The Denver Post
January 7, 2005 Friday
FINAL EDITION
Village, warm movie
by Lisa Kennedy Denver Post Film Critic
“Why is it called Vodka Lemon when it tastes like almonds?” asks a
customer.
“That’s Armenia,” replies Nina, a lovely, 50-year- old bartender at
the Vodka Lemon.
With its ramshackle walls and open-air entrance, the establishment is
more akin to a beach-side refreshment stand. Only the weather is
decidedly brisk – if Nina (Lala Sarkissian) is dropping bottles, it’s
probably because her hands are frozen.
Nina’s customer accepts her answer and walks away, bottle in hand. So
it goes in this part of Russian Armenia, where absurdities are
commonplace.
In writer-director Hiner Saleem’s celebration of a village’s people,
visual non-sequiturs abound and natives of this sub-zero locale don’t
bat an eye.
The first time a horse and its rider canter through the frame, one
easily imagines it as a metaphor for the cavalry coming. But the next
time they gallop through, and the time after that, it becomes clear
that there’s little rescue from the Cold village, warm movie

Armenian leader replaces deputy security chief
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
8 Jan 05
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on 8 January
dismissing Grigoriy Grigoryan from the National Security Service and
from the post of first deputy chief of the National Security Service
of the Armenian government in connection with the expiry of his term
of service.
Under another presidential decree, Hrachya Arutyunyan has been
appointed to the post of first deputy chief of the National Security
Service of the Armenian government.

Azeri Jews welcome US report on anti-Semitism
Ekho, Baku
7 Jan 05
The leaders of Azerbaijan’s Jewish communities have welcomed a US
State Department report on anti-Semitism. In their interview with the
Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho, they said there were no ethnic problems or
anti-Semitism in the country. In turn, Ekho said the US State
Department report proves once again that there is a tolerant attitude
to other religions and ethnic groups in the country. The daily
compared the situation in Azerbaijan with anti-Semitic sentiments in
Armenia. The following is the text of R. Orucov report by Azerbaijani
newspaper Ekho on 7 January headlined “There are no instances of
anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan” and subheaded “This is what the US State
Department report said. The situation is the opposite in
Armenia”. Subheadings have been inserted editorially:
The US State Department has unveiled a report on cases of
anti-Semitism in the countries which have Jewish communities. The
following is an excerpt from the document which is relevant to
Azerbaijan.
The community of mountain Jews has resided in the country for 2,700
years, while the Ashkenazi Jews (the community of European Jews) have
been present in Azerbaijan for more than 100 years.
Cases of prejudice and discrimination against Jews in the country have
been very limited, and in the few instances of anti-Semitic activity,
the government has been quick to respond. There was only one reported
incident during the period covered by this report. In April, the
Lubavitch community received an anonymous letter containing threats
during the observance of Passover. The police and military responded
by blocking and securing Jewish places of worship to ensure the
peaceful observance of Passover. The subsequent investigation revealed
that the letter had been written by a member of a small radical
Islamic group, which resulted in his conviction and imprisonment.
The government does not condone or tolerate the persecution of Jews by
any party. No laws in Azerbaijan specifically address anti-Semitism.
Comparison with Armenia
As we can see, Azerbaijan has proved once again its tolerant attitude
to other religions and ethnic groups. It is noteworthy that this
assessment does not come from the local bureaucracy – the report has
been prepared by US government officials on the basis of monitoring
conducted by Jewish unions in the countries where they live. Then it
is even more interesting to take a look at the assessment which our
neighbouring country-aggressor has received. It is known that as a
result of the nationalist policy conducted by Armenia’s ruling
circles, over the years of its independence the country has in effect
turned into a mono-ethnic state. Yet there is still a small Jewish
community consisting mainly of women who once married Armenians.
Armenia:
The Jewish community reported several incidents of verbal harassment
during this period. The director of ALM TV frequently made
anti-Semitic remarks on the air, and the Union of Armenian Aryans, a
small ultranationalist group, called for the country to be “cleansed”
of Jews and Yezidis.
