Manuk Adamian: Siamanto’s nephew

Interview by Hovhannes Yeranian
Culture

Yerkir/am
October 22, 2004

The 125th birthday of the great Armenian poet Siamanto, who was killed
during the Armenian Genocide, was celebrated in 2003. The celebration
was not organized on a scale appropriate for this poetâ~@~Ys talent
and his contribution to the Armenian culture. Siamanto is not very
widely known as opposed to some other Western Armenian poets.

Meanwhile, it is obvious that he was a poet of universal value whose
poetry has not been adequately appreciated. Siamantoâ~@~Ys nephew,
French-Armenian doctor Manuk Adamian visited Yerkir. Manukian is
doing his best to popularize Siamanto â~@~Ys poetry both among the
Armenians in Armenia and the Diaspora. We interviewed doctor Adamian.

MA: I was born in 1942 in Paris. My father was born in Sis. Then he
moved to Izmir, Cyprus and then to Paris. My mother was the daughter
of Siamantoâ~@~Ys sister. She had moved to France earlier. She had
three children. I started reading Siamantoâ~@~Ys poetry quite late
even though our family was saturated with memories of him.

Q: Mr. Adamian, when did you come to Armenia for the first time?

A: I visited Armenia five times during the Soviet period. After Armenia
became independent, I came here in 1993. Then I was working at an
organization called Country and Culture. Its manager, Gegham Gevorgian
is my classmate. We reconstructed the church in Gogaran village near
Spitak. Next year I came to Armenia with my children. Then in 1995
I came alone again. There is a school named after Siamanto in the
South-West district in Yerevan. I wanted to assist that school.

We organized a week of appreciation of Siamantoâ~@~Ys poetry. Students
from several schools in Yerevan participated in essay and poetry
reading competitions devoted to his poetry. Now such competitions are
organized every year. Actor Azat Gasparian chaired the evaluation
committee of the poetry reading competition. I heard him recite
Siamantoâ~@~Ys poems and had an idea of producing a CD with his poems.

So we produced a CD with 15 poems recited by Gasparian. A thirty-page
booklet was included with the CD which was prepared based on the
materials provided by the Museum of Literature and Arts.

Q: Not many people know about the CD in Armenia. How many copies of
the disc were issued?

A: 500 CDâ~@~Ys were produced and 300 were taken to the Diaspora.

Q: What events did you organize last year when Siamantoâ~@~Ys 125th
birthday anniversary was celebrated?

A: We celebrated his birthday on August 13. Later in September some
other events were organized at Siamanto School and the Writers Union
in Yerevan. I tried hard to learn and read Siamantoâ~@~Ys poem called
Revenge of Centuries. The poem ends with these words, â~@~My name
is struggle and my end is victory.â~@~]

Q: I assume you have some plans connected with your current visit
to Armenia?

A: No, this time I just came here to enjoy myself. I do not have
any specific plans. I cannot imagine myself without Armenia. I come
here at least twice a year. I felt homesick and this is why I came
to Armenia this time.

Q: I see you have a camera. Is it an amateur camera? Did you take it
to take some pictures of Armenia?

A: No, I treat photography very professionally. I respect this art
very much. I have made thousands of slides and photos that I showed in
different countries accompanied with music. My only topic is Armenia
â~@~S Echmiadzin, Salbuchinar, Oshakan, Haghartsin, Sardarapat,
Byurakan and other places. I have also shown a series of photos of
Ararat. But these photos were shown not with music but with poetry
readings of Shiraz, Isahakyan, Charents and other poets. I have a
series of photos of Yerevan at night.

Q: Mr. Manukian, donâ~@~Yt you think that itâ~@~Ys time to publish
a full collection of Siamantoâ~@~Ys poetry?

A: Yes, we are now working on publishing a full collection of his
poems.

Q: Do you know when it will be published?

A: Not yet, but I hope it will be published soon.

–Boundary_(ID_1de0LaOqQ6sThdTCV9O9ZQ)–

French Armenians challenge Turkey’s EU bid

MARSEILLE, France, Oct 29 (AFP) – France’s Armenian community
said Friday it would appeal to President Jacques Chirac to prevent
negotiations on Turkish membership of the European Union until Turkey
acknowledged responsibility for a World War One massacre of Armenians.

