IRNA, Iran
January 19, 2005 Wednesday 5:48 PM EST
Armenian minister calls for expansion
Tehran
Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Affairs ghvan Vardanian meeting
with Iran`s Ambassador to Yerevan Alireza Haqiqian on Wednesday
called for expansion of cooperation in different fields between the
two countries.
In the meeting, Vardanian referred to mutual friendly ties and Iran`s
effective participation in the region.
Iran`s balanced position is very important for stability and security
in the region, he added.
Haqiqian, for his part, emphasized expansion of mutual relations in
all fields and called the upcoming visits of Armenian minister to
Iran “important” for mutual ties in different fields.
Vardanian, heading an Armenian delegation, is to travel to Iran on
January 22 for a four-day official visit.
Speaking in an interview with a Yerevan-based weekly in December
Haqiqian said “Iran`s bilateral relations with foreign countries, in
particular its neighbors, is based on mutual respect and
non-interference in their domestic affairs.”
Expressing satisfaction over the current level of Iran-Armenia
relations and its growing trend, he said that the visits of Armenia`s
President Robert Kocharian to Tehran and President Mohammad Khatami`s
trip to Yerevan played a crucial role in further strengthening mutual
ties.
He referred to some of the projects on the agenda including the
meetings of the joint economic commission, active participation of
Iranian tradesmen in Armenia`s market, the activities of Iranian
economic institutions there and cooperation in the energy sector.
In response to a question whether Moscow-Baku-Tehran railway will
replace Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route, he said that given Iran`s decisive
role in the regional transit system, the interest of the countries of
the region in cooperation with Iran is quite natural.
He added that according to a number of specialists, the Baku-Ceyhan
railway project is a political scheme, not economical.

Qatar News Agency
January 19, 2005 Wednesday 7:25 PM EST
EGYPT/ARMENIA
Doha, January 19
– Egyptian Minister Of International Cooperation Fayza Abul Naja Met
Here Today With Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian During The
Meeting The Egyptian Minister Underlined The Importance Of The Third
Session Of The Joint Egyptian-Armenian Joint Commission For Economic,
Scientific And Technical Cooperation, Held In The Armenian Capital
Yerevan In 2002 Saying That It Was A Turning Point Towards The
Enhancement Of Economic Relations Between The Two Countries.
The Two Sides Reviewed Other Areas Of Cooperation Such As Information
Technology, Communications And Jewelry.
They Agreed To Convene The Joint Commission S Fourth Session In Cairo
During The Second Half Of Next Year.

Xinhua General News Service
January 19, 2005 Wednesday 2:30 PM EST
AL urges US to adopt “new policy” in Middle East
CAIRO
Arab League (AL) chief Amr Moussa on Wednesday urged the United
States to adopt a “new policy” toward conflicts in the Middle East,
especially the Palestinian-Israeli issue, Egypt’s official MENA news
agency reported.
Condoleezza Rice, designated US secretary of state, used “new
language” when talking about the US Mideast policy at Tuesday’s
confirmation hearing in the Senate, Moussa was quoted as telling
visiting Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan.
“We hope the new language used by Rice can be turned into new
actions,” Moussa said, adding the United States should act as a ”
true mediator” on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
He also blasted Israel for its “aggressions against the Palestinian
people,” saying the current Israeli policy would only exacerbate the
situation in the region.
On the Iraqi file, Moussa warned against sectarian conflicts between
majority Shiite Muslims and minority Sunni Muslims in the country.
“Iraq should not be divided on a sectarian basis,” he said.
He said that the Iraqi parliamentarian elections slated for Jan. 30
were an important part of the political process in the country, and
urged all Iraqis to vote.