On 17 September, offices of the Jewish community in Yerevan received a
message that vandals had damaged the local memorial to the victims of
the Holocaust. Several photographs of the memorial were taken and the
vandalism was immediately reported to the local police, the Ministry
of Religious Affairs [presumably referring to the State Council on
Religious Affairs] and the government-owned television channel. A
television crew arrived at the site together with an official from the
Jewish community in Yerevan and to their surprise discovered that the
memorial had been wiped clean, apparently by the park guard.
In May, Jewish groups complained to several government authorities
about the distribution and importation of hate literature. Each
government agency they contacted responded that the literature was in
apparent violation of the law “On distributing literature inflaming
national hatred” and suggested they try to redress the situation
through pressing formal charges with the Prosecutor-General’s
Office. Jewish leaders have not yet decided whether to press charges.
Jewish leader agrees with US report
On the whole, the head of the community of mountain Jews, Semen
Ikhiilov, agreed with the American report on Azerbaijan: “Throughout
the independence period, there have been only few instances of
anti-Semitism. They were all cases of vandalism. Jewish gravestones
were damaged. When I learnt about that, I immediately reported this to
Heydar Aliyev who was the president then. He took measures straight
away, the state found some of the criminals and the gravestones were
restored. Over the past few years, I cannot remember a single case of
anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan. As for the increased protection of the
places of worship, I would not say that this is being done
purposefully. It is always done on religious holidays. The Interior
Ministry has special dates when they reinforce the guard outside the
synagogues and places of worship, and patrol cars are on watch at
nights.”
Information about the duration of the residence of the mountain Jews
in Azerbaijan is also accurate. “Incidentally, around 95 per cent of
all Jews in Azerbaijan are mountain Jews,” Ikhiilov said.
Anti-Semitism in Armenia
As for the situation with anti-Semitism in Armenia, he accepts that
everything in the report may be true. “I even know the chairman of
their community, Rimma Vardzhapetyan. And there is one rabbi in
Armenia. There is always some bickering going on between them and they
always seem unable to divide something. Various anti-Semitic attacks
may take place in Armenia. Everything is possible there because the
Armenians are unable to stay calm. Had they been able to live calmly
and in peace, they would still be living in peace with their
neighbour, Azerbaijan, which had provided them with shelter for many
years on the land of Karabakh. And they lived here better than anyone
else. We must remember that most of the Armenians who lived in
Azerbaijan occupied high posts – in the city committees [of the
Communist Party], in the Council of Ministers and in the central
committee. They had the best apartments in Baku. What else did they
want? Judging from this experience, I can accept that what the
Americans report may be true.
“On the contrary, there is no anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan, and nothing
like that is expected here. According to my information, there are
currently about 60 Jews in Armenia. They are all women who married
Armenians. Vardzhapetyan’s husband works in the Armenian presidential
administration. Therefore, she always protects Armenian interests at
international forums. I once told her: ‘You are a Jew. How can you
protect the interests of an aggressor? She replied ‘Why do you call us
aggressors?'”
In turn, Gennadiy Zelmanovich, head of the community of the Ashkenazi
Jews, confirmed to Ekho newspaper that “the Lubavitch community
received an anonymous letter in early April, on the eve of Passover,
which said that ‘you will be punished for killing our sheikh’. The
police and the National Security Ministry examined the letter and took
all the necessary measures. I do not think that this incident was
worth mentioning in the State Department report.”