The group’s attorney Philippe Krikorian said it would lodge an appeal
before the nation’s highest administrative tribunal, the Council of
State, requesting Chirac to oppose the start of such talks.

The subject of the Armenian massacre has remained a controversial one
touching Turkish and Armenian sensitivities for nigh on nine decades,
with Turkey consistently refusing to acknowledge that genocide had
occurred in 1915-1917 when up to 1.5 million Armenians died.

Turkey says that between 250,000 and 500,000 Armenians and thousands
of Turks were killed in civil strife during World War One, when the
Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers.

The French parliament passed legislation in 2001 stating that genocide
had occurred, thereby causing hard feelings in relations with Turkey.

Organisations, which represent some 450,000 French citizens of
Armenian origin, wished to protest against Chirac’s “willingness not
to subordinate the opening of negotiations to the prior admission of
the Armenian genocide,” said Krikorian.

Last month the European Commission recommended a start to membership
negotiations with Turkey, which has been lobbying for many years to
join the European Union.

Jean-Pierre Berberian, spokesman of a Marseille-based Armenian group,
noted that an EU summit would make the final decision in December on
whether to start negotiations.

Fifty days ahead of that date, it was time to “denounce the violation
by the French government of the terms of the resolution passed on
June 18, 1987 by the European Parliament and of French legislation
of January 2001 recognising the genocide of 1915,” said Berberian,
spokesman of the Euro-Armenia group here, and a Marseille city
councillor.

Chirac has indicated his support for a start to talks, but many in
his ruling party, in the opposition and among the French public are
against Turkey’s EU membership.

“Not only is Jacques Chirac acting in violation of the law, he is
doing so against the will of a majority of French who are opposed to
Turkey’s membership,” said Berberian.

The text of the 2001 legislation passed by parliament here said France
“publicly recognises the Armenian genocide of 1915,” but did not
explicitly identify Turkey as responsible for the deed.

SAfrica says media to be given access to Equatorial Guinea “mercenaries” trial

SAPA news agency web site
28 Oct 04

Johannesburg, 28 October: The trial of the eight South Africans accused
of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea will recommence on 16 November,
senior South African government officials have learnt.

Officials led by Presidential Security Adviser Billy Masetla met
Equatorial Guinea’s Attorney-General Jose Olo Obono and the ambassador
to South Africa Juan Nchuchuma in Pretoria on Wednesday 27 October .

Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said on Thursday that Obono
had approved a request by the South African delegation for media
access to the trial.

“He also approved a request for further consular access to those
currently in detention in Malabo.”

Mamoepa said foreign affairs consular officers would visit the
detainees once the arrangements were finalized.

Eight South Africans, six Armenians and five Guineans, including
a former deputy minister, went on trial in Malabo on 23 August for
allegedly trying to topple President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, in power
since 1979.

The case was adjourned on 31 August at the request of Obono, to get
“further information” following the arrest of Mark Thatcher in South
Africa on 25 August.

The son of the former British prime minister is suspected by Equatorial
Guinea and South Africa of bankrolling the alleged plot.

French Armenians want to block Turkey EU bid over 1915 massacre

EU Business
29/10/2004

France’s Armenian community said Friday it would appeal to President
Jacques Chirac to prevent negotiations on Turkish membership of the
European Union until Turkey acknowledged responsibility for a World
War I massacre of Armenians.

The group’s attorney Philippe Krikorian said it would lodge an appeal
before the nation’s highest administrative tribunal, the Council of
State, requesting Chirac to oppose the start of such talks.

The subject of the Armenian massacre has remained a controversial one
touching Turkish and Armenian sensitivities for nigh on nine decades,
with Turkey consistently refusing to acknowledge that genocide had
occurred in 1915-1917 when up to 1.5 million Armenians died.

Turkey says that between 250,000 and 500,000 Armenians and thousands
of Turks were killed in civil strife during World War I, when the
Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers.

The French parliament passed legislation in 2001 stating that genocide
had occurred, thereby causing hard feelings in relations with Turkey.

Organisations, which represent some 450,000 French citizens of
Armenian origin, wished to protest against Chirac’s “willingness not
to subordinate the opening of negotiations to the prior admission of
the Armenian genocide,” said Krikorian.

