Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 19 2004

Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict Creates Obstacles for Economic
Development -President

President Ilham Aliyev, receiving a delegation led by Turkish State
Minister Gursad Tuzmen on Thursday, said he was satisfied with the
activity of the Azeri-Turkish inter-governmental commission.

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the existing
efficient cooperation between the two countries’ business people and
that meetings between Turkish and Azeri entrepreneurs positively
affect strengthening of economic ties.

The President also pointed out the existing economic potential for
expanding these relations, which are further promoted by the
friendship between the two states.

Touching upon the Upper Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno
Karabakh, Aliyev said the conflict is a serious obstacle for
Azerbaijan’s economic development.

`We demand the international community, in particular, the
organizations directly involved in the conflict resolution to
approach the issue fairly and put an end to double standards.’

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Nov 19 2004

UN COMMITTEE HIGHLY VALUES AZERBAIJAN GOVERNMENT’S PERIODIC REPORT
[November 19, 2004, 13:05:55]

On the base of the Executive Order of the President of Azerbaijan of
22 June 2002 on preparation of the report on implementation by the
Republic of Azerbaijan of the `International Pact of Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights’ the country joined on 21 July 1992, the second
periodic report of the Government was submitted to the UN Committee
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 5 May 2003, it was
announced by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Azerbaijan.

The report was considered at the 33rd session of the Committee in
Geneva on 16-17 November 2004. According to Presidential Executive
Order, the Republic of Azerbaijan was represented here by the
delegation headed by first Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan
Khalaf Khalafov.

Speaking at the session, he presented detailed information on the
work done in the country for protection of economic, social and
cultural rights and relevant achievements gained since submission of
the fist report.

The Committee welcomed the inclusion of top-ranking government
officials in the delegation and highly valued its members’
irrefragable answers to the questions raised.

In the course of the visit, Mr. Khalafov also met with Director
General of the UN’s Geneva office Mr. S. Ordzhonikidze, High
Commissioner Mrs. Arbour, President of the International Committee of
the Red Cross Mr. Kellenberger and Foreign Minister of Belarus Mr.
Martynov. The meetings were focused on the settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, human rights
protection in Azerbaijan, bilateral cooperation other issues.

RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 19 2004

EUROPEAN UNION’S EXPERIENCE USEFUL FOR CIS

BERLIN, November 19 (RIA Novosti, Taras Lariokhin) – The European
Union’s experience is useful to the CIS countries, Deputy Foreign
Minister Vladimir Chizhov told RIA Novosti in Berlin where the 10th
European forum, Vision of Europe, organized by the BMW Herbert Quant
foundation, opened on Friday.

The EU has existed for more than 50 years and some of its experience
can be of use to the CIS, Mr. Chizhov said. According to him,
developing cooperation between the CIS and the EU does not compete
with cooperation within the CIS.

“These processes do not conflict with each other, they are not in
opposition,” he said. “They build an objective foundation for
interaction between the CIS and the EU as organizations.”

The main purpose of the conference is cooperation between CIS and EU
countries. Debates on the topics, “The EU and the CIS – Contours of
New Economic Cooperation,” and “Europe – New Vision?” will be held
during the two-day meeting.

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev,
the foreign ministers of many CIS countries and representatives of EU
countries will attend the forum.

Mr. Chizhov is representing Russia at the forum.

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Nov 19 2004

Getting versed in theater

Glendale resident turns Armenian poetry into English play for
Barnsdall Gallery Theatre.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader

GLENDALE – Anahid Keshishian is quick to point out that her latest
stage venture is not a poetry reading, even though the actors will be
reading poetry.

“It’s very theatrical, it’s very visual,” said Keshishian, the
creator and director of “They Were Poets,” a play featuring Armenian
poetry translated into English. “It’s a risky thing to do, taking
poems and making them into theater, because it’s an emotional roller
coaster. They go from the jubilee of a wedding to a funeral, and then
to erotic love songs. The themes are chained together.”