PanArmenian News
Jan 19 2005
ARTSAKH FRIENDLY ASSOCIATION VIEWS ELIZABETH JOHNS’ STATEMENT AS
PROVOCATION
19.01.2005 15:57
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The people of Nagorno Karabakh enjoy US’s respect
and the latter is rendering immediate humanitarian aid to Karabakh
year by year”, the declaration of Artsakh Friendly Association issued
in view of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs Elizabeth Johns’ statement. The declaration was read
at yesterday’s press conference in the Armenian parliament by deputy
Hamlet Harutyunian. The declaration also stresses that Nagorno
Karabakh is by no means behind the other states of the region from
the standpoint of democracy. “Elizabeth John’s statement questions
the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group as well as the opinion
dominating in the international structures according to which the
Karabakh conflict as compared to the other post-soviet conflicts has
a specific character and demands a delicate approach”. The Artsakh
members are going to send a corresponding letter to the US Ambassador
in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanArmenian News
Jan 19 2005
V. HOVHANISSIAN SAYS ELIZABETH JOHNS’ STATEMENT DOES NOT REFLECT US
OFFICIAL STAND
19.01.2005 15:32
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Equating of different conflicts testifies of
absolute ignorance. Our Georgian, Russian, European and American
partners perfectly realize that the conflicts in Abkhazia, Ossetia
and Pridnestrovye are bearing quite different nature”, Vice Speaker
of the Armenian parliament, member of AFR Dashnaktsutyun Vahan
Hovhanissian stated when commenting on yesterday’s statement by US
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Elizabeth Johns. To remind, Ms. Johns, who is to resign in the near
future, stated that “Russia should be interested in the settlement of
the Prednestrovian, South-Ossetian, Abkhazian and Karabakh conflict,
in establishment of stability in these regions and in removal of
criminalized separatists from office.” “Speaking of separative forces
she should have taken into consideration that the whole population of
Nagorno Karabakh wished to come apart from Azerbaijan”, V.
Hovhanissian stated. In his opinion, her words do not reflect the
official stand of the United States. “Very often on threshold of
their resignation officials make statements proceeding from certain
interests”, he added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanArmenian News
Jan 19 2005
THOUSANDS OF TURKIFIED ARMENIANS REVERT TO THEIR ROOTS
18.01.2005 19:08
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Forcibly turkified and kurdified Armenians, who
lived in Western Armenia in the beginning of the 20-th century, are
experiencing the period of awaking of national consciousness today,
Hamo Moskofian writes in Azg daily. Thousands of Armenians, who were
forcibly turned to Muslims in the Sasun and Taron regions, are
reverting to their Armenian roots. “About 1000 Armenian are living in
Mush at the moment. Over the Kurdish issue the Turkish government
left them in peace”, Armen from Mush, who is a frequent visitor to
Armenia, tells. Such people are often met in Germany and Armenia,
where they renounce their Turkish names and family names and take
Armenian ones. Simon Kostanian (Sardet Kostun in past), who was born
in the village of Karmir Khach in Ttaron, resides in Germany at
present and keeps in touch with the Armenian community. “Our
relatives live in Western Armenia”, he says. “They have undergone
many tortures.” Razmik Hakobian (Nureddin Yakub), native of Kilikia,
is going to shoot a film about people, who are reverting to their
Armenian identity. “My parents were hiding their origin since being
an Armenian in Kilikia was an unpardonable crime”, he says.