Last month the European Commission recommended a start to membership
negotiations with Turkey, which has been lobbying for many years to
join the European Union.

Jean-Pierre Berberian, spokesman of a Marseille-based Armenian group,
noted that an EU summit would make the final decision in December on
whether to start negotiations.

Fifty days ahead of that date, it was time to “denounce the violation
by the French government of the terms of the resolution passed on
June 18, 1987 by the European Parliament and of French legislation
of January 2001 recognising the genocide of 1915,” said Berberian,
spokesman of the Euro-Armenia group here, and a Marseille city
councillor.

Chirac has indicated his support for a start to talks, but many in
his ruling party, in the opposition and among the French public are
against Turkey’s EU membership.

“Not only is Jacques Chirac acting in violation of the law, he is
doing so against the will of a majority of French who are opposed to
Turkey’s membership,” said Berberian.

The text of the 2001 legislation passed by parliament here said France
“publicly recognises the Armenian genocide of 1915,” but did not
explicitly identify Turkey as responsible for the deed.

Fifty-ninth General Assembly
General Committee
5th Meeting (AM)
October 27, 2004

GENERAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS INCLUSION OF THREE ADDITIONAL ITEMS ON
GENERAL ASSEMBLY’S CURRENT AGENDA, SPLITTING OF DEBATE ON PALESTINE,
MIDDLE EAST

The General Committee this morning decided to recommend the inclusion of
three additional items on the General Assembly’s current agenda, and
decided to split its joint debate on the situation in the Middle East
and the question of Palestine.

The Committee, by a show of hands vote of nine in favour with none
against and 14 abstentions, recommended the inclusion of an item on the
situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The request was
contained in a letter from the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan
(document A/59/236), annexed to which was an explanatory memorandum
stating that the ongoing conflict in the Nagorno Karabakh region had
resulted in the occupation of a significant part of Azerbaijan’s
territory, the expulsion of a large portion of its population and severe
damage to the national economy.

The memorandum noted that the process for the peaceful settlement of the
conflict on the basis of the norms and principles of international law
was being carried out by the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE), through the Minsk Group. But as of yet, no results had
been achieved. In the meantime, according to the memorandum, illegal
activities were currently being carried out in the occupied territories
of Azerbaijan, in particular by transfer of settlers to artificially
create a new demographic situation in those territories.

Azerbaijan’s representative said his country had made the request due to
the lack of effective response to the obvious threats to its sovereignty
and territorial integrity. Azerbaijan would not tolerate colonization of
its territory. It truly regretted that numerous warnings about dangerous
new realities in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan had gone ignored
and, therefore, had been forced to come to the Assembly in an effort to
stop blatant violation of international and humanitarian law.

He stressed that the request was not an attempt to replace the OSCE
peace process but to facilitate it. The Assembly was the chief
deliberative, policy making organ of the United Nations, he said, and it
was Azerbaijan’s Charter-based right to raise the issue.

France’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Co-Chairmanship of
the Minsk Group, which also includes the Russian Federation and the
United States, said the OSCE had been actively dealing with this
situation for quite some time in a professional-minded spirit, chiefly
through the Minsk Group. Part of that process had already yielded
discussions between the parties and the Group had proposed further talks
on the situation.

With that in mind, the request for the introduction of a new item could
have negative consequences, he said, such as harming efforts to bring
about a just and lasting settlement. While the Group had no doubts about
the sincerity of Azerbaijan’s request, it did not believe that the
current session of the Assembly was the proper forum to discuss the matter.

Armenia’s Ambassador said that there was no urgent situation surrounding
Nagorno Karabagh today. According to rule 15 of the Assembly’s rules of
procedure, only an item of “an important and urgent character” justified
a request to include a new item on the Assembly’s current agenda. The
reasons offered to justify Azerbaijan’s request misrepresented the
situation on the ground.

He explained that first, there was the former autonomous region of
Nagorno Karabagh, which had always and continued to be
Armenian-populated. Then, there were the territories surrounding Nagorno
Karabagh, which had come under the control of Nagorno Karabagh Armenians
as a result of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan in an attempt to stifle
the peaceful drive of the people of those territories for
self-determination.

