SPEECH OF SLOVAKIAN DEPUTY MILOSHKA AT THE PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSION OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

BRATISLAVA, December 3 (Noyan Tapan). As we have already stated,
Frantishek Mikloshka, a Slovakian deputy from the Christian Democratic
Party, the first Parliament speaker of the country, played a great
role in the Parliament’s adopting the resolution recognizing the
Armenian Genocide. Mikoshka was the author of the resolution. Below we
present the text of his speech provided by NT correspondent in
Bratislava.

“On the Christmas of 1990, immediately after the first free elections
of that year, the Slovakian National Assembly adopted its first
historical statement, a request for apology addressed to all the
Jewish compatriots for their deportation in 1939-1945 and the tragic
aftermath.

In February 1991, the Slovakian National Assembly adopted another
statement addressed to the Carpathian Germans who had lived in the
territory of our country for centuries. It was again a request for
apology for their collective deportation. Meanwhile, the Slovakian
Parliament verified the principle of collective sin.

Thus, we were eager to start a new era in 1989. A retrospective glance
with acknowledgement of one’s own sins may be a reliable glance at the
future. I tell you this, because today I am going to speak of a key
issue, the Genocide that the Ottoman Empire committed against the
Armenian people in 1915.

True, as introduction to the aforementioned statements we, as the
representatives of Slovakia, commented on our own problems, but it is
also true that in the global unification of continents and the world,
as well as in conditions of freedom and democracy, there exist no
internal problems of a country, especially when the matter concerns a
crime against the humanity and it is also true that the Turkish state,
of which we speak today, has refused to recognize the Armenian
Genocide so far.

What has occurred in reality?

Two million Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire during the World War
I. The decision to commit a Genocide against Armenians was made by the
Ottoman authorities in 1915. Over a million people were deported and
expelled to the Der Zor desert of Syria in 1915. Thousands were
cruelly massacred in places. Many died of hunder in the way, others
died of exhaustion and epidemies in concentration camps. Mass
deportation and massacre were carried out by Turkish nationalists in
1920-1923. Those nationalists were representing a new political union
against Young Turks who had adopted a similar ethnic and ideological
orientation. Thousands of Armenians fled to Russia where they lived as
refugees. The so-called regiment of Young Turks intruded into the
Caucasus in 1918 where about 1.8 mln. Armenians lived under the
Russian ruling. The Ottoman units crossed Azerbaijan to get to
Southern Armenia and continue massacres. It is well known that over
1.5 million Armenians were killed in 1915-1918. The historic Armenia
and minor Asia had been relieved of Armenians by 1923. The Armenian
community was abolished from that part of the world.

What’s the situation today?

Turkey has not recognized the 1915 Armenian Genocide so far. As soon
as Armenia was declared an independent state, Turkey closed the border
with Armenia. Armenia has neither a short way to Europe nor any
economic or diplomatic relations with Turkey. The Turkish Parliament
has adopted a law condemning any public statement about the Armenian
Genocide or the division of Cyprus. The Armenian community now living
in Turkey is usually exposed to political pressure as a national
minority.

When stepping on Poland Hitler stated: “Who speaks of the Armenian
Genocide today?”

In what way are his words being carried out today and how does the
world feel for this tragedy?

Statements, declarations and laws on the Armeniand Genocide have been
adopted by the governments and parliaments of the following countries
so far.

Canada adopted it in 2004, Argentine in 2004, Uruguay in 1965, 2004,
Switzerland in 2003, European Parliament in 1987, 2000, 2002, Italy in
2000, Vatican in 2000, UN in 1985, France in 2000, Libya in 1997,
2000, Sweden in 2000, Belgium in 1998, Greece in 2003, Russia in 1995,
Cyprus in 1982, the United States in 1916, 1920, 1984, 1996.

Theodor Rousevelt once stated “…The Armenian Genocide has been the
most serious war crime, thus the inability to oppose to the Ottoman
Empire means to forgive those actions. A weak or non radical treatment
of the Turkish horror means wasing empty promises and ordinary
nonsense providing guarantees of peaceful future…”

Unfortunately, the decades that followed came to prove his rightness.

Let us express our consolidation to this small nation with ancient
history and culture, the people who have struggled for survival
throughout their existence.

Joining the aformentioned countries I suggest that the Slovakian
National Assembly adopt a Statement on the 1915 Armenian Genocide.”

RA PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARIAN AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS
DISCUSS ISSUES OF STATE’S SUPPORT TO CHURCH

YEREVAN, December 3 (Noyan Tapan). Issues regarding the relations and
cooperation between the Church and the State, as well as issues
regarding the available problems of the Church and the State’s
possible support to their resolution were discussed during the
December 1 meeting of RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian with
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. According to the RA
government’s press service, the RA Prime Minister and the Patriarch
also touched upon the problems concerning struggle against the
sectarian religious organizations, the involvement of a representative
of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the Jubilee Commission on
Celebration of the 1600th Anniversary of the Creation of the Armenian
Alphabet, as well as participation of the Church in the national
arrangements foreseen in the jubilee year.

Russia loses another friend to the West

The Times/UK
December 04, 2004

Analysis: By Richard Beeston

PRESIDENT PUTIN faced the most serious foreign policy crisis of his
five-year rule last night after the Kremlin’s efforts to install a
pro-Russian leader in Ukraine were left in tatters. With Viktor
Yushchenko, the pro-Western opposition leader, firm favourite to win
the new runoff election, Mr Putin faces the loss of Russia’s
centuries-old dominance over its Slavic neighbour.

Ukraine’s display of people power, which came after that in
Georgialast year, will make it harder for the Kremlin to manipulate
elections across the former Soviet empire.

The guiding principle of successive Russian leaders is that Russia can
never be a great European power without Ukraine, a country of 48
million people that in Soviet days provided raw materials, industries
and manpower for Moscow.

Mr Putin made no secret of his support for Viktor Yanukovych, the
Prime Minister, who championed strong links with Russia and
represented the interests of the Russian-speaking eastern half of the
country. The Russian leader visited Ukraine twice to campaign for the
official candidate. Moscow poured huge resources into Mr Yanukovych’s
campaign. Even before the disputed results were announced, Mr Putin
contacted Mr Yanukovych to congratulate him on his victory.

Seen from the Kremlin, the revolt in Kiev and the complaints from the
West about election fraud merely confirmed suspicions that the
pro-Russian candidate was stripped of his rightful victory by Western
intelligence agencies.

Over the past few days, the increasingly desperate Kremlin had
attempted to ditch its candidate and find a more acceptable one to
stand in an entirely new election – a manoeuvre wrecked by a
compromise figure capable of uniting the divided country. But the
Supreme Court ruling, ordering a rerun of the last election, means
that Mr Yushchenko will be almost impossible to beat. The fallout from
a Yushchenko victory could have severe consequences not only for
Russia’ s relations with its neighbours but also with the West.

US officials said that Washington was growing increasingly alarmed by
the behaviour of the Kremlin, which has centralised power, silenced
the media and in effect renationalised the country’s largest oil
company. `Russia and the Russian Government are seeking to restore
hegemony in the old Soviet space,’ a source close to the White House
said. `The Russian national security elite will never accept a
Western-orientated Ukraine.

It is hard to see how the US can carry on its current relationship
with Russia.’

Certainly attitudes in Russia are likely to harden. Mr Putin came to
power promising to rebuild Russia from the chaos of post-communism and
project Russia’ s influence abroad, particularly in the former Soviet
republics now in the CIS. Yet under his rule Russia has seen an
erosion of influence in countries where its authority once went
unchallenged.

This time last year, a popular revolt in neighbouring Georgia saw the
rise of another pro-Western leader when Mikhail Saakashvili came to
power in Tbilisi. The three Baltic States, Latvia, Lithuania and
Estonia joined the European Union and Nato this year. US forces,
involved in the War on Terror, are now based in Georgia and
Uzbekistan. Oil-rich Azerbaijan remains hostile to Russia’s interests
in the region and even once-loyal Armenia is having second thoughts.

A victory for Mr Yushchenko would be regarded by hardliners in the
Kremlin as the first step towards Ukraine ultimately joining Nato and
the EU. At this rate Russia would be left with only one ally in the
region, President Lukashenko of Belarus – a poor consolation prize.

Some liberal commentators in Russia have criticised Mr Putin for
mishandling Ukraine, but the criticisms have been drowned out by
nationalist calls for action to defend Russia’s interests and those of
its brethren across the border.

Oksana Antonenko, an expert on the region at the International
Institute of Strategic Studies, predicted that the current crisis
would embolden the growing nationalist movement. `Everything that is
happening in the Ukraine is being portrayed in the Russian media as
the fault of the West,’ she said.This will only increase the growing
power of the Right in Russia.’

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
12/03/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Baku Opposes Minsk Group Approach, Rejects Compromise for Karabagh
Settlement
2) Karabagh President Discusses Telethon Results with Cabinet
3) Turkey Condemns Slovak Recognition of Armenian Genocide
4) Ukraine Court Orders New Run-off Election
5) Schiff Criticizes Genocide Remarks of Turkish Official
6) How to Lose a Girl in 40 Days While Sleepless in the Valley
7) Tidbits From The Diner
8) Separatism–No Longer a Dirty Word?
9) Forget The Fat Lady–Let Hasserjian Sing
10) Veteran Photographer Harry Koundakjian Photo Exhibition and Public Program
11) Earth Tones–Works of Two Abstract Expressionists

1) Baku Opposes Minsk Group Approach, Rejects Compromise for Karabagh
Settlement

BAKU (Armenpress)–Ahead of the scheduled December 6 meeting with Armenian
counterpart Vartan Oskanian, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov announced
that his country is ready to continue negotiations on the Mountainous Karabagh
conflict, but only if Azerbaijan’s proposals serve as a basis for a
resolution.
The foreign ministers are due to meet in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the sidelines of
an annual meeting of foreign ministers of Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) member states.
The three co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group, tasked with mediating a
settlement to the Mountainous Karabagh conflict, will also attend the meeting.
Mamedyarov revealed that he recently met with the Minsk Group co-chairmen,
within the framework of UN General Assembly’s 59 session, and has told them
that their proposals are unacceptable.
Dissatisfied with the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, Azerbaijan recently
urged the UN General Assembly to intervene in the long and bitter territorial
dispute with neighboring Armenia over Mountainous Karabagh.
The OSCE has, meanwhile, asked the assembly to stay on the sidelines and not
interfere with their efforts. Talks “can only progress in an atmosphere of
confidence between the parties. Anything in the direction of building
confidence and of avoiding a division of the General Assembly is helpful,”
said
US envoy Susan Moore, speaking on behalf of the OSCE.

2) Karabagh President Discusses Telethon Results with Cabinet

STEPANAKERT (Combined Sources)–Mountainous Karabagh Republic President Arkady
Ghukasian held a meeting with cabinet members on December 2, to discuss the
results of the November 25 telethon held in the US. Ghukasian gathered
National
Security Council members, Prime Minister Anushavan Danielian, National
Assembly
Speaker Oleg Yesayan, cabinet ministers, and other officials to stress the
necessity of strict control over the spending procedures of the $11.5 million
raised for the construction of the strategic North-South “backbone” highway,
which will facilitate communication between northern and southern sections of
Karabagh, boost the local economy, and further improve the unrecognized
republic’s security. Nearly 100 kilometers of it has already been built since
the project’s launch four years ago.
One of the most important issues for the Armenian diaspora, Ghukasian noted,
is the future of Karabagh–more specifically the strengthening of its
political
and economic independence. “The diaspora believes in Karabagh and considers it
a duty to contribute to its development,” the President emphasized. The next
telethon, he said, should be directed towards developing the economy of the
Mardakert region, which has suffered most from Azeri aggression.
Summarizing his US visit, Ghukasian expressed gratitude to the diaspora, as
well as citizens of Armenia and Karabagh for their active participation in the
telethon. He also noted that diaspora organizations have expressed their
willingness to be more actively involved in lobbying for Karabagh’s
position in
the international arena and stressed that the Armenian people can realize
pan-national issues only through the joint efforts of Armenia, Karabagh, and
the diaspora.
All-Armenian Hayastan Fund executive director, Naira Melkumian, said she
expects at least 90 percent of the pledges to materialize into cash in the
coming weeks. She said the fund will need only $1.5 million to finish by 2007
work on the 170-kilometer road that will connect the northern and southern
sections of Karabagh through the capital Stepanakert.
The money promised is about twice the sum collected at the previous Los
Angeles telethon in November 2003. Melkumian, who previously served as
Karabagh’s foreign minister, described the figure as “unprecedented,”
attributing it to “economic progress” witnessed by diaspora Armenians visiting
Armenia and Karabagh.

3) Turkey Condemns Slovak Recognition of Armenian Genocide

(AFP, AP)–Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul Thursday denounced as
“unacceptable” a resolution by the Slovak parliament recognizing the 1915
massacre under the Ottoman empire of hundreds of thousands of Armenians as
genocide.
On Tuesday, the Slovak parliament adopted a resolution saying: “The Slovak
parliament recognizes the genocide of Armenians in 1915 during which hundreds
of thousands of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire were killed and considers this
act a crime against humanity.”
But Gul also sought to downplay the issue, saying the initiative was
spearheaded by the Slovak opposition and not the government. The resolution
was
adopted in the same session as another one giving the green light to opening
negotiations on Turkey’s accession to the European Union but were voted on
separately, Slovak parliament spokesman Michal Dyttert said.
“This is unacceptable…We will take the necessary (diplomatic) steps,” Gul
told
reporters, but declined to elaborate. “I think this development is the result
of (Slovak) domestic politics. Opposition parties sometimes behave
irresponsibly…The Slovak government did not support it,” he said.
The Turkish foreign ministry issued a strongly worded statement, blaming the
Slovak resolution on “a fait accompli by one political party (to) accept as
genocide the tragic events of 1915.” “Passing judgment on the contested
periods
of another’s history cannot be among the duties and responsibilities of
national parliaments,” it said.
“It is clear that this decision, taken for political profit by distorting
events that took place under the conditions of World War I and caused great
suffering to Turks and Armenians alike, does not constitute a responsible
course of action,” the statement said.
The massacre of Armenians during World War I is one of the most controversial
episodes in Turkish history. In 2001, France triggered a storm in its
relations
with Turkey when its parliament passed a law acknowledging the massacres as
genocide. Ankara retaliated by sidelining French companies from public tenders
and canceled several projects awarded to French firms.
Meanwhile, Armenia has asked European Union leaders to discuss the
policies of
Turkey, toward the former Soviet republic at an upcoming EU summit. In a
letter, President Robert Kocharian asked EU leaders to discuss what Armenia
sees as a Turkish economic blockade during their December 17 meeting, Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said in a televised interview late Wednesday.
Turkey keeps its border with Armenia closed, aggravating the impoverished
country’s economic plight. EU leaders are to vote at the forthcoming summit on
whether to open membership negotiations with Turkey.

4) Ukraine Court Orders New Run-off Election

KIEV (AP)–The Supreme Court declared the results of Ukraine’s disputed
presidential run-off election invalid on Friday and ruled that the run-off
should be repeated on Dec. 26, bringing cheers and fireworks from tens of
thousands of opposition supporters massed in Kiev’s main square.
The ruling, made after five days of hearings by the court’s 18 justices,
was a
major victory for opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, who had rejected the
government’s demands that an entirely new election be held.
The opposition had pinned its hopes on the court’s ruling in its bid to
overturn the results of the Nov. 21 run-off vote in which Prime Minister
Viktor
Yanukovych was declared the winner. The opposition said the vote was rigged to
cheat Yushchenko of victory.
The ruling was a stinging blow to outgoing President Leonid Kuchma and
powerful ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who a day earlier had sharply
derided the idea of holding a new run-off.
Kuchma had been pressing for an entirely new election, apparently in hopes of
replacing his favorite Yanukovych with a stronger candidate. The spiraling
political crisis has undermined his hopes to ensure he is succeeded by a
supporter, has paralyzed his government with protests and has raised fears
of a
split in Ukraine between its east–where support of Kuchma and traditional
ties
with Russia are strong–and its west–where many want to move closer to the
rest of Europe.
The ruling is final and cannot be appealed, and both sides have promised to
abide by the decision. There was no immediate reaction from Yanukovych or his
supporters. Representatives from Yanukovych and the Central Election
Commission
left the courthouse before the judges announced their decision.
The court ruling said a new run-off vote should be held nationwide on Dec.
26.

Parliament scheduled a marathon all-weekend session to pass legislation
corresponding to the Supreme Court verdict. It will need to pass changes to
the
membership of the 15-member Central Election Commission and in election law to
help prevent fraud.
Parliament, filled with opposition supporters while many government delegates
stay away, has been chipping away at Kuchma’s authority. On Friday, it
passed a
non-binding resolution calling for the withdrawal of the country’s 1,600
peacekeepers out of Iraq–a symbolic snub of Kuchma, who ordered the
deployment. Earlier, parliament brought down Yanukovych’s government with a
no-confidence vote.
The crisis has also strained relations between Russia, which has staunchly
backed Yanukovych, and the West, which has refused to accept the official
results of the vote.
Putin immediately congratulated Yanukovyck on victory after the Nov. 21
run-off, and Kuchma made a hastily arranged visit to Moscow on Thursday for
support from Putin as the opposition appeared to be gaining momentum.
President Bush, asked about Russia’s stance on Thursday, said any new
election
“ought to be free from any foreign influence.”
Before the court’s ruling, Poland’s president, who has served as mediator in
Ukraine’s political crisis, warned that the country should hold a new vote
quickly or else violence could break out.

5) Schiff Criticizes Genocide Remarks of Turkish Official

Lawmaker Calls for Renewed Effort for US to Recognize Armenian Genocide In
Light of Comments by Turkish Parliament Human Rights Commission Leader

WASHINGTON, DC–Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) this week condemned recent
remarks by Mehmet Elkatmis, head of the Turkish Parliament’s Human Rights
Commission, in which he accused the United States of committing genocide in
Iraq. Elkatmis declared, “Never in human history have such genocide and
cruelty
been witnessed. Such a genocide was never seen in the time of the pharaohs,
nor of Hitler, nor of Mussolini.” Congressman Schiff is circulating a letter
to his colleagues in the House of Representatives to make them aware of
Elkatmis’s comments and to urge Congress to pass legislation commemorating the
Armenian Genocide. Congressman Schiff also released the following statement:
“The Turkish Government’s effort to deny the murder of 1.5 million Armenian
men, women and children by the Ottoman Turks has reached a new level of
hypocrisy. The Government of Turkey spends massive sums on high-priced
Washington lobbyists to convince Congress and the Administration that
US-Turkish relations will be irreparably harmed by American acknowledgment of
the Armenian Genocide. At the same time, the Turkish government does nothing
to repudiate the scurrilous charges leveled by a senior parliamentarian who is
a member of the ruling party.
“It is clear to me that since the Turkish government has no compunction about
accusing the United States of genocide, we should not be hesitant to recognize
those murdered by a government that no longer exists. It is also clear to me,
given the relatively mild reaction to Mr. Elkatmis’ remarks, that the
potential
fallout from a Congressional resolution has been greatly exaggerated by the
Turkish government’s lobbyists.”
Just recently, an amendment authored by Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA)–and
included in the House version of the Foreign Operations spending bill–that
would have stopped the Government of Turkey from using US foreign aid to lobby
against a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide was dropped from the
final FY 2005 Omnibus Appropriations bill (H.R. 4818).
In July during consideration of the Foreign Operations spending bill, the
House of Representatives voted to adopt the Schiff amendment, prohibiting the
Government of Turkey from using US foreign aid to lobby against H.Res. 193, a
resolution that officially recognizes the Armenian Genocide and marks the 15th
anniversary of President Ronald Reagan signing the 1987 Genocide Convention
Implementation Act. (Also known as the Proxmire Act, this put the United
States on record as being strongly opposed to the heinous crime of genocide.)
H.Res. 193 passed the House Judiciary Committee on May 22, 2003, shortly after
its introduction on April 10, 2003. However, because of significant lobbying
efforts by those who deny the Genocide, the resolution has been languishing on
the House calendar for over a year.
The day after the House passed the Foreign Operations bill, Speaker Hastert
issued a joint statement with House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (TX-22) and
Majority Whip Roy Blunt (MO-7) in opposition to the Schiff amendment on the
Armenian Genocide. The Speaker’s statement expressed the House Majority
Leadership’s determination to drop the Schiff amendment from the final version
of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill and their intention to block the
consideration of H.Res. 193–even though Speaker Hastert made a public pledge
in 2000 to the Armenian American community to schedule a floor vote on such a
resolution. The Senate passed its version of the Foreign Operations bill (S.
2812) on September 23 without the Schiff amendment. Last week, a conference
committee combined nine appropriations bills–including the Foreign Operations
spending bill–into the FY 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Act (H.R. 4818). The
Conference Committee left the Schiff amendment out of H.R. 4818, which passed
the House of Representatives and Senate on November 20.
Congressman Schiff is a Member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues,
a co-founder of the Democratic Study Group on National Security and a
member of
both the House Judiciary and International Relations committees. He
represents
California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of
Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale,
Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.

6) How to Lose a Girl in 40 Days While Sleepless in the Valley

By Skeptik Sinikian

Here’s a simple breakdown of what life in the Armenian online dating fast lane
is like so far. This will serve as a recap of the events that have transpired
over the course of the last few months. I decided to pose as a single
available
Armenian bachelor online on one of the dozens of websites set up to help
Armenian singles meet. Here’s what I’ve found out so far.
You can register for a profile. That’s free. You can post your picture up.
That’s also free. You can send “flirts” to other users. That is…free as well.
So where’s the catch? When you actually try to contact someone from the
website
they try to pick your pocket. It’s information highway robbery! Dear friends,
there is, indeed, a price to pay for love or companionship and as I discovered
in my previous column, the price tag starts at around 60 dollars. So where
does
this leave my experiment? After all, I’m a man of simple means and not because
I’m frugal by nature. It is due in large part to a bad relationship I had in
college with a woman named Sallie (Last name Mae). Sallie and I parted ways
eventually but not before I had borrowed a lot of money. Well, it turns out
Sallie wanted all her money back PLUS interest, so here I am a working stiff,
drinking “Two Buck Chuck” ($1.99 a bottle Charles Shaw wine for anyone who has
never been to Trader Joe’s) and drinking straight coffee instead of them fancy
lattes everyone is raving about.
I’ve been driven to such a point of frustration with this experiment that I’d
need at least ten issues of Asbarez to get all of my thoughts out in the open.
But I’ve decided to take a hiatus from my own experiment and cover some of the
stories that people have emailed me over the course of the last three weeks.
Here’s one of my favorites. As always, my opinions and comments will follow in
brackets where it is appropriate. I apologize for anyone who’s going through
Skeptik’s Political Commentary Withdrawal Syndrome. We’ll try to have
something
more Skeptik-esque next week.
A friend of mine recently met a 30 year old, apparently divorced Armenian
male
who is in the pharmaceutical business. He’s from Fresno but has relocated to a
city in the Los Angeles area that is closer to the beach. Here is the story
[you know you love gossip so keep reading]. They meet online and exchange
flirts, emails, etc. [I guess some people have the money to waste on things
like this…must be nice].
They meet in person and start dating for about a month. She goes out with
him,
his brother, and his girlfriend. Everything seems okay, right? [In general,
when things seem like they’re going great after only a month of dating, you
clearly don’t know much about dating and should slow the pace down a little].
She thinks that everything is totally “cool” [her words, not mine] because he
was “totally into [her],” calling her and text messaging her like an Armenian
teeny bopper with a new cellular phone, making plans to hang out, the whole
nine yards. Just to make the ending of this story even creepier, he sends her
cute notes a hundred times a day, wants to spend all of his free time with
her,
and even asks her to go to church with him [Church? Is that even considered a
date? What do you do to follow up on that brilliant idea? Get “His” and
“Hers”
matching plots at Forest Lawn? Creep!] He goes from all this to completely
stopping the phone calls. [Now, I don’t know this person, but my friend who
told me the story, assured me she’s attractive, smart, and has a good head on
her shoulders. Otherwise I’m with you on this one. I thought there was
something weird about her too].
He ends up sending her a text message that says he’ll call her when he wakes
up from his nap and never calls back [this is the all too familiar–the old
I’m
taking a nap trick]. Our innocent victim texts the creep the following Monday
morning and still no response. She calls him that night and leaves a message.
No response. Next day, same routine. Still nothing. The day after, she starts
worrying and leaves ANOTHER message [hmmm…in my grandmother’s village in the
old country they had a word for this kind of behavior …it was called a HINT!
But who am I to judge]. Apparently, this was completely out of character.
Normally, this guy would text message her literally 2 minutes after seeing
her. By the end of the third day, this girl starts freaking out [the Armenian
mother personality took over I guess]. Finally, she blocks her number so it
comes up private [only in the modern age of cell phones would this be
possible?
What did people do before blocking their phone number? I guess they just
knocked on your door wearing a mask, paper bag or something over their heads].
She calls his cell and he answers, kind of disguising his voice a little bit.
After she asks him how he is, our Don Juan responds with silence. Then hangs
up. She calls back and it goes straight to voice mail. According to the victim
in this story, “this is truly the most bizarre dating experience ever in my
entire dating past.” Le Fin–The End.
Just when you think you’ve met them all, along comes a slime ball like this
guy. As the narrator of this story explains, “He was obsessed with me, then
turned on a dime and disappeared.”
Folks, this is just the tip of the iceberg. You wouldn’t believe what both
men
and women have been writing to me about dating. I feel like Sarah Jessica
Parker’s character on “Sex in the City” (not that I watch the program or
anything) and I’m glad all of this is out there. The best part of this whole
experience is that it has opened my eyes to what Armenians go through to find
that perfect match. After reading all these emails–each more disturbing,
funny, or depressing than the next–the only perfect match I wanted was the
one
that I’d use to set myself on fire to avoid any similar misery.
Here’s the question I pose to everyone out there who indulges me by
reading my
mental dribbling every week. What would you do in this situation? How would
you act differently? And finally, what do you think this guy’s real story
was?

My money is on him being married and he was lying about being divorced.
Then
again, I’ve been known to be wrong before and when it comes to relationships.
I’m about as clueless as a supermodel at a rocket scientist convention. So
write to me at [email protected] because I want to hear your answers,
theories, horror stories or even success stories.

Skeptik Sinikian is not a relationship counselor or a licensed therapist
but if
you buy him a fancy latte, he may just share his opinions with you free of
charge. He can be reached at [email protected] or at

7) Tidbits From The Diner

By Tatul

The leftovers–and taste–of the Thanksgiving turkey in one’s refrigerator and
mouth take a while to dissipate. I found out, though, that the strong flavor
and aroma of Turkish coffee, the kind served at Costa’s Diner, will reset your
taste buds and make them ready and rearin’ to go for Christmas pudding and
eggnog.
Speaking of Turkish Coffee, sometime ago, a friend of mine took out a pen and
crossing out the “Turkish” printed on the Diner menu, wrote in “Armenian”
instead. Costa, who was watching from behind the counter, walked over with a
benign smile on his face, took the menu from my friend’s hand, looked at it,
shrugged his shoulders and said, “Why, for heaven’s sake? Your people and mine
have accumulated so much culture over so many centuries–the Turks, on the
other hand, have next to nothing to speak of. Be generous, let them have the
credit for this one…” He walked away, trying to erase the scribbling on his
once spotless menu.
That, was a long time ago. This morning I was ready for some strong coffee
and
the company of my friend Marty, who hadn’t seem to have arrived yet. I had
almost drained my cup, feeling some of the grinds in my teeth, when he walked
in, looking like a man in trance. Seeing me he attempted a smile, but since
Arty’s departure to Canada, Marty’s smiles were hard to tell from a sneer.
“What’s wrong, Marty?” I said, “You look like you have seen a ghost!”
“Two ghosts, to be exact,” he said, taking the seat across the table with his
collection of newspapers. “A double whammy, on the eve of the coming 90th
Anniversary of the Metz Yeghern…”
“What are you talking about? What double whammy…?”
“Don’t you read the papers? Didn’t you hear that the Turkish Armenian
Reconciliation Commission, the same TARC whose unlamented demise was received
with a sigh of relief by Armenians everywhere, has been heard, right around
Halloween, making cryptic noises with an obvious intent to trick and treat our
communities all over again…”
“Read it! Read it!” Marty continued, shoving a paper in front of me, “it’s
bad
enough, that the TARCish forces are trying to revive the specter of a cruel
hoax, another bunch of aging groupies, after so many years, are trying to
re-market the disastrous performances of a fallen star called Levon (l’Etat
c’est Moi ) Ter Petrosyan… Well? No comments?”
“I don’t know what to say,” I mumbled, feeling a chill creeping up my spine…
“All this talk about the dead rising again makes me very nervous… I need
another cup of Turkish coffee!”
“You mean Armenian coffee… don’t you?” growled Marty with darts shooting out
of his eyes…
“Here,” interrupted Costa, putting two cups of steaming coffee in front of
us,
“Have a Greek coffee. I hope you don’t mind, I was eavesdropping. You know
what? Don’t let these people discourage you; you have a just cause, and no
matter what they say, don’t give up. We gave up on the rights of the Pontus
Greeks, under foreign pressure, and now it’s too late. Don’t let that
happen to
you…”
There was profound sadness in his voice; Costa’s grandfather was among the
thousands of deportees from their native Pontus.
We looked at him in silence as he returned to the kitchen. We slowly finished
drinking the hot, bitter Greek coffee and left the Diner together.

8) Separatism–No Longer a Dirty Word?

By Garen Yegparian

The December 13, 2004 Fall Books issue of The Nation seems to have been
designed with Armenians in mind. It contains Peter Balakian’s letter to the
editor replying to a September 20 review of his The Burning Tigris by Meline
Toumani. The latter seems to be one of those Armenians who is so conflicted
about her identity, yet also motivated by the most noble of urges to stand on
principle, that she ends up sounding practically anti-Armenian. The issue also
contains analyses of modern Islam and the post-WWII red scare era, both arenas
of great impact and importance for Armenians.
But most interesting is a signed editorial by Kirkpatrick Sale titled “Blue
State Secession” that describes a November 5-7 conference held in Vermont. It
seems the US Civil war has not put the issue of secession to rest since 28
separatist organizations already exist in the country.
In light of the US election results, much petty chatter has been heard about
seceding, most of it a means of venting extreme exasperation. But this
conference seems to have been much more earnest and serious. Organized by the
Second Vermont Republic a grassroots movement working to make the state a
republic as it was from 1777 to 1791, and Fourth World an England based
organization supporting separatist movements for independence in the other
three “worlds,” this conference was three days of speeches, presentations, and
debate demonstrating the depth of feelings about this issue in light of the
remarkable passions ignited by November 2’s lead-up and fallout.
This reminded me of an article in the Fall 1999 issue of Foreign Policy, “Too
Many Flags?” wherein Juan Enriquez documents the accelerating pace of new
state
formation over the course of the 20th century. He then proceeds to argue that
globalization is simultaneously bringing the world closer while allowing it to
break up into its component parts. In addition, he contends that while the
Western hemisphere has not experienced this proliferation of states, it is not
immune to it.
Numerous other essays addressing issues of self determination and the
redrawing of international boundaries all point to the cutting-edge nature of
our struggle for Artsakh and other occupied Armenian lands. Our efforts can no
longer be dismissed as nationalist irredenta. Here, we must remember that
nationalism is a dirty word for both the left and right ends of the political
spectrum, albeit for different reasons.
It seems to me that our political organizations and structures should be
developing contacts with groups such as Fourth World. If we are concerned
about
the ramifications of such activities on existing relationships, then a new
entity could easily be established to handle these matters discretely. To pass
up an opportunity to become engaged in what is a worldwide process is a crime
against our nation. Observe the Caucasus, former Soviet Union, Europe, China,
the Arab Middle East, India-Pakistan, Indonesia, the indigenous peoples’
movements in the Americas, and even the above US based examples for
inspiration, bases of support, and channels of cooperation.
Let’s make this the millennium of Armenian restoration.

9) Forget The Fat Lady–Let Hasserjian Sing

By Vazken Haroutunian

AGBU Alex Manoogian Center in Pasadena, California has seen its share of
performances, from Armenian folk music, to theatrical presentations, and even
the obligatory poetry recital. But the rustic walls of the converted church
hall weren’t expecting to be shaken as hard as they did on Saturday, November
13 during the performance of operatic tenor Levon Hasserjian. Although a
powerful voice in its early stages of maturation, it wasn’t Maestro Levon’s
performances of Verdi or Schubert that caused the shaking, but the thunderous
applause and standing ovations from the dual encores.
Disco’s dead. Rock n’ Roll is on life support, but Opera is back with a
vengeance. Over 200 packed the portion of the auditorium-church hall to hear
the young Hasserjian belt out aria after aria and throw in the occasional
Armenian patriotic favorite to bring down the house. Individuals who missed
this concert missed a performance by a young tenor who has a bright future and
the personality and swagger to match. Levon Hasserjian (“Uncle Leo” to his
closest confidants) was born in Antelias, Lebanon, where he began his study of
music at the Melkonian Educational Institute, under the guidance of Maestro
Sebouh Markarian. He later spent three years at the Lebanese Music
Conservatory, where he trained with Professor Garo Jaderian. Having performed
in Lebanon and Cyprus as the principal soloist with the AGBU choir and the
Holy
See of Cilicia’s Shnorhali Choir, Hasserjian is currently studying voice with
Kathleen Darragh and coaching under Dan Bridston and Robin Reed.
That’s the background on his musical training and history but there’s more to
this stout, proud young man. On stage in his tuxedo and hair tied back in a
pony tail–reminiscent of the style worn by Italian men in Rome ogling the
women on the Spanish steps, Hasserjian commands a presence during performances
that is only upstaged by his humility and dedication to his passion off of the
stage.
It was a long path that Hasserjian took to get to the Manoogian Center in
Pasadena–we’re not just talking Lebanon to the US. Hasserjian, like many of
his generation, has worked and continues to work at a regular 9-5 job that has
little to do with his first love–opera. A few years ago, he made a
decision to
take better care of his health, organize his personal finances, and devote
himself to honing his God given talent to sing opera.
“He just has a passion for the music,” commented Ardashes Kassakhian, a
friend
and supporter of the young tenor. “His knowledge of opera is remarkable and
his
dedication to his craft is to be admired.”
Kassakhian tells of Uncle Leo’s Opera circle–an unofficial group of friends
of the tenor’s who regularly attend the Los Angeles Opera’s performances
partly
for the operas and partly for the pre and post commentary by Hasserjian.
“If you want front row tickets to Lakers vs. Phoenix game, right behind Jack
Nicholson at the Staples Center, I’m sure there’s someone out there and I
don’t
know them,” observes Kassakhian. “But say it’s the night of a performance of
Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro with Bayradakian as the lead and tickets have been
sold out for weeks. Who are you going to call? I know who I will. Levon is our
Opera hook up!”
There are a lot of young and talented Armenians out there who talk about
their
dreams, who dream about their passions, but who rarely follow the path their
talent or dreams have laid out for them. Hasserjian’s an exception and one
from
whom we can expect greater things to come.

10) Veteran Photographer Harry Koundakjian Photo Exhibition and Public Program

WATERTOWN–Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives and the Armenian Library
and Museum of America (ALMA) opened a fifty-photograph exhibition of veteran,
award-winning Associated Press (AP) photographer Harry Koundakjian’s work on
November 14 to run through January 14. The exhibition, divided into five
subject areas, covers his entire career as photo journalist. Themes include
World Leaders, Defining Moments, Natural Disasters, Hye Armenian Eyes, and
Harry the Photographer.
As the AP’s chief photographer in charge of all 13 Arab countries in the
Middle East, North and East Africa, Turkey, and Iran, Harry has been
everywhere
imaginable and covered everyone from royalty to revolutionary. He has had
entrée into public and private events, has recorded death and destruction, and
captured life at it highest and lowest moments. His photographs tell
innumerable stories.
Th exhibition is an extraordinary expression of one man’s passion for
being in
the right spot at the right time with the right equipment to get the
newsbreaking photograph, regardless of the danger. He has been shot at–he
landed on his Nikon zoom lens when he ducked for cover as bullets zoomed past
him. He has witnessed the human misery of earthquake victims and the torturous
actions of assassins. He has also captured the kiss of world leaders in a
moment of affection.
Ruth Thomasian, founder and executive director of Project SAVE Armenian
Photograph Archives, has served as exhibit curator working with Harry to
choose
images and develop captions. She has caught the human interest focus that
permeates all of Harry’s work, as well as his boundless energy.
The section on Harry the Photographer shows him drying film over a charcoal
fire during his coverage of United States First Lady Pat Nixon’s tour of West
Africa. We see him in Aden, South Yemen accompanied by his British body guard
and an information officer, whose job it was to protect Harry as he captured
the news, not to restrict or interfere with his work. And Harry loves to tell
of being nick-named by those Brits as Harry the Horse, because of his passion
for working hard, just like a horse.
On Tuesday evening, Dec. 7, at 7:30, ALMA will host a panel discussion
accompanying Harry’s exhibition. Harry will join colleagues Steve Kurkjian,
investigative reporter at The Boston Globe, and Garo Lachinian, photographer,
formerly Director of Photography at the Boston Herald, in sharing their points
of view on the topic, Image is Everything: Photography and the World’s
Defining
Moments. They are sure to go beyond the basics of news making into social and
political issues that color how the news is communicated everyday. The
program,
which will include a question-and-answer period, will be monitored by Ruth
Thomasian.
That evening the photograph exhibition, 50 years/50 photographs: Harry L.
Koundakjian, AP Photographer, will be open for viewing starting at 7pm at
Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives and the Armenian Library and Museum
of America.
For more information call Project SAVE Archives at 617-923-4542 or email
[email protected].

11) Earth Tones

Works of Two Abstract Expressionists

LOS ANGELES–Recent works by two Armenian artists living in Los Angeles, Lucy
Hagopian and Narine Isajanyan, are currently on exhibition at the Don
O’Melveny
Gallery. “Earth Tones” showcases the works of two abstract expressionists who
were raised on different continents (Narine from Yerevan and Lucy from
Caracas), yet their work reflects on the Earth as environment and universe;
their images resonate with the dissonances of modern consciousness struggling
against the eternity of nature. Both have painted with soil, sand, rock,
metal,
wood and tar, mixed in acrylics with a bent toward deep terrestrial and
oceanic
colors.
Lucy Hagopian closely relates her work to her concern for the environment, as
it motivates her, just as nature inspires her. But her work succeeds on its
own
apart from any social political reference by virtue of an aesthetic that
performs a balancing act between representational and abstract impulses. It is
as if she allows an instinct to portray a natural scene to transform into a
deeper desire to create instead a landscape of her own inner universe,
navigating with the aesthetics of abstract form, color, movement, and space.
Perhaps Hagopian’s trademark distinction as an artist is her technique of
painting with a car: driving wet painted tires over a canvas in repeated and
controlled ‘brush strokes.’ The resulting images are then integrated, if not
consumed by an array of other elements painted by hand.
Lucy explains her work best herself: “My work begins with a concept, but it
doesn’t end there. There is a give and take between chance and planning. I
begin with an idea, yet allow the process of work to take its own course.
Physical involvement and the action of painting is a constant part of the
work. I switch from my mind to my heart, and allow my feelings, my
instinct to
guide me…The process of work takes its own course… and the end result is often
a surprise to me…after its done I feel as I have known the work all my life.”
Interplaying layers of paint creating transparencies versus opaque surfaces
are used as poetic expressions. Visual images become symbols. She switches
between the machine created images and what the human hand can create. The
process becomes a reflection of life in Los Angeles. Historical, social,
environmental, and personal meanings can be found in the paintings.

Narine Isajanyan returns to Don O’Melveny Gallery for a fourth time with work
that is expressionist, minimalist, and conceptual by turns. Whether on canvas,
paper, board, wood, or actually made of metal, her pieces become abstract
landscapes that are as fluid within as they are consistent and organic as a
whole.
Her most recent large scale canvases are painted with acrylic mixed with
sand,
earth, metal shavings (even kitty litter). Reminiscent of Pollock’s free
use of
space, they create bold unified fields energized by swirling movements of
muted
color under multiple layers of grays and blacks. Like the universe
expanding in
every direction without a center, her elements are nevertheless so harmonic as
to create a single ‘minimalist’ impression.
Many of Narine’s very latest pieces almost recreate the feeling of lunar
landscapes. Yet without intending to represent the natural world, without
‘rational interference’ in the spontaneous building of form on form, her
images
reflect the processes of nature responding within her. She is not imagining
scenes from the some parallel world–she is creating that world.
Included in “Earth Tones” will be two of Narine’s works made exclusively from
metal. On one piece, a spiraling steel cylinder crawls across an iron grid
like
a silver snake. Another shining rectangle of sheer steel, scraped in abstract
patterns as if worn down by nature, is focused on a centerpiece of nails,
their
nail heads projecting out in a rectangle of their own. Thus hard industrial
force and its sense of violence are transformed into a still life of
beautiful,
even serene balance.
Located in the heart of the Avenues of Art Design on Melrose Ave in West
Hollywood, CA, the Don O’Melveny Gallery features original modern,
contemporary
work with a lean to the abstract. From cutting edge to blue-chip, emerging to
internationally recognized, the Gallery posses a wonderfully eclectic mix of
fine art.

The Don O’Melveny Gallery
5472 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-932-0076

Exhibition Dates:December 3-31
Artist Reception: Saturday, December 11, 6-10 pm

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NAIRA MELKUMIAN: ARTSAKH IS STILL THE MOST SENSITIVE SPOT FOR ARMENIAN NATION

Azg/arm
4 Dec 04

Naira Melkumian, president of “Armenia” Pan-Armenian Fund is sure that
Artsakh remains the most sensitive spot for the Armenian
nation. According to Mrs. Melkumian the results of the telethon held
to assemble money for Nagorno Karabakh’s strategic North-South highway
“unprecedented”. The sum gathered reaches $11 million.

The Fund’s office hosted journalists yesterday where
Mrs. Melkumianthanked the major benefactors Luiz-Simon Manukian ($2
millions), Eduardo Ernekian ($1.5 million), Hrayr and Gevorg
Hovnanian, Sargis Hakobian, Caroline Mugar, Gerard Gefestchian and Ara
Abrahamian.

“Ara Abrahamian called us and told jokingly how could we held telethon
without his participation”, Mrs. Melkumian said. President of the
World Armenian Congress and head of the Armenians’ Union of Russia
presented $250 thousand.

“I want to express my gratitude to AGBU and its head Pertch Sedrakian,
the FAR (Fund for Armenian Relief) and OAR (Organization for Armenian
Relief), our organizations on western and eastern shores of the US,
local administrationof France and Petros Terzian, Armenian Assembly of
America, our 3 traditional parties, our churches, Catholicos Karekin
II, Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I,head of Katoghike Church Nerses
Petros X, the heads of Armenian Evangelical churches”, Mrs. Melkumian
said.

Armenian embassies all over the world were actively endorsing the
telethon. Mrs. Melkumian singled out the names of Ara Ayvazyan and
Areg Hovhannisian ambassadors to Argentina and Lebanon respectively.

Mrs. Melkumian is sure that the Fund carries out its mission, which is
to bring relief to those Armenians who need help the most. “Artsakh is
still the most sensitive spot for Armenian nation”, she said. Naira
Melkumian considers the telethon not simply a means for rising money
but a nationwide act of patriotism.

What makes this years’ telethon a special one is the fact that Armenia
and Artsakh together assembled $1.1 million, $500 of which have been
already transferred to the Fund. The sum assembled in France (800
thousand euros) and the number of families participating in the
telethon (11.500) were also surprising. Perhaps the results of a
phonethon held in Armenia and rising 15 million AMD was also
surprising.

Mrs. Melkumian was reluctant to speak of an article by former employee
of the Fund, Tigran Paskevichian, published in Aravot daily but only
noted that Mr. Paskevichian should not have signed under it. In his
article titled “Pan-Armenian Fund or a Rich Club?” Mr. Paskevichian
criticized the telethon. If the article were written 2 years ago when
Mr. Paskevichian was still working atthe Fund it would be only
welcomed.

It must be noted that the rich were not the only participants of the
telethon. Roughly counting, only 8 million was assigned by rich
Armenians, 3 million was gathered due to common people, and that is
more than 2.5 million gathered last year. Besides, number of
participants of Telethon-2004 was much more than those of previous
years. Mrs. Melkumian refuted the rumors that huge sums were allocated
for organizational needs. “We spent less money this year than all
previous years”, she said.

Besides the $11 million assembled for the North-South highway, there
were money transferred for other projects as well.

By Tatoul Hakobian

TURKISH SPEAKING ARMENIANS WITH NO OTHER INDICATION OF ARMENIANHOOD BUT
ORIGIN

Azg/arm
4 Dec 04

Armenians in Ankara

“If you want to find Armenians in Ankara you should go to the French
Catholic church of the city. Armenians gather there every
Sunday. There are around 1 thousand Armenians in Ankara, most of them
are Catholics and Turkish speaking” Arsen Avagian, Armenian
representative to the Organization of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) in Istanbul, said.

So, if anyone wants to find Armenians of Ankara he should find the
French church first of all. Though the French embassy is in Ankara’s
downtown, the French and other Christians have to go to the trade
district of Ulus to reach the only church. After circling through all
ins and outs of the city we finely found the so-called French
church. What they called a church was a large room with arched windows
on the first flour of a many-storeyed building. It was early in the
morning when the first members of the flock appeared.

A dark-haired, black-eyed gentleman together with many others entered
and took his seat in front of us. At first sight, he seemed to be
Armenian. He was apparently plunged in his thoughts and didn’t notice
people around him.

People gradually filled the church. No one else seemed to ever have
had Armenian ancestors.

The service began. It was hard to believe that a French church
conducts service in Turkish.

People began leaving the church in an hour. Getting out of the church
we stopped the gentleman that drew our attention. It turned out that
Henry Osterzi is Armenian indeed but knows no word in Armenia. Henry
was 51, Catholic and used to attend the French church since his
childhood “to study the Bible”.

An old man came up to us apparently upon hearing our conversation and
uttered, “Martiros Arat, I am Armenian too”, he said displaying all
his knowledge of Armenian. Then Martiros told that he spent 76 years
in Ankara and that he is not a Catholic at all but an adherent of
Armenian Apostolic Church.

While Martiros was warming up, Henry was silently listening speaking
only when asked. Martiros Arat told that years ago his father moved to
Ankara from the neighboring village of Nallhanl.

“My father spoke Armenian, he had finished an Armenian school. But I
know only few words”, he said. He has 2 children and 4
grandchildren. His son, Daniel, is in Moscow engaged in supplying
food. His children married at the French church and grandchildren were
also baptized there.

Henry also has two children. Armenian tongue has not sounded at their
home for a long time, they have nothing Armenian, they don’t cook
Armenian dishes either.

Martiros’ family still observes the tradition of cooking Armenian
dishes. “Though I don’t speak Armenian I do want my children to learn
it. Armenians don’ t speak Armenian in Ankara but they may need it in
Istanbul. If we had a school here children would attend it. My younger
brother speaks Armenian well enough but he learnt it in Istanbul”,
Martiros explained.

But it was all the same for Henry whether his children speak Armenian
or not. “Nowhere here can we use Armenian, there is even no school
here. Armenian would give my children nothing”, he said.

The two Turkish citizens had no ties with Armenia. They don’t even
relate to the Armenian community in Istanbul. Only occasionally an
Armenian priest is sent from Istanbul to serve a liturgy during
holidays. Speaking of the Turks’ attitude towards Armenians in Ankara
they both assured that they have no problems because of their origin
and said that live a good life.

Henry’s and Martiros’ knowledge of Armenia and Karabakh didnot reach
further than hardly recollected name of Stepanakert.

They both were indifferent as to what is happening in their
neighboring fatherland and in the Diaspora all over the world.

So they live in Ankara, Turkish citizens of Armenian origin, and they
recall their roots only when they are reminded. And Armenian language
is measured by market’s yardstick where national identity may easily
be thrown away if it’s an obstacle in your daily life.

By Aghavni Harutyunian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RECEPTION IN HONOR OF ARCHBISHOP BARKEV MARDIROSSIAN HELD IN GLENDALE

BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, December 3 (Noyan Tapan). On the evening of
December 2, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the
Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America,
presided over a reception in honor of Archbishop Barkev Mardirossian,
Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh. According to the Press Office of
the Western Diocese, held at the St. Peter Armenian Church Youth
Ministries Center in Glendale, the reception was hosted by Diocesan
benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Onnik and Armine Mehrabian. The Primate was
accompanied by Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian.

ABDULLAH GUL: “THE DECISION OF THE SLOVAKIAN PARLIAMENT IS UNACCEPTABLE”

ANKARA, December 3 (Noyan Tapan). Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Turkey Abdullah Gul called the resolution on the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide approved at the Slovakian parliament on November 30
unacceptable. This information was reported by RFE/RL quoting AFP as a
source.

“It is unacceptable. We will undertake all the necessary diplomatic
steps,” said Gul.

The Turkish diplomat, considering that it is rather the opposition of
Slovakia than the government, which was the initiator of the approval
of the resolution, said: “The opposition acted irresponsibly. The
government didn’t support the resolution.”

Avvenire, Italia
Mercoledi 01 dicembre 2004

TRANSIZIONE TEMPESTOSA

L’ex impero

Dalle ceneri dell’Urss la nuova mappa degli Stati «inquieti»

Molti Paesi retti da leader legati alle vecchie nomenklature
comuniste. Il nodo delle minoranze russe

Da Mosca Giovanni Bensi

C’era una volta l’impero. È una transizione tempestosa e
contraddittoria, quella che ha fatto seguito alla morte dell’orso
sovietico. L’8 dicembre 1991 i presidenti delle tre repubbliche slave
dell’Urss – Boris Eltsin per la Russia, Leonid Kravchuk per l’Ucraina
e Stanislav Shushkevich per la Belorussia, riuniti presso Minsk –
decretarono la fine dell’Unione Sovietica e la sua sostituzione con
un’entità chiamata “Comunità degli Stati Indipendenti” (Csi). Qualche
tempo dopo ad essa aderirono anche altre 12 repubbliche, tranne le
tre baltiche (Estonia, Lettonia e Lituania). Presidente della Csi
venne eletto Eltsin e, dopo un «interregno» di Leonid Kuchma,
successore di Kravchuk a capo dell’Ucraina, oggi il presidente è di
nuovo il russo Vladimir Putin. Russia e Belorussia ad un certo punto
hanno deciso di iniziare un processo di riunificazione che procede a
rilento e senza molto entusiasmo.
Le repubbliche baltiche sono ora membri della Nato e dell’Unione
Europea. Lettonia e Lituania hanno come presidenti ex emigrati
politici che hanno trascorso decenni negli Usa: Vaira Vike-Freiberga
e Valdas Adamkus. Ma anche qui, come in quasi tutte le repubbliche ex
sovietiche, sopravvivono politicamente ex esponenti del regime. In
Lituania, per esempio, il primo ministro Algirdas Brazauskas, ultimo
capo del Pcus in questa repubblica, coesiste con il presidente
«americano». Lettonia ed Estonia hanno in comune con altre
repubbliche ex sovietiche la presenza di una forte minoranza di
lingua russa (oltre un terzo della popolazione).
La situazione in Ucraina è in questi giorni sotto gli occhi di tutti.
L’attuale presidente uscente è Leonid Kuchma, uomo legato al clan
politico-militare-industriale sovietico di Dnepropetrovsk da cui
proveniva anche l’ex segretario generale del Pcus Leonid Breznev. La
burocrazia già sovietica ha mantenuto nelle sue mani le leve del
potere appoggiandosi sulle strutture della parte orientale del Paese,
più industriale e fil orussa, strutture dalle quali è uscito anche il
candidato «vincente» alle recenti elezioni presidenziali, Viktor
Janukovich.
La Bielorussia è ora governata da Aleksandr Lukashenko, ex capo di un
kolkhoz, che ha stabilito un regime dittatoriale, ha restaurato i
simboli del regime sovietico e istituito «squadroni della morte»
incaricati di eliminare gli oppositori. Recentemente Lukashenko si è
fatto riconfermare alla presidenza con elezioni di dubbia legittimità
dalle quali erano stati praticamente estromessi gli oppositori.
Inoltre con un referendum ha modificato la Costituzione attribuendosi
il diritto di ripresentare la sua candidatura alla presidenza per una
terza volta. I bielorussi sono di fatto tutti bilingui, il bielorusso
è una lingua di scarse tradizioni culturali e fortemente influenzata
dal polacco. Il paese attraversa una crisi di identità che favorisce
il riavvicinamento alla Russia.
Fra Ucraina e Romania è inserita la Moldavia. I moldavi parlano
romeno (ma Stalin aveva imposto l’uso dell’alfabeto cirillico). Dopo
la caduta dell’Urss si era posto il problema di un’annessione alla
Romania, poi risolto negativamente. Negli anni ’90 la regione moldava
della Transnistria, abitata in prevalenza da russi, ha proclamato la
secessione con l’appoggio di Mosca.
Il Caucaso è la regione ex sovietica più martoriata. Fra Armenia
(cristiana monofisita) e Azerbaigian (musulmano sciita) vi è una
guerra, ora «congelata», per il possesso della regione del Nagorny
Karabakh. In Armenia, Paese con poche risorse economiche, vi è una
situazione di estrema instabilità, malamente gestita dal presidente
Robert Kocharjan. I forti contrasti politici hanno portato ad un
episodio senza precedenti nella Csi: nel 1999 un gruppo di oppositori
assaltò il parlamento provocando una strage. In Georgia l’ex
presidente Eduard Shevardnadze, già ministro degli esteri con
Gorbaciov, aveva instaurato un regime corrotto. Nel novembre
dell’anno scorso, dopo ele zioni truccate, venne cacciato, cedendo il
posto a Mikheil Saakashvili che ha inaugurato una linea decisamente
filo-occidentale. La Russia cerca di disturbare questa linea
appoggiando i movimenti secessionistici di tre regioni georgiane:
l’Abkhazia, l’Adzharia e l’Ossezia del Sud. L’Azerbaigian possiede
ingenti risorse petrolifere che ne fanno l’oggetto dei desideri di
Russia ed Usa, fra le quali è in corso una «guerra fredda» per lo
sfruttamento dei pozzi e per i tracciati degli oleodotti che dovranno
portare il petrolio sui mercati mondiali. Retto dopo la caduta
dell’Urss da Heydar Aliev, ex membro del Politburo sovietico
«convertitosi» all’islam, l’Azerbaigian è ora guidato con sistemi
autoritari dal figlio Ilham Aliev.
Infine vi è il blocco centro-asiatico, formato dalle cinque
repubbliche Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kirghyzstan, Turkmenistan e
Tagikistan, tutte musulmane sunnite e turcofone, tranne l’ultima che
è iranofona, e tutte, tranne una, governate da ex dirigenti
comunisti. Il Kazakhstan è ricco di petrolio e di gas, ed il suo
presidente Nursultan Nazarbaev segue una linea filo-russa.
L’Uzbekistan, la più popolosa delle cinque repubbliche, è retta in
modo autoritario da Islam Karimov. Nel Paese è attivo un forte
movimento islamico fondamentalista che ha più volte organizzato
sanguinosi attentati. Karimov ha concesso agli americani basi
militari durante la guerra contro i taleban afghani. Il Turkmenistan
è governato da un crudele ed eccentrico dittatore, Saparmurad
Nijazov, ora zelante sostenitore dell’islam. Il regime di Nijazov,
che si fa chiamare «Turkmenbashi» («duce dei turkmeni»), è stato
definito «qualcosa a metà fra Stalin e l’ayatollah Khomeini». Il
Turkmenistan è ricco di gas naturale che fa gola a molti. Il
Tagikistan è stato dilaniato dopo lo sfaldamento dell’Urss da una
feroce guerra civile, cessata con l’intervento militare della Russia
in favore del presidente Emomali Rahmonov. Ora la Russia possiede in
Tagikistan una base militare . Rimane la Kirghizia, governata da
Askar Akaev, l’unico leader centro-asiatico senza un passato di
dirigente comunista. Fra le repubbliche centro-asiatiche sembra la
più tranquilla.

ARKA News Agency
Dec 3 2004

RA NA Speaker receive PACE Vice Chairman

R.Kocharian: results of Armenian-Russian cooperation become more
noticeable

Catholicos of All Armenia Garegin II receives first lady of Georgia

Armenian President meets Representatives of Armenian-Georgian
Association for Business Partnership

2nd annual exhibition British Products and Services to be held on
December 7-8 2004 in Yerevan

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RA NA SPEAKER RECEIVE PACE VICE CHAIRMAN

YEREVAN, December 3. /ARKA/. RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian
received PACE Vice Chairman Jonas Chekuolis in Saint-Petersburg, RA
NA told ARKA. Baghdasarian noted that Armenia actively works in
direction of fulfillment of taken commitments and with conduction of
constitutional changes in 2005 will complete fulfillment of
commitments. The parties discussed the issues of organization of
discussions under the aegis of PACE and dedicated to regional
problems. Chekoulis estimated RA NA – PACE relations as exemplary in
the view of commitments’ fulfillment.
Baghdasarian also conducted meetings with the Chairman of Chamber of
Representatives of Belarus Parliament Vladimir Konoplev and the
Chairman of RF Federation Council Sergey Mironov. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

R.KOCHARIAN: RESULTS OF ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN COOPERATION BECOME MORE
NOTICEABLE

YEREVAN, December 3. /ARKA/. Results of Armenian-Russian cooperation
become more noticeable, RA President Robert Kocharian stated at the
meeting with Mayor of Moscow Yuri Lujkov. Kocharian noted that `the
more concrete is cooperation, the more new perspectives appear’. The
parties discussed opportunity of increasing of goods’ turnover
between Armenia and Moscow in result of construction of large
Armenian center of whole-sale trade in Moscow.
The same day the President handed Russian singer Joseph Kobzon the
order St. Mesrop Mashtots for contribution in development of
Armenian-Russian relations. The Mayor of Moscow pays working visit in
Armenia. L.D. –0–

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CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIA GAREGIN II RECEIVES FIRST LADY OF GEORGIA

YEREVAN, December 3. /ARKA/. Catholicos of All Armenia Garegin II
receives first lady of Georgia Sandra Elizabeth Rulofs, St.
Echmiadzin press office told ARKA. Catholicos mentioned century long
friendly relations between Armenia and Georgia. Rulofs in her turn
represented the goal of her visit in Armenia and charity programs
that she realizes in Georgia.
First lady of Georgia visits Armenia with four-day visit, in the
frames of which she will attend National Oncology Center and American
Rehabilitation Center of Red Cross. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN
ASSOCIATION FOR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

YEREVAN, December 3. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian
received today the Representatives of the Armenian-Georgian
Association for Business Partnership. As Armenian President Press
Service told ARKA, the Representatives of the Georgian side reported
that they are going to create a similar association with Azerbaijani
entrepreneurs by thus attempting to establish a regional cooperation.
Kocharian evaluated this initiative positively, mentioning that
Armenia always supported the idea of settlement of relations thru the
cooperation. He also mentioned that establishing of the Association
is itself will promote a favorable climate and practical results
brought by it will be welcomed. He assured that the Armenian side
will assist in establishing of the Association.
During the meeting the sides touched upon the possible ways of
cooperation in the transport communications, tourism and other
sectors. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

2ND ANNUAL EXHIBITION BRITISH PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO BE HELD ON
DECEMBER 7-8 2004 IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 3. /ARKA/. 2nd annual exhibition British Products
and Services will be held on December 7-8 2004 in Yerevan. According
to the department of Trade of the British Embassy in Yerevan, t12-13
companies will take part in the exhibition, including the British
companies in RA, as well as Armenian enterprises involved in import
of goods from Great Britain. Among the participants of the exhibition
are polygraph publishing houses, pharmaceutical companies, companies
importing alcohol beverages, clothes, construction materials, engine
oils and spares, as well as accessories for heating and
cooling.L.V.-0–