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
mercoledì il 19 gennaio 2005
PAPA: INAUGURA STATUA S.GREGORIO ARMENO A SAN PIETRO
CITTA’ DEL VATICANO
(ANSA) – CITTA’ DEL VATICANO, 19 GEN – Giovanni Paolo II ha
inaugurato questa mattina la statua di San Gregorio Armeno,
l’Illuminatore, sulla fiancata destra della basilica vaticana,
nella strada interna alla Citta’ del Vaticano, che prende il
nome di via delle Fondamenta. Il papa ha benedetto la statua di
marmo bianco di Carrara, commissionata dal collegio Armeno di
Roma, ed opera dello sculture armeno Kazan Khatechik. (ANSA).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Jan 19 2005
Session of Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation between
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh held in Yerevan
Statements of deputy US Secretary General Elizabeth Jones did not
pursue the goal to criticize authorities of Nagorno Karabakh
Administrative court to start functioning in Armenia beginning with
2006
Statement on Nagorno Karabakh of Elizabeth Jones, US Assistant
Secretary of State, shocks Armenian diaspora of America
The policy of the State Department of the USA in respect of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict hasn’t changed
*********************************************************************
SESSION OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION ON COOPERATION BETWEEN
ARMENIA AND NAGORNO KARABAKH HELD IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, January 19. /ARKA/. The session of the Intergovernmental
Commission on Cooperation between Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh was
held in Yerevan today. According to the Public Relations and Press
Department of RA Government, provisions of events program on
long-term cooperation between the two Governments were discussed
during the session. Currently, the program is being developed by the
working groups of the Commission, which will present it to the
corresponding Ministries and Departments of the two countries till
February 5 in order to develop sub-programs for separate spheres. The
RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan emphasized the importance of
further development of Armenian and NKR economic relations and gave
commissions to render professional and methodological assistance to
the working groups for the determination of a more pragmatic and
feasible tasks. L.V.-0–
*********************************************************************
STATEMENTS OF DEPUTY US SECRETARY GENERAL ELIZABETH JONES DID NOT
PURSUE THE GOAL TO CRITICIZE AUTHORITIES OF NAGORNO KARABAKH
STEPANAKERT, January 19. /ARKA/. Statements of deputy US Secretary
General Elizabeth Jones did not pursue the goal to criticize
authorities of Nagorno Karabakh, NKR MFA press service told ARKA that
it was stated by assistant of OSCE MG Co-Chairman from USA Elizabeth
Ruth during telephone conversation with NKR Regular Representative to
USA Vardan Barsegian. Ruth said that statements of Jones considered
policy conducted by Russia.
The policy of the State Department of the USA in respect of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict hasn’t changed, according to the statement
of Press Service Department of the US Embassy to RA referring to
official Washington. It’s stated in the press release of the Embassy
that the USA doesn’t recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent
state, and the authority of NKR is not recognized at the
international level, or by the USA. The USA defends the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan and considers that the further status of
Nagorno-Karabakh should be determined by means of the negotiations
process in the framework of OSCE Minsk Group’, according to the press
release, stating that the USA continues its active contribution to
the peaceful settlement of the conflict through OSCE Minsk Group. `We
are encouraged by continuing consistent negotiations held between the
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Azerbaijan’, according to
the press-release.
As statement of the US Embassy to RA referring to official Washington
states that according to the comments in Moscow Times, the Deputy US
Secretary General Elizabeth Johns puts emphasis on the necessity of
joint cooperation between the USA and Russia regarding the issue of
the law priority and increasing transparency in the settlement of
conflicts in conflict regions. `We realize that each conflict has its
own and specific circumstances’, according to the press-release.
To remind, according to Mass Media, Elizabeth Jones stated in her
interview to journalists in the course of the video- conference with
Moscow on January 13 that US President Jorge Bush is alarmed by the
lack of enough efforts on the part of Russia to settle
Pridnestrovski, North Ossetian, Abkhazian and Karabakh conflicts.
`These four conflicts will be discussed at the meeting of Bush with
Putin in the capital of Slovakia. It’s in the interests of Russia
that the situation in Pridnestrovie, North Ossetia, Abkhazia and
Nagorno-Karabakh be stable, corruption be combated, and criminal
elements be eliminated in the echelons of power’, she noted. L.D.
-0–
*********************************************************************
ADMINISTRATIVE COURT TO START FUNCTIONING IN ARMENIA BEGINNING WITH
2006
YEREVAN, January 19. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian held a