It was obvious, he said, that there were no settlements outside of
Nagorno Karabagh proper, in territories controlled by Armenian forces.
Nor was there a policy to settle those lands. He wondered what new
demographic situation Azerbaijan had been referring to. The conflict had
created refugees on both sides. By initiating the request, Azerbaijan
relied on the sensitivities towards its country from members of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). He stressed that the
conflict had no religious connotations, but was closely related to the
security environment in the South Caucasus. He urged the Committee not
to take action on the request.

Speaking in favour of the inclusion of the item on, before the vote,
were the representatives of Gambia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Djibouti, and
Turkey (on behalf of the OIC). The representatives of Belgium and
Australia spoke against its inclusion.

The representatives of Kazakhstan and China hoped the situation could be
resolved through peaceful negotiations.

At the top of the meeting, the Committee recommended the inclusion of
two other items on its current agenda. The first, entitled “Andean Zone
of Peace,” was introduced by Peru’s representative. Speaking on behalf
of the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela), he
said that the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass
destruction and anti-personnel mines constituted a concrete contribution
to the strengthening of international peace, security and trust, as well
as to the principles of the Charter and international law. It was also
recommended that the item be considered directly in the plenary meeting.

The second item, entitled “Observer status for the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation in the General Assembly”, was
introduced by Pakistan’s representative, who said the Association worked
to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their
quality of life. It also hoped to accelerate economic growth, social
progress and cultural development in the region, providing individuals
with the opportunity to live in dignity and realize their potential. The
Committee also decided to allocate that item to its Sixth Committee (Legal).

Acting on a request from the Secretary-General, the Committee also added
a new sub-item to its agenda in order to elect a member of the
International Court of Justice (ICJ). In document A/59/237, the
Secretary-General informed the Committee that a vacancy in the Court
would occur effective 11 February 2005, due to the resignation of Judge
and Former President Gilbert Guillaume.

Lastly, acting on a proposal by the representative of Syria, the
Committee decided to recommend that the Assembly split its consideration
of agenda item 36, on the Situation in the Middle East, and item 37, the
Question of Palestine, which was scheduled to be considered jointly.

The General Committee will meet again at a time to be announced.

ADL Calls On Chief Rabbis to Speak Out Against Interfaith Assaults In Old City

Anti-Defamation League
October 17, 2004

PRESS RELEASE
Israel / Middle East

Jerusalem, October 17, 2004 — The Israel Office of the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL) called on Israel’s two Chief Rabbis to speak out against
the phenomenon of attacks against Christians by Jewish students
studying in yeshivas in Jerusalem’s Old City.

In letters sent to Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger and Sepharadi
Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, ADL’s Israel Office said:

We are writing to share our deep concern and revulsion at the event
that took place last week in the Old City when a yeshiva student spat
at Nourhan Manougian, the Armenian Archbishop of Jerusalem.

After the student was arrested he told the authorities that
he perpetrated this act to protest idol worship. If this was an
isolated incident perhaps it could be simply blamed on bad behavior
by a misguided and disrespectful teenager. However, such incidents
are not at all rare. This disgraceful behavior perpetuated by a
minority of yeshiva students has been occurring for years.

We are now calling upon you to use your public position to speak out
quickly and firmly against this clear violation of Jewish ethical
teaching and to make clear to rabbis and teachers who are educating
yeshiva students in Jerusalem and elsewhere that such behavior is
a terrible moral offense and a stain on the name of Jewish people
everywhere.

Particularly in this time of rising anti-Semitism we do not tolerate
such conduct toward Jews anywhere in the world and such conduct toward
non-Jews must not be tolerated in the Jewish state. Maintaining quiet
and respectful relations between faiths in Jerusalem is both a national
and spiritual value.

We believe that you can do much to help combat this phenomenon both
publicly and privately and call upon you to use your esteemed position
to do so at this time.

Read more online on our web site at

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading
organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services
that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 17:10:14 | 29-10-2004 | Social |

SHOOTING IN MASHTOTS AVENUE

At 4:30 PM shots were fired in Mashtots-Tumanyan crossroad. According
to witnesses, shots were made at 2 young men from a “Vaz-31” car
passing. After the phone call made by a cafe employee ambulance cars
and policemen arrived on the spot and took the wounded away. They
are supposed to be dead already. The murdered men are said to be
Armenians from Georgia.