“They Were Poets” debuted at Hollywood’s Barnsdall Gallery Theatre
earlier this month. Another performance is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Saturday at the theater, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., and the show could be
extended another week or two.

Keshishian, a Glendale resident, teaches Armenian Language and
Literature at UCLA. Three years ago, she recruited a group of her
students to form Arena Productions, a Glendale-based nonprofit group
that aims to bring innovative performances to the Los Angeles area.

“They Were Poets” includes a cast of 13, mostly Armenians and
students or former students.

“It was something that has never been done before, and I don’t know
if it’ll ever be done again,” said Ashot Tadevosian, a member of the
cast. “Armenian culture remains among Armenians. It really never gets
out and is never presented to other nationalities. For it to be
recognized, this is the best way to do it – to translate it into a
language like English. A lot of people speak English.”

The play includes 22 poems with many from well-known Armenian poets,
but Keshishian did not necessarily pick their best-known works.

“It was a really interesting concept in that they did take these
amazing poems and translate them into English and put them to music,”
said Teni Khachaturian, who saw the play Nov. 13. “The combination of
the two things was really powerful.”

Tickets are $20 and are available by calling 818-240-7080, or by
e-mail at [email protected].

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Nov 19 2004

Library receives immense collection

Defunct college donates 12,500 Armenian-language books to the
Glendale Public Library, valued at about $500,000, quadrupling the
library’s collection.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader

GLENDALE – Whenever the Glendale Public Library tried to add
Armenian-language books to its collection, the library always had to
pay a premium. The books are hard to find, and because they are hard
to find, they are expensive.

This week, the library hit pay dirt.

The American Armenian International College, a school affiliated with
the University of La Verne that has been closed for more than a
decade, is donating its entire Armenian-language collection to
Glendale.

The donation of 12,500 books, which Glendale officials value at about
$500,000, will quadruple the library’s collection of 4,000
Armenian-language materials. Because of the size of the donation,
Glendale is expected to share the books with neighboring libraries.

“Forty percent of the population of Glendale is Armenian,” said Cindy
Cleary, assistant director of libraries. “We have 660,000 books in
our collection and only 4,000 are Armenian language. It’s an
incredible resource, not only to Glendale but to the surrounding
neighborhoods.”

For some of the city’s large Armenian American population, especially
the elderly who did not grow up in the United States, having more
Armenian-language books will be welcomed.

“Much of the elderly, they may know how to speak English and read a
few things, but their native tongue is Armenian,” said Armen
Carapetian, government relations director of the Armenian National
Committee’s western region. “The books will come in particular use by
that segment of the community. It’s a tremendous gift.”

The library expects to receive the books next week, but Cleary said
it will be six months before any of them are incorporated into the
library’s collection. The city is expected to give some of the books
to other area libraries, including public libraries in Pasadena and
Burbank and Cal State Northridge’s library.

“From the beginning, it was clear that no one institution could take
the entire collection, just because of the size of the collection,”
said Beth Walker, principal librarian for the Pasadena Public
Library. “We don’t know if it’s the largest, but certainly a
significant one outside of Armenia.”

The collection of books is primarily eastern Armenian, and includes
history and literature from 1980 to 1992, including translations of
classics and books on the Armenian Genocide.

“There’s a lot of Armenian literature that is in demand and is not
available in the bookstores or other libraries around,” Councilman
Rafi Manoukian said. “A collection of that magnitude certainly will
go a long way in meeting that need.”

For the past 12 years, since the college closed its doors to students
in 1992, the collection has remained in La Verne but viewed by
appointment only. Last year, the college’s board members approached
the Pasadena Public Library about a donation. They also had
discussions with the University of Michigan library, which has an
Armenian Research Center at its Dearborn campus.

“The reason we picked Glendale, the whole board agreed to it, it’s a
real hub of a lot of Armenians,” said Jack Jandegian, a member of the
college’s board of directors. “With the supplement of all these books
with what you’ve already got there, it’s going to be a real big asset
for the city of Glendale.”

The college is also donating $25,000 for moving and processing the
collection. The City Council unanimously approved the donation on
Tuesday.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Nov 19 2004

FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN MET AMBASSADORS OF EU AND OIC MEMBER
COUNTRIES, CHINA AND USA
[November 19, 2004, 11:28:18]

On 18 November, foreign minister of the Azerbaijan Republic Elmar
Mammadyarov has met ambassadors of the European Union and OIC member
countries, as well as China and USA in Baku, AzerTAj said.

Expressing gratitude for accepting invitation to participate at the
meeting, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said he highly assesses support
of the countries at the coming discussions in New York on inclusion
of item `Situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan’ in the
agenda of the 59th session of the UN General Assembly current year 29
October. Noting that resettling by Armenia of the population at the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan contradicts international legal
norms and the Section 949 of the Geneva Convention, stressed
necessity of principle position of the international community to
stop this illegal activity.

The Minister said that this does not mean replacement of the OSCE
Minsk Group, and the goal is attract attention of international
organizations to the problem.

Finally, minister Elmar Mammadyarov expressed hope for support of the
countries ambassadors of which took part at the meeting and that the
world community would show respect for international legal
principles.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Nov 19 2004

WB to provide 20 million-dollar loan to Armenia to fight poverty

WASHINGTON, November 19 (Itar-Tass) – The World Bank has decided to
provide 20 million dollars in a loan to Armenia intended to back
Yerevan’s efforts to eradicate poverty.

The World Bank press service has reported that it will be the first
loan in the frame of a three-year program of assistance to Armenia in
this field.

The project aims to accomplish four main tasks, the first one being
the enhancement of macroeconomic discipline and improvement of
administrative and corporate governance, including the struggle
against corruption.

The other directions are ensuring the ownership rights and the
creation of conditions for stiffer competition in the economy;
forestalling and alleviation of social and environmental risk
factors; and modernization of agricultural modernization.

The World Bank loan is to be released on soft terms through the
Bank’s International Development Association. The government of the
Netherlands will provide 4.3 million euros to co-finance the project.

Watertown TAB & Press, MA
Nov 19 2004

St. Stephen’s preschool opens
Friday, November 19, 2004

The preschool addition of St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School
formally opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by about 150
parents, teachers, students and dignitaries last month.

Construction began on June 14 and was completed by August, ready
for the start of the school year in September.

“Since 1997, the student population of the school has increased
tremendously,” Principal Houry Boyamian said.

At first, she said, all students in preschool through fifth
grade were taught at the school’s main campus, housed at the Armenian
Educational and Cultural Center on Nichols Avenue. Because of the
increase in student population, the board decided to renovate the
church-owned building behind ACEC, previously rented by Project Save
Armenian Photographic Archives.

The preschool building currently has 75 students, and with the
addition of another large classroom, can accommodate more children
next year.

Ara Krafian, the parent of three students and an alumna, donated
his professional services to the addition, from planning through the
construction phase. Another parent volunteer, Karnig Ostayan, donated
services and materials and assisted with the management of the
construction phase. John and Alice Karnikyan and Nadia Karnik of
Stormtite donated all the siding for the addition in memory of their
parents.

Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of
the United States, presided over the ribbon-cutting following church
services at St. Stephen’s Armenian Church. Following the
ribbon-cutting, Choloyan and the Rev. Antranig Baljian of St.
Stephen’s blessed the Preschool Afeyan Building.

“It almost makes me wish I were a child again so I could go to
school here in this beautiful building,” said Choloyan.

St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School was founded in 1984
with a handful of students. Today it has 186 students. The school is
celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with a series of programs
and a special gala at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge on Jan.
29.

For more information about the school or to make donations visit
, or call 617-926-6979.

Submitted by St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School

New Zealand Herald, New Zealand
Nov 19 2004

Armenian president urges Turkey to open border

BERLIN – Armenian President Robert Kocharyan urged Turkey to abandon
its 11-year blockade of the southern Caucasus country, a German paper
reported on Thursday.

