual trust and by doing
justice. Therefore, it is my firm expectation that beyond economic and
political interests Europe will continue to remain firmly attached to
basic human values. It is the expectation and hope of Armenians all
over the world that the present Turkey reaffirm the truth, accepting
the historical reality by recognizing the Armenian Genocide”.

In answering to a question related to the recent pressures and
difficulties surrounding the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in Turkey,
His Holiness Aram I said: “Here is another concrete example of the
way the human rights are respected in Turkey. The World Council of
Churches and the Conference of the Churches in Europe have publicly
expressed their concern on this matter expressing their solidarity
with the Ecumenical Patriarch”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RAFFI PORTAKAL BRINGS WORKS OF PICASSO, DALI AND OTHER WORLD-FAMED ARTISTS IN TURKEY

ISTANBUL, December 16 (Noyan Tapan). “Raffi Portokal, a specialist of
art and an organizer of auctions on the sail of art works, realized
his dream, i.e to familiarize art-lovers of Turkey to the creation
of the most famous and most talented artists of the world,” Istanbul
“Marmara” newspaper writes.

These days the “Portakal” hall is turned to a show-room and guarded
by the strongest security measures, as one may watch Picasso’s “Man
with Pipe”, Salvador Dali’s “Magic – Seven Ats”, Raul Dyufi “Harbor
Fishers” and other works of 15 world-famed artists of the West.

Raffi Portakal said during his interview given to the “Zaman” newspaper
that it is time now to represent the Turkish art abroad and the foreign
art in Turkey. He expressed hope that all the art-lovers would visit
the exhibition and watch the originals of the greatest artists’ works.

ARMENIANS OF NOR JUGHA MAKE READY FOR ELECTIONS OF DELEGATE ASSEMBLY OF
ARMENIAN DIOCESE OF ISFAHAN

NOR JUGHA, December 15 (Noyan Tapan). The first meeting with the voters
of the electocal commission of the city of Nor Jugha (New Jugha),
established in connection with the elections of the 13th Delegate
Assembly of the Armenian Diocese of Isfahan. These elections will be
held on January 21, 2005. Archimandrite Babken Charian, the Head of the
Armenian Diocese of Isfahan, representatives of the 12th Assembly, the
Diocesan Council and other national bodies, as well as representatives
of the Armenian educational establishments participated in the meeting.

According to the “Alik” (“Wave”) newspaper of Tehran, Jani Ghazarian,
the Chairman of the Commission spoke before the participants, he
psesented the work of the commission. Then Tatul Ohanian, the Chairman
of the 12th Delegate Assembly, and Hrair Shahnazarian, the Chairman
of the Diocesan Council, also made speeches. In his speech the latter
spoke about the role of the Delegate Assembly, its obligations and
responsibilities. He stressed that it is necessary to seriously treat
the role of the Delegate Assembly, as the school, religion, culture,
education underlie the national life, and the people should take an
active part in it.

Program gives kids a shot in the arm

Organization hopes to raise $200,000 at fundraising
dinner to vaccinate children in Armenia.

Glendale News-Press
December 15, 2004

By Josh Kleinbaum

PASADENA — Until two years ago, children in Armenia
received one vaccination, paid for by international
aid organization UNICEF. The vaccination only covered
measles, leaving children exposed to a handful of
other diseases, including mumps and congenital
rubella.

Outbreaks of mumps began rippling through the young
population of Armenia, said Kathryn Donovan, a UNICEF
spokeswoman. Adults suffered from rubella, leading to
unhealthy newborns.

“Untreated mumps, while not fatal, can have serious
health consequences,” Donovan said.

A Glendale-based organization is giving the next
generation of Armenians a shot in the arm, quite
literally. The Millennium Armenian Children’s Vaccine
Fund is raising $1.5 million to vaccinate every child
in Armenia for diphtheria, hepatitis B, mumps,
measles, rubella, pertussis, polio, tetanus and
tuberculosis. At 6:30 tonight, the fund will hold a
gala fundraising dinner to try to raise the final
$200,000.

“This is the one sector of aid or health that reaches
every single person who was born in Armenia,” said
Eliza Karagezian, the fund’s director. “All of the
other projects are necessary or important, but none of
them touches every single person the way that our
project does. Starting off a new generation of
children in Armenia on a healthy foot is extremely
important. The first step of a healthy democracy is
having a healthy population.”

Michael Mahdesian, former deputy director, Bureau for
Humanitarian Response United States Agency for
International Development, and Lise Grandé, United
Nations Development Program Resident Representative to
Armenia, will speak at the $200 per person gala at the
Craven’s Estate, 430 Madeline Drive in Pasadena. Actor
Mike Connors will be a special guest.

Organizers hope the fundraiser will complete the $1.5
million two-year fundraising effort, which is expected
to vaccinate 37,000 Armenian children per year for the
next 15 years.

“What I love about this program is fact that a little
bit of effort yields a great good,” said Tamar
Kevonian, publisher of Mosaix, an Armenian lifestyles
magazine, who will serve as master of ceremonies.
“It’s a finite project, not something that people have
to contribute to every year. There’s a lot of other
organizations that provide assistance, but this is on
such a molecular level. If we don’t keep these kids
healthy, they can’t grow up to take advantage of
education benefits, career benefits, anything.”

Karagezian said tickets will be available at the door.
For more information, call 291-6490.

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