working meeting with RA Minister of Justice David Harutunyan.
According to the OPress service of RA President, in the context of
judicial-legal system, Kocharian attached importance to the
establishment of administrative courts and work on development of
legislative packages. The system of administrative courts, widely
applied in world practice, will allow protecting the interests of
citizens and legal entities in disputes with the official structures
through specialized courts. It is supposed, that administrative
courts should start functioning in Armenia already beginning with
2006.
During the meeting, the Justice Minister presented to the RA
President other directions of work scheduled for 2005. In particular,
he laid stress on the successful implementation of the second stage
of judicial-legal reforms and considerable improvement of services
for compulsory fulfillment of judicial and criminal-executive acts.
L.V. -0–
*********************************************************************
STATEMENT ON NAGORNO KARABAKH OF ELIZABETH JONES, US ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF STATE, SHOCKS ARMENIAN DIASPORA OF AMERICA
YEREVAN, January 19. /ARKA/. Armenian Diaspora of America is shocked
by the statement on Nagorno Karabakh of Elizabeth Jones, US Assistant
Secretary of State. According to the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA), `these remarks undermine the Karabakh peace process’.
`Assistant Secretary Jones’s comments seriously weaken the foundation
of our role – as Americans – as impartial mediators of the Nagorno
Karabagh conflict. Her remarks unfairly attack the right of the
people of Nagorno Karabagh to express themselves democratically
through elections and they also- very significantly – embolden the
growing chorus in the Azerbaijan government that are calling for
renewed aggression against Nagorno Karabagh’, said ANCA Chairman Ken
Hachikian. To remind, Elizabeth Jones, US Assistant Secretary of
State, stated in her interview to journalists during the video-
conference with Moscow on January 13 that US President George Bush is
concerned with lack of sufficient efforts on behalf of Russia to
settle the conflicts of Pridnestrovje, North Ossetia, Abkhazia and
Karabakh. `These four conflicts will be addressed in the Bush-Putin
meeting in the capital of Slovakia It is in Russia’s interest for
these areas, for Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia,
Nagorno-Karabakh, for these areas to be stable, for corruption to end
there, for the criminal secessionists who rule there to be removed.
‘, noted Jones. It is known that Karabakh conflict will become one of
the issues that the Presidents of the USA and Russia are going to
discuss in the meeting in February in Bratislava, the capital of
Slovakia. L.V. –0–
*********************************************************************
THE POLICY OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF THE USA IN RESPECT OF
NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT HASN’T CHANGED
YEREVAN, January 19. /ARKA/. The policy of the State Department of
the USA in respect of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict hasn’t changed,
according to the statement of Press Service Department of the US
Embassy to RA referring to official Washington. It’s stated in the
press release of the Embassy that the USA doesn’t recognize
Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state, and the authority of NKR is
not recognized at the international level, or by the USA. The USA
defends the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and considers that
the further status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be determined by means
of the negotiations process in the framework of OSCE Minsk Group’,
according to the press release, stating that the USA continues its
active contribution to the peaceful settlement of the conflict
through OSCE Minsk Group. `We are encouraged by continuing consistent
negotiations held between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia
and Azerbaijan’, according to the press-release.
As statement of the US Embassy to RA referring to official Washington
states that according to the comments in Moscow Times, the Deputy US
Secretary General Elizabeth Johns puts emphasis on the necessity of
joint cooperation between the USA and Russia regarding the issue of
the law priority and increasing transparency in the settlement of
conflicts in conflict regions. `We realize that each conflict has its
own and specific circumstances’, according to the press-release.
To remind, according to Mass Media, Elizabeth Johns stated in her
interview to journalists in the course of the video- conference with
Moscow on January 13 that US President Jorge Bush is alarmed by the
lack of enough efforts on the part of Russia to settle
Pridnestrovski, North Ossetian, Abkhazian and Karabakh conflicts.
`These four conflicts will be discussed at the meeting of Bush with
Putin in the capital of Slovakia. It’s in the interests of Russia
that the situation in Pridnestrovie, North Ossetia, Abkhazia and
Nagorno-Karabakh be stable, corruption be combated, and criminal
elements be eliminated in the echelons of power’, she noted.
To note, the Karabakh conflict will become one of the issues that the
Presidents of the USA and Russia are going to discuss at the planned
meeting in February in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. A.H.
–0–