The number of Jews in Armenia
Touching on Armenia, Zelmanovich said that some 100 Jews are living
there. “According to the World Jewish Congress, there were officially
120 Jews in Armenia in 2001. On the other hand, the worldwide Jewish
agency Sokhnut reports that each year 100 Jews from Armenia go to
Israel for permanent residency. Those are people whose mother, father
or grandfather were Jews. This concerns only Israel. I do not have any
information about how many Jews go to Germany or the USA. At various
Jewish congresses and meetings, I have met Vardzhapetyan and she
always states that there are 800 real Jews in Armenia. I have
repeatedly asked her how the figure can remain the same when at least
100 Jews leave the country every year. She says ‘we will always have
800 Jews’.
“We are both members of the General Council of the Eurasian Jewish
Congress. And all Jews can see every year at the sessions that there
is no anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan with its 30,000-strong Jewish
community, whereas anti-Semitism is continuing in Armenia where some
100 Jews remain.
“Vardzhapetyan herself explains the problems of Armenian Jews by
Israel’s unwillingness to recognize the ‘Armenian genocide’. When I
speak, I always state that Jews in Azerbaijan have no ethnic problems
and, as fully-fledged citizens, our only problem is the continuing
occupation of part of our territory by Armenia. Our children also
serve in the army and this means we can never rule out that we may
lose them since Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war.”

Ukraine events to affect ex-Soviet countries soon – Azeri opposition leader
Yeni Musavat, Baku
28 Dec 04

The leader of Azerbaijan’s major opposition Musavat Party, Isa Qambar,
has said the effects of the Ukrainian events are already noticeable in
post-Soviet countries, including Azerbaijan. Qambar told the
opposition Yeni Musavat newspaper that Viktor Yushchenko’s victory in
Ukraine has boosted the activity of democratic forces in post-Soviet
countries, which worries authoritarian regimes. Qambar added that the
effects of the Ukrainian elections will grow day by day and yield
positive results. The following is an excerpt from Konul Samilqizi’s
report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat on 28 December headlined
“The Ukrainian events are already yielding results” and subheaded “Isa
Qambar: ‘This process is going on slowly in Azerbaijan, but one can
already notice it'”. Subheadings have been inserted editorially:
The Ukrainian democrats have won the re-run of the second round of the
presidential elections. As a matter of fact, it would be more correct
to view this as a confirmation of the 31 October and 21 November
victories, which an attempt was made to steal, rather than a new
victory. Because Viktor Yushchenko, leader of the Our Ukraine election
bloc, had clearly won both the first round and the first run of the
second round. But it took him up to two months to confirm his victory,
which became possible after a serious struggle.
The Azerbaijani democrats were among those delighted by this
victory. And the Our Azerbaijan bloc was double happy, because it was
the Our Ukraine bloc, an ally of the Our Azerbaijan bloc, and Viktor
Yushchenko who won the elections. We asked Isa Qambar, leader of the
Our Azerbaijan bloc and Musavat Party, to comment on this important
event.
“Two months not a waste of time”
[Correspondent] It would not be that right to assess the results of
the 26 December re-run of the second round of the elections as a
victory. Because your ally had won the elections far before that. So
we think that this is more a confirmation of the victory rather than a
new victory. How would you comment on this?
[Qambar] You are absolutely right. In fact, Yushchenko was elected
president on 31 October. This victory was confirmed during the
following two months. But these two months cannot be viewed as a waste
of time. On the contrary, it was a very important period. First,
Yushchenko became Ukrainian leader – a more trusted person than a
merely elected president. This trust will enable him to solve
Ukraine’s problems, make strong decisions about the country’s
development and carry out the necessary reforms.
Second, the Ukrainian people proved in these two months that they are
able to meet the requirements of the 21st century and that they can
have their own place in the modern world. And this will help Ukraine
integrate into the European Union and NATO. In principle, these two
months proved once again that even the most ruthless authoritarian
police regimes can turn into a democracy peacefully and one can come
to power in those countries by free and fair elections. On the one
hand, people have to be resolute and selfless to achieve this. On the
other, the international community has to take a fundamental position
and demonstrate loyalty to its own values and ideas. And this was the
case. From this point of view, these two months should be valued
highly.
[Correspondent] This process was particularly important for you, as
the Ukrainian democrats – your allies – emerged victorious. How do you
feel about it?
[Qambar] Of course, the success of people we know, our friends and
very honourable people, cannot but delight us. For us, it is good news
that the leader of the Our Ukraine bloc, which is an ally of the Our
Azerbaijan bloc, came to power in an important country like Ukraine. I
believe that this will help further improve relations between the
democratic forces of Ukraine and Azerbaijan, as well as relations
between Azerbaijan and Ukraine, which are strategic partners.
[Correspondent] How are the democrats, who are in power in Ukraine now
and in opposition in Azerbaijan, going to establish relations? What is
the aim of the agreement signed between the Our Ukraine and Our
Azerbaijan blocs? How will this document work at this moment?
[Qambar] I see no need to fuss about this issue. Of course, we will
continue our meetings and talks. We will also discuss how to continue
our cooperation under these circumstances. But relations between our
peoples and states are more important for us. We think that relations
between these peoples and states should develop no matter who is in
power in Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
Effects already noticeable
[Correspondent] As the Ukrainian democrats have confirmed their
victory, I will put this question explicitly: What specific effects
can the victory of democracy in Ukraine have on post-Soviet countries,
including Azerbaijan?
[Qambar] Time will show what kind of direct effects these processes
will have. But in general, they proved once again that passage to
democracy is theoretically possible at this stage.
Second, the plan of some circles in Moscow to establish an alliance
with the surrounding countries based on authoritarian rule has
failed. Ukraine was the most important part of this plan. One can
unequivocally regard this plan as a fiasco since it failed in
Ukraine. And this will have positive effects. The Ukrainian events
have started affecting Azerbaijan and all post-Soviet countries. The
fact that democratic forces have become more resourceful, anxiety
within the authoritarian regimes and the fact that the peoples of
these countries have begun looking at the issue through a different
prism are the results of this direct impact. This impact will grow day
by day and yield results.
[Correspondent] Is the Ukrainian process the only factor that
supplements the resolve of the democratic forces in Azerbaijan and
other post-Soviet countries or are there any specific reports about
this? The talk is about the West’s fundamental decision to turn
Azerbaijan into a democracy. There have been reports that the USA has
decided to turn Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Moldova into
democracies.
[Qambar] One should consider the events in a broader context. It would
not be right to take the events out of context. And the Ukrainian
events are a very important reflection of this broader context.
First, Azerbaijani society is gradually recovering from the damage
inflicted by the rigged 2003 presidential elections and repression
against the people. Society is trying to look to the future with hope
again. Positive trends are obvious. Although this process is going on
slowly, one can already notice it. The most difficult year is
over. On the other hand, international processes and the fact that the
international community has begun reconsidering these issues are also
obvious.
I believe that the failure of the Ilham Aliyev project on the one
hand, his failure to conduct reforms in Azerbaijan over the past year,
and on the other, the fact that it has been proved that democratic
changes are possible when the international community is united have
led to changes in the approach of the international community to these
issues. And this is quite obvious. All these factors affect these
issues and will also continue to affect them in the future.
[Passage omitted: Qambar says the main tasks facing Azerbaijan’s
democratic forces will be making changes to the election code,
changing the principles of forming election commissions and helping
boost the people’s trust in democracy]

DIASPORA BUILDS ANOTHER SCHOOL
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05
American Armenian benefactor Anush Matevossian decided to support the
construction of a school building in Stepanakert. This was
A. Matevossian’s response to the request of the vice chairman of the
board of directors of the Armenian Assembly of America Annie Totah to
sponsor the building. Annie Totah visited the building site of the
school together with NKR first lady Inna Ghukassian who sponsors the
project. Last December Anush Matevossian who is one of the founders of
the museum of genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in
Washington, donated 275 thousand US dollars. The money was transferred
to the Armenian Relief Fund in New York, which will deal with the
construction of the school.
According to the executive director of the fund Garnik Nanagyulian,
the organization aims to implement the project in close cooperation
with the Nagorni Karabakh authorities. The school will mainly admit
the children of refugeeswho were forced to leave Azerbaijan at the
beginning of the 1990’s. Forthis undertaking NKR President Arkady
Ghukassian thanked Anush Matevossian during their telephone talk.
AA.
09-01-2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRACTICAL USE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05
Nagorni Karabakh is rich in minerals. However, during 70 years of
Soviet rule Azerbaijan had circumspectly tabooed this absolutely
profitable branch for the region and therefore the territory of
Nagorni Karabakh was not duly explored by geologists. Whereas complex
ore especially zinc, lead, copper, pyrites, and iron have been found
here since ancient times. The region of Martakert,the area between the
rivers Tartar and Khachen is reach in base metals. There is copper and
gold, geological parties of other base metals near Drmbon, Gyulatagh,
Kusapat, Vank, as well as Lisagor, Zardanashen, Mets Tagher, there are
deposits of pyrites and other metals near the villages Harutiunagomer,
Vank, Gyulatagh, Kusapat in the region of Martakert. The complex ore
mine near the village Mehmana is especially promising. Taking into
account the important role of the problem in encouraging the economic
development of the country, in particular the development of
metallurgy, after the armistice, in February 1995 the geological
laboratory of the institute of geology of the RA National Academy of
Science was founded in Nagorni Karabakh. In the past decade the
collaborators of the laboratory carried out a series of scientific and
industrial researches in cooperation with specialists from Armenia,
due to which NKR metallurgy is presently developing successfully. The
director of the laboratory Christopher Khachanov, Candidate of
Science, mentioned that in the sphere of exploration of metal ore
mines serious geochemical survey has been carried out especially at
the copper and gold mine of Drmbon (by the way, the thesis for the
degree of candidate of Ch. Khachanov was on the exploration of the
same mine). More thorough exploration was carried out in the depth of
450-600 meters. The potential wings and deeper layers of the mine have
not been explored yet. In several directions of the mine blind ore
bodies have been found. Besides, by the task of the NKR government
scientific exploration has been carried out at the mine deposits of
Mehmana and the adjacent territory. The exploration works have been
summed up in the scientific statements `Geological and Geochemical
Evaluation of the Mine Deposit Gyulatagh – Janiatagh (Mehmana mining
area)’ and ` Geological and Geochemical Evaluation of the Forecast of
Potential Surfacesof the Mehmana Mining Area’. By another task of the
executive the laboratory explored other mine deposits in Shoushi
(copper pyrites of Tas Verst, gold and copper of Mets Shen), Martouni
(gold and copper in Zardanashen), Askeran (gold and copper in Traket)
and other areas. Artsakh is also rich in nonmetal resources,
particularly marble and limestone. Almost all the regions of the
republic are rich in different kinds of limestone which is widely
produced and used in building. There is pink tuff in the village Vank,
Martouni region (the tuffof this quarry was used for building the
monastery of Gandzasar), felsite tuff nearthe village Chldran. There
is a diabase quarry near the village Khachen, Askeran region. The
republic is rich in basalt, granite, andesite, limestone, etc. Of
great interests is Icelandic spar (Myurishen, Tsakuri, Sarghisashen),
plaster, barite (Tonashen), etc. The major part of the mentioned areas
is presently explored by the NKR geological laboratory. The pits of
Icelandic spar, plaster and clay have been better explored. These
studies have been summed up in the scientific statement `Regularities
and Potentials of Geology, the Origin of the Chemical Composition of
the Icelandic Spar in Jurassic sediments and clay, plaster in Pliocene
– Quaternary Sediments’. As to carbohydrates, the director of the
laboratory said this mineral exists near the villages Maghavuz,
Nareshtar and Kolatak. In 1996 the NKR government undertook geological
survey of the Maghavuz pit. The exploration was summed up in the
statement `Potentials of Production of the Maghavuz Coal Pit’. We were
interested if there are oil and gas deposits in the republic.
Christopher Khachanov said that works are done in this direction and
the preliminary findings are hopeful. He mentioned that the laboratory
did not forget about mineral waters of Artsakh. The mineral waters of
Shrlan, Ttu Jur (Lisagor) were bottled until the collapse of the USSR.
According to the director of the geological laboratory, production of
mineral waters in the two areas can be restored. At the end I want to
add that besides the enumerated minerals in the territory of the
republic there are deposits of agate, onyx, and other semiprecious
stones which are of practical interest for the country’s economy, and
which need exploration.
NIKOLAY BAGHDASSARIAN.
09-01-2005

CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05
For already two years the youth sports and cultural organization
`Unity’ holds a New Year and Christmas action. On the holidays the
organization gave presents to 57 children of the kindergarten for
disabled children `Zangak’ and 40 members of the center for the
disabled children. The NKR Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport,
Stepanakert City Hall and `Artsakhbank’ supported the action. Last
year the youth organization distributed Christmas gifts to the
children of the disabled of Artsakh war.
ANAHIT DANIELIAN.
09-01-2005

FOCUS ON SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05
NKR State Budget 2005 increased social expenditure by 30 per cent. The
main strategy of social security and social insurance will be maximum
possible protection of socially vulnerable population through a
balanced developmentof the economy. In this context it is a priority
to regulate legislatively the relationships government – employer –
labour force. After the adoption of the Labour Code it is planned to
work out draft decisions of the NKR governmentwhich will favour the
enactment of the Code, including the decisions `On State Work Agency’,
`Obligatory Insurance against Accidents and Professional Diseases’, `
Obligatory Insurance against Temporary Disability’. A practical step
in the implementation of the salary policy is the increase in the
minimum salary from 10 to 15 thousand drams since January 1, 2005.
This year for the first timein the republic the basket of goods will
be calculated and maintained by the government for the coming three
years. It will underlie the maintenance of the size of the minimum
salary, pensions, scholarship, as well as benefits and allowances. In
2005 the salary of teachers increased by 65 per cent, healthworkers 26
per cent, certain specialists working in the sphere of culture 22.4
per cent. Pension will increase by 1000 drams and the value of one
year of service will total 160 drams (against 140 in 2004). Benefits
paid to different categories of children have been increased by about
50 per cent. 21 per cent of budget expenses (4 billion 490 million
drams exceeding 2004 by 317.7 million drams) will be directed at
social security and social insurance.
AA.
09-01-2005

RA GOVERNMENT ALLOCATES 2.8 MLN DRAMS FOR HOLDING OF RA STUDENT SPORT GAMES
YEREVAN, October 8 (Noyan Tapan). According to the RA government’s
press service, by the RA government’s decision of October 7, the RA
Ministry of Education and Science allocated 2 bln, 800 thousand drams
(about 5.5 thousand dollars) to the RA Student Sport Federation from
the reserve fund of the government with the purpose of the holding of
the republicaan student sport games.

Dog Epilepsy Gene Discovery Could Aid People-Study
Thu Jan 6, 2005 03:11 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A gene that causes a rare but severe form of
epilepsy in people is also found in highly bred dogs, which could lead
to new ways to treat the condition, an international team of
researchers said on Thursday. Dr. Berge Minassian of the Hospital for
Sick Children in Toronto, Canada and colleagues in the United States,
France and Britain found the gene in purebred dachsunds, and were able
to breed it out of them.
Writing in the journal Science, they said they hoped their findings
could lead to treatments for epilepsy in people.
“Epilepsy afflicts 1 percent of humans and 5 percent of dogs,” they
wrote.
“More than 5 percent of purebred miniature wire-haireddachshunds in
the United Kingdom suffer an autosomal recessive progressive myoclonic
epilepsy, which we show to be Lafora disease, the severest form of
teenage-onset epilepsy in humans.”
In dogs, the disease was much less severe than in humans.
The dachshunds with Lafora disease had a mutation in the EPM2B gene
that prevents the gene from functioning. It takes two faulty copies of
the gene, one from each parent, to cause epilepsy.
The mutation was found across dogs but not in close dog relatives such
as bears, raccoons or skunks, the researchers said. Cats also lack the
mutation.
They said their study at the very least showed that dogs can be used
to study the epilepsy and to look for better treatments.
In 2003 Minassian’s team found the EPM2B gene was associated with
Lafora disease. A closely related gene called EPM2A can also cause the
epilepsy, which causes seizures and progressive brain damage and kills
within about 10 years.
© Reuters 2005