Turkey shut its border with the tiny ex-Soviet republic in 1993 to
show solidarity with oil-rich Azerbaijan, which is in a long and
bitter territorial dispute with Armenia.

“Turkey is blockading Armenia, one can only call that harassment,”
the Berlin-based daily Die Welt quoted Kocharyan as saying in an
interview to be published on Friday.

Relations between Armenia and Turkey have long been strained because
Armenia says some 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered by
Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1923. Turkey denies accusations of
genocide.

Kocharyan told the paper Armenia would not insist Turkey admit to
genocide for talks on normalising relations to proceed.

“For us, the recognition of the genocide of Armenians in 1915 by
Turks is certainly very important, but it will never be a condition
for the development of bilateral relations,” Die Welt quoted him as
saying.

“If Ankara recognised this fact, it would be a significant step
forward in the direction of normalising relations,” he told the
paper.

Armenia does not recognise the 1921 Kars treaty which fixed its
border with Turkey and some Armenian nationalists refer to parts of
eastern Turkey as “western Armenia”.

Zenit News Agency, Italy
Nov 19 2004

No One May Use Religion as Tool of Violence, Says Pope

Meets Muslims, Orthodox and Jews From Azerbaijan

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 18, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II insists that
no one has the right to use religion as an instrument of intolerance
or violence.

The Pope delivered that message today as he greeted in audience a
delegation of Muslim, Orthodox and Jewish religious representatives
from Azerbaijan.

The delegation was in Rome to return the Holy Father’s visit in 2002
to their Caucasus country, which has only about 300 Catholics.

Among the guests today were Allahshyukyur Pashazade, leader of the
Caucasus Muslims; Orthodox Bishop Aleksandr of Baku and the Caspian
region, a member of the Russian Orthodox Church; and the head of the
Caucasus Jewish community.

“May your visit to the Pope of Rome be a symbol for the world,
namely, may it show that tolerance is possible, and is a value of
civilization, which posits the premises for a fuller and more
solidaristic human, civil and social development,” John Paul II said
in his welcome address.

“No one has the right to present or use religions as instrument of
intolerance, as a means of aggression, violence or death,” he
stressed in his address, which he delivered in Russian.

“On the contrary, their reciprocal friendship and esteem, if
supported also by the government leaders’ commitment to tolerance,
constitutes a rich resource of authentic progress and peace,” the
Pope said.

“Together — Muslims, Jews, Christians — we wish to address in the
name of God and of civilization an appeal to humanity to halt
murderous violence and undertake the path of love and justice for
all,” the Holy Father continued.

The Pontiff highlighted the fact that “this is the path of religions”
and expressed the hope “that God will help us to go forward on this
path with perseverance and patience.”

John Paul II also referred to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, an
Armenian enclave in Azerbaijani territory, which triggered a war
between both states in 1991 and ended with the cease-fire of 1994 and
Armenia’s annexation, not only of the disputed territory, but of
other Azerbaijani lands as well.

The Pope expressed his heartfelt hope that “Azerbaijan will return to
the fullness of peace.” He said that this conflict, “as all other
disputes, must be addressed with good will, in the mutual search for
reciprocal openings of understanding and in a spirit of genuine
reconciliation.”

In a statement published after the meeting, Vatican spokesman Joaquín
Navarro Valls revealed that “during the audience the religious
leaders confirmed to the Pope their constant commitment to
collaborate with peace and to promote peaceful coexistence among the
different religions.”

The republic of Azerbaijan, which became independent after the
collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, has 7.8 million inhabitants,
mostly Muslims.

The Catholic community in Azerbaijan virtually disappeared during
Stalin’s persecutions, and the Catholic church in Baku was destroyed.
On the occasion of the Pope’s visit, then President Heider Aliev made
available a plot of land in the center of Baku to build a Catholic
church.