The Times, UK
Jan 20 2005
Felix Aprahamian
Irrepressible writer, critic and enthusiast for music in Britain, who
helped to shape the nation’s cultural life for many years

FELIX APRAHAMIAN was a critic, organist, publisher, broadcaster,
adjudicator, lecturer, editor, concert organiser and much more
besides. Above all, he was an enthusiast: an animator, with a
cosmopolitan touch, of British music, musicians and musical events
over a period of more than 60 years.
Generous, quick-witted, energetic especially in the cause of French
composers, he did much to sustain music in England during the war by
his work for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He did no less, once
the fighting was over, to build bridges with the Continent. For many
years his short, tubby, goatee-bearded presence, spectacles flashing
with delight, made him a magnet at London musical events.

Felix Aprahamian was born in London in 1914, of Armenian parentage,
and educated at Tollington School in Muswell Hill. He began
contributing articles to the musical press when not yet out of his
teens.
An early enthusiasm for Delius sent him off to the composer’s home at
Grez-sur-Loing, some 45 miles south of Paris, and was sustained
throughout his life: he was an adviser to the Delius Trust from 1961.
In 1940, abandoning a business career, Aprahamian became assistant
secretary and concert director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra,
then in economic difficulties and feeling the loss caused by Sir
Thomas Beecham’s departure. Aprahamian, refusing to compromise,
devised enterprising programmes that included, in 1944, the first
performance of Tippett’s A Child of Our Time.
In 1946 Aprahamian left the LPO to become, nominally, a consultant to
the firm United Musical Publishers, but in effect he made himself
through the firm’s Paris connections one of the main agents, along
with the French cultural attaché Tony Mayer, of the promotion of
French music in Britain.
The Concerts de Musique Française which they organised between 1942
and 1964 not only introduced French music to London but also brought
to British notice artists including Gérard Souzay, Monique Haas,
Yvonne Lefébure and, with Poulenc, Pierre Bernac.
His gift for friendship stood him in good stead, and the
affectionately signed photographs festooning his office were a sign
of real appreciation from composers including Poulenc and Messiaen,
conductors including Ansermet, Munch and Désormière, and many other
artists.
Aprahamian’s particular interest in organ music – he had an organ in
his house and encouraged young organists to use it for practice – led
to much greater English awareness of the riches of the French
repertory.
He was honorary secretary of the Organ Music Society from 1935 to
1970 and was made an honorary member of the Royal College of
Organists in 1973 and an honorary fellow in 1994. He was energetic in
the successful campaign in the early 1970s to save the Alexandra
Palace organ which the GLC was proposing to sell, and led an appeal
to restore it; this became a much greater challenge when it was badly
damaged in a fire in 1980.
In 1948 Aprahamian also became deputy to Ernest Newman as music
critic of The Sunday Times. Especially when the aged and increasingly
Olympian Newman’s weekly articles tended to become reflections or
pronouncements, Aprahamian provided urbane and well-judged reviews of
the London concert scene. It was a testament to his abiding respect
for Newman that he found the time to edit two volumes of his senior’s
essays in 1956 and 1958.
He also much enjoyed his forays on the paper’s behalf to the
Edinburgh Festival, where he held something of a court in an obscure
hotel, and where his amusement at his own exotic aspect once led to
him, when driving along Princes Street in a tourist horse-drawn open
carriage in his scarlet-lined opera cloak, to toss halfpennies as
largesse at the feet of some awed Americans. He relished his fleeting
appearance as an art dealer in the John Schlesinger film Darling
(1965).
Aprahamian’s immense capacity for hard work took him in many other
directions. From 1942 he was a regular and well-loved broadcaster,
especially on Music Magazine.
He lectured widely, including at Morley College, the City Literary
Institute and Surrey University, and from 1989 he was Visiting
Professor of the University of East London. In 1991 he was Regents
Lecturer at the University of California.
He was a regular member of international juries in Geneva, Montreux
and Biarritz. His musical editorship of The Listener drew
contributions of a high standard, so that he was able to edit a
selection for publication. He served on the BBC Central Music
Advisory Committee from 1958 to 1961.

As president of Putney Music, he helped to make it one of the most
important gramophone societies in the country. In 1995 he was made an
honorary doctor of music by City University.
Aprahamian’s house in Muswell Hill – which he liked to refer to as
`the stately pleasure-dome’ – was one dispensing boundless
hospitality.

He did not marry, and in the postwar years, his much loved, much
put-upon widowed mother would cook vast, wonderful meals for streams
of visiting friends, who would play chamber music with him, be made
free of his enormous library, be shown his Proustian treasures or
explore his beautifully tended, floodlit garden in the Japanese
style.
Felix Aprahamian, musician and writer, was born on June 5, 1914. He
died on January 15, 2005, aged 90.

Azg Daily, Armenia
Jan 20 2005
ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF TURKEY SUES AGBU
The Zhamanak (Time) daily of Istanbul published an article on January
18 informing that the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, archbishop Mesrob
Mutafian, applied to the Californian court to bring an action against
the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). The Patriarch assumes
that the AGBU has violated a paragraph of Melgonian’s testament
signed in 1926 saying that the Armenian Patriarchy of Constantinople
should receive 1000 English coins from the AGBU.
The Patriarch reminds in the article that the Melgonian brothers, who
handed all their wealth down to the Armenian nation and who founded a
number of important establishments, guaranteed the future of these
national establishments. The Patriarch thinks that the Central
Administration of the AGBU appeared to be very shortsighted if it
wants to sell the Melgonian Educational Institute (MEI). The
trilateral agreement signed in 1926 by the Patriarchy the AGBU and
Karapet Melgonian, one of the brothers, handed the will over to the
AGBU. Following this document, the AGBU has been successfully
sponsoring the MEI for years now. The constructive usage of the
testament was questioned last year when the Central Administration of
the AGBU decided to close the MEI. The prudent circles of the
Armenian Diaspora tried to shield AGBU’s activity from all-out
criticism and concentrated on the issue of MEI. But the AGBU remained
inflexible. In the created situation the Melgonians’ will appeared in
the spotlight. Those opposing to the closure of the MEI were fairly
fingering that the AGBU has no right to take such a decision. AGBU is
not the owner of the MEI but it was only sponsoring the institute as
the heir of the will.
Besides, the Patriarch reminds that the will supposes that the AGBU
distributes 3000 golden English coins (at the price of the date the
document was signed) to the Yerevan State University, and 1000 golden
English coins to the Armenian Patriarchies of Jerusalem and Istanbul.
He notes that the Patriarchy of Istanbul did not receive anything
during these 79 years.
Apparently, the last fact was the reason why Patriarch Mesrob
Mutafian instituted the lawsuit. But it is uncertain if the lawsuit
will include the MEI case or not.
Extract from daily Zhamanak, Istanbul