PRESS RELEASE OF DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION OF ARMENIAN POLICE

A1 Plus | 21:02:38 | 29-10-2004 | Official |

On October 29 at 15:55 PM shots were fired in the crossroad of Mashtotc
Avenue and Tumanyan Street. Operational group arrived on the scene
and found 2 corpses with gunshot wounds.

One of the dead men is an Armenian from Georgia. The next is being
identified.

Shells of “Makarov” gun were found in the spot.

Operational and investigation group managed to disclose the person
having committed murder, which isn’t published for operational
considerations.

Office of Prosecutor carries out the preliminary investigation for
the criminal case instituted.

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hamlet Gasparian responds to a Question by the
Armenian Daily, Hayastani Hanrapetutyun, on Azerbaijan¹s UN Initiative

Question: Today, the UN General Assembly voted on Azerbaijan¹s initiative
to include a resolution on ³The Status of Occupied Territories in
Azerbaijan² during the UN General Assembly 59th session. The initiative did
in fact enter the agenda. What is your comment?

Answer: Yes, there was a vote today on whether to include the issue on the
agenda and of the UN¹s 191 member countries, only 43 countries voted in
favor of Azerbaijan¹s initiative. The remainder abstained. The Netherlands,
on behalf of the European Union, spoke against Azerbaijan¹s initiative, and
France did as well, on behalf of the OSCE Minsk Group. The vote showed that
this initiative does not enjoy the broad support of the international
community.

The overwhelming majority of those who voted with Azerbaijan are members of
the Organization of Islamic Countries, which is currently chaired by Turkey.
This means that, unfortunately, Azerbaijan is attempting to give the
conflict a different color by recruiting the Islamic countries and
exploiting the prevailing solidarity within that organization. We believe
such actions will definitely have a negative effect on the peace process.
Nevertheless, I want to also stress that exactly 40% of the OIC membership
did not succumb to Turkey¹s and Azerbaijan¹s pressure and did not support
the Azerbaijani initiative.

I¹d like to point out a few other important facts. No permanent members of
the UN Security Council voted in favor of Azerbaijan¹s initiative. Nor did
any non-permanent members of the Security Council either, except for
Pakistan. No European Union member country supported the initiative nor did
any OSCE Minsk Group country with the exception of Turkey.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia states one more
time that through such steps Azerbaijan is attempting to divert the
international community from the actual core of the NK conflict, which is
the status of Nagorno Karabakh.

We have said and will repeat again that if Azerbaijan removes individual
issues from the comprehensive discussion of Nagorno Karabakh¹s status to
attract or divert international attention, then they must negotiate those
issues directly with Nagorno Karabakh.

–Boundary_(ID_O2z8nmO/i7UjMBSVWn13dg)–

Vatican hesitant on Turkey’s bid for EU membership

Vatican, Oct. 29 (CWNews.com) – The Vatican has not yet offered
any official statement on the prospect of Turkey’s entry into the
European Union, but believes that the union should cover Europe “from
the Atlantic to the Urals,” according to Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo.

In a lengthy interview with the Italian daily La Stampa , the Vatican’s
Secretary for Relations with States did make the observation that if
Turkey enters the European Union, the government of that predominantly
Muslim country will be obliged to fulfill the same political criteria
as all other member-states, including the guarantee of religious
freedom. And that guarantee, the archbishop added, should be “not
only ensured in the constitution, legislation, and administration,
but also protected concretely and effectively in the social realm.”

Archbishop Lajolo stressed that “the Holy See is not afraid of
enlarging Europe.” He pointed out that in the past the Vatican
has supported the application of Eastern European countries for EU
membership. In determining which states should enter the Union, he
said, “The decisive point is that the new Europe should have a deep
internal cohesion.”

The archbishop said that European leaders should “pay more attention”
to other countries that have already indicated a desire to join
the Union, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ukraine. Georgia,
and Armenia. These countries, he observed, are clearly aligned with
Europe’s cultural tradition.

Earlier this week, Bishop Piero Parolin– the deputy to Archbishop
Lajolo at the Vatican Secretariat of State– had also expressed
sympathy for the Eastern European nations seeking EU entry. The goal
of the Holy See, Bishop Parolin said, is “not so much to promote their
entry, but to facilitate the return of the Eastern European countries
to the European family, from which they were excluded during their
years of totalitarian oppression.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress