CIS: Intensify fight against terrorism

xinhuanet.com

Photo

The presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (L), Armenia Robert
Kocharyan (2nd L), Belarus Alexander Lukashenko (3d L), Georgia
Mikhail Saakashvili (4th L), Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev (5th
L), Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev (6th L), Russia Vladimir Putin (4th R),
Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmonov (3d R), Ukraine Leonid Kuchma (2nd R),
Uzbekistan Islam Karimov (R), Russian Secretary of Security Council
Vladimir Rushailo (C) and Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev (5th R)
pose for a picture during the summit at the presidential residence
in Astana, Sept. 16, 2004. Top leaders from member states of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) met Thursday in Kazakh capital
Astana to discuss ways to fight against terrorism. (Xinhua Photo)

MOSCOW, Sept. 16 (Xinhuanet) — The summit of the Commonwealth
of Independent States (CIS) decided to boost the role of the
Anti-Terrorist Center and draft a concept of cooperation in the fight
against international terrorism and extremism, Ukrainian President
Leonid Kuchma said on Tuesday.

Leaders of the CIS member states had adopted a statement to condemn
terrorist acts, Kuchma, an outgoing head of the CIS, told a press
conference following the CIS summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

They expressed their full solidarity with Russia in its struggle
against terrorism and believed the spread of international terrorism
can be prevented only by consolidating efforts of the whole civilized
world, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

The CIS, set up in 1991, is made up of 12 former Soviet republics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was elected new chairman of the
council of the heads of state of the CIS at the summit.

Speaking at the CIS forum, Putin lashed out at double standards in
the struggle against world terrorism.

“The atrocities we saw in Beslan gave grounds to say that the bandits
are part of world terrorist forces,” Putin said.

“The struggle against terrorism envisages only one opinion — law,
concerted efforts and firmness,” he stressed.

The CIS leaders also discussed cooperation in the fight against
organized crime, drug trafficking and illegal migration, the report
said.

Meanwhile, the presidents signed several documents, including a
concept of cooperation in the containment of illegal migration,
an interstate anti-crime program for 2005-2007, and a program of
cooperation against drug-trafficking until 2007. Enditem

“CILICIA” ON ITS WAY TO CILICIA
By Tamar Minasian

Azg/am
17 sept 04

On September 21-23 “Cilicia” will reach the territory of the historical
Cilicia. Alexander Margarian, member of “Ayas” Marine Research Club,
informed Azg Daily about this. He sailed on the ship till Athens. At
present, he is in Armenia and is coordinating the works on the
shore. “Cilicia” is sailing to Syria, Latakia, from Beirut. He will
leave for the historical Ayas, Korikos. The sailors say there is almost
nothing today in Korikos. But sailing by the coasts of Cilicia is a
tribute to our history, ancestors and a display of historical interest.

“We will receive permission to enter the harbor just before approaching
it,” Alexander Margarian said. “No problems occurred till now. I am
hopeful we will not have them this time too,” he added. In case of
getting the permission, the ship will find shelter in the harbor,
if not they will merely sail around “the Armenian waters.” After this
voyage of tribute in the marine territory of the historical Cilicia
the ship will return to Athens.

VATICAN – ISRAEL – DOSSIER
Minister Poraz: some improvements, but problems persist with the Holy See

17 September, 2004

Rome (AsiaNews) –  The meeting of Tuesday, September 14, with
Angelo Cardinal Sodano, Secretary of State, revolved around
problems concerning visas, tax measures for the Church in Israel and
the ownership of the Cenacle in Jerusalem: this is what Avraham Poraz
himself, Israeli Interior Minister told AsiaNews, while on visit to
Vatican City on the eve of the Jewish New Year.  In the afternoon
of the same day, the minister also paid a brief call on Pope John
Paul II at Castel Gandolfo.

“The visa problem — the minister explained to AsiaNews — has
been the source of many complaints in the past.  For a visa to be
issued, authorization was required from another ministry, that
of Religious Affairs.  The process was complicated and did not
work.  Now, at the request of Prime Minister Sharon, visas depend
on the Interior Ministry alone and this has speeded up the
process and improved service.  The only difficulty left is for
people arriving from countries hostile to Israel (Saudi Arabia,
other Arab countries, etc…) who are subject to screenings and
can be denied entry.  The Vatican says: but we know these people! 
And so we ask the Vatican to vouch for them.  By doing so, the whole
question will be greatly simplified.  The Holy Said has said that is
is prepared to do this.  In this way, someone takes responsibility
for these people.  I think, therefore, that the visa question is
all but resolved.”

Tax exemptions for religious intitutions was another question
discussed in Tuesday’s meeting.  The minister explained that measures
for tax exemptions date back to the British Mandate.  The question
of tax measures is part of the agenda for the implementation of the
Fundamental Agreement between Israel and the Holy See.  “According to
our laws — Poraz explained — places of worship (churches, synagogues,
etc.) are exempt from taxes.  If these institutions include shops
or offer accomodations for a fee, then taxes can be levied.  The
only outstanding problem is concerning monasteries, where religious
communities are housed.  I have decided that they should not pay
taxes, but pay only for municipal services, such as cleaning, sewage,
water, etc.  Municipalities need these taxes because otherwise they
would not be able to offer such services.”

Another matter mentioned by Poraz concerns the ownership of the
Cenacle, once a property of the Franciscans, then of the Muslims
and now of the Israeli government.  On the occasion of John Paul
II’s visit to the Holy Sites in the Holy Land, there had been talk
of the possibility of returning the place of Jesus’ Last Supper to
the Church.

Poraz said that “the problem today is a disagreement among the various
Churches on who is to take possession of it.  And Israel cannot enter
into this disagreement.  The Orthodox Church and Armenian Church have
the right to pray there, together with the Franciscans.  There are
problems with the use of all the Holy Sites, but these are settled
by the rules of the Status Quo.  There are no such rules for the
Cenacle.  Everyone is expecting a decision from Israel, but there
is no concrete decision yet.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-

PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: [email protected]:

PRESS RELEASE

16 September 2004

Deputy Foreign Minister Tatoul Margarian Meets Latvia’s State Secretary
for Defense Edgar Rinkevichs and Head of Defense Policy and Planning
Department Anjey Willumsen

Deputy Minister Tatoul Margarian received Edgar Rinkevics, Latvia’s
State Secretary for Defense and Anjey Willumsen, Head of Defense
Policy and Planning Department on the 16th of September.

Deputy Foreign Minister briefed the guests on Armenia’s position on
regional developments, such as the potential for conflict settlement
in Nagorno-Karabakh, and regional security and confidence building
among countries of the region. The current state of Armenia-NATO
relations was also discussed.

Latvia’s Secretary of Defense spoke about the possibility of
cooperation between the defense ministries of the two countries and
shared his views on Latvia’s experience in NATO and the EU.

PRESS RELEASE

National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Ave.
Belmont, MA 02478
Phone: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]
Contact: Marc Mamigonian

GERARD LIBARIDIAN TO OFFER SEMINAR
ON “ARMENIA TODAY: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS”
AT NAASR CENTER

Prof. Gerard J. Libaridian, Alex Manoogian Visiting Professor of
Modern Armenian History at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, will
conduct a one-day seminar on “Armenia Today: Problems and Prospects”
at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research. It
will take place on Saturday, October 9, 2004, at the NAASR Center,
395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA. The seminar will run from 9 a.m. until
4 p.m. with breaks for coffee and lunch.

Prof. Libaridian’s seminar will serve as a follow-up to his
well-received October 2003 seminar “Making Sense of the Armenian
Republic,” at the end of which Libaridian said he had only gotten
through a portion of what he had to say on the subject. “Armenia Today:
Problems and Prospects” offers both to those who attended last year’s
seminar as well as newcomers the opportunity to gain even greater
understanding of the complexities of modern Armenia.

In addition to Libaridian, NAASR’s program of adult education seminars
and mini-courses has included such authorities as Harvard University
Prof. James R. Russell, Prof. Simon Payaslian of Clark University,
Dr. Suzanne Moranian, and Dr. Barbara Merguerian. This series of
courses represents a new aspect of NAASR’s ongoing efforts to give
the public access to leading Armenian Studies scholars and their
research in an in-depth and meaningful fashion.

Focus on Recent Developments in Armenia and Karabagh

The seminar will explore the most recent developments in the Armenian
Republic in the areas of politics, economics, and foreign policy,
including the Karabagh negotiations. It will attempt to view these
developments from a variety of perspectives which will lead to
assessments regarding future developments.

Special attention will be paid to the actions and strategies of the
opposition parties and the response of the government beginning in
April 2004, the implications of these positions for the development
of democracy and economic viability, as well as for the resolution
of the Karabagh problem.

Experienced Scholar and Policy Maker

Gerard J. Libaridian received a Ph.D. degree in history from the
University of California, Los Angeles, and served as an advisor to
President Levon Ter Petrossian of Armenia from 1991 to September 1997.
During his time as a presidential advisor he served as Senior Advisor
for foreign policy and security issues (1994-97), First Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs (1993-94), negotiator for the Karabagh conflict,
and coordinator of conflict-related policy in the office of the
President. He is the author of Armenia at the Crossroads: Democracy
and Nationhood in the Post-Soviet Era, The Challenge of Statehood:
Armenian Political Thinking Since Independence, and most recently
Modern Armenia: People, Nation, State.

Admission is open to all, but enrollment will be limited in order to
encourage active discussion and interaction. It is strongly urged
that participants register by October 1. Please contact NAASR for
information about registration fees.

The NAASR Center is located near Belmont Center and is directly
opposite the First Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post Office.
Ample parking is available around the building and in adjacent areas.

More information on Prof. Libaridian’s seminar or about NAASR and
its programs for the furtherance of Armenian studies, research, and
publication may be had by calling 617-489-1610, by fax at 617-484-1759,
by e-mail at [email protected], or by writing to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave.,
Belmont, MA 02478.

PRESS RELEASE

National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Ave.
Belmont, MA 02478
Phone: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]
Contact: Marc Mamigonian

NEW PUBLICATION FROM NAASR’S
ARMENIAN HERITAGE PRESS

The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research proudly
announces the publication by the Armenian Heritage Press of Hagop:
An Armenian Genocide Survivor’s Journey to Freedom by Theodore
Kharpertian.

A Remarkable Chronicle of an Unusual Journey

Hagop recounts the life of Hagop Kharpertian, the sole survivor in
his family of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, in which more than one
million Armenians perished at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Written by his son in the form of a memoir, covering nearly a century
and spanning locales from Asia Minor and the Middle East to Europe
and the United States, Hagop represents the odyssey of one man’s
lifelong struggle and tenacity: the Genocide and his miraculous
but bitter childhood survival; the uncertain and difficult years
of transition from Malatia, his birthplace in Turkey, to Asnieres,
his home in France; and the surprising decision after World War II
to settle and raise a family in the United States.

A Family Saga Across Three Continents

Both a historical account and a poignant family saga of sorrow and joy,
of loss and triumph, Hagop is a tale of crime without punishment –
the Genocide – and the narrative of a remarkable life and its impact
on a new, American-born generation.

The author, Theodore Kharpertian, was born in Jersey City, New
Jersey, in 1949. He is currently Professor of English at Hudson County
Community College, where he has been a full-time faculty member since
1979, and has taught at Rutgers University in Newark. He received
his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from McGill University in Montreal and did
his undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition
to Hagop, he is the author of A Hand to Turn the Time: The Menippean
Satires of Thomas Pynchon, and his poetry has appeared in Talisman:
A Journal of Contemporary Poetry and Reviews, for which he serves as
Associate Editor. He lives with his family in Montclair, New Jersey.
Hagop, his father, also resides in New Jersey and remains active at
age 97.

Hagop is available at NAASR’s Armenian Book Clearing House.

More information about Hagop, or NAASR and its programs for the
furtherance of Armenian studies, research, and publication may be had
by calling 617-489-1610, faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing [email protected],
or writing to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Varekai’ premières tonight at RFK Stadium.
By LISA CHINN

Fredericksburg.com

Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Varekai’ premières

Date published: 9/16/2004

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

pART CIRCUS, part theater, but mostly mystery and mag- ic, Cirque du
Soleil pushes the athleticism of its performers and the imaginations
of its viewers to the limit.

Formed by a group of street performers in 1984, the company’s
presentations are known for their amazing midair acrobatic silhouettes,
human juggling and contortionist acts, and a myriad of incredible
feats.

Cirque du Soleil is “a theatrical blend of circus arts played
out against fairyland sets, awash in magical effects and set to
spellbinding music.”

This, according to a press release touting one of the company’s
nine shows currently being presented on two continents. “Varekai,”
now touring North America, opens tonight at 8 p.m. on the grounds of
RFK stadium in Washington.

The show promises to weave incredible choreography with the strength,
grace and agility of more than 50 acrobats, jugglers, gymnasts and
others from across the globe. Performers hail from 14 countries,
including China, Mexico, Russia and Spain, as well as the United
States.

The story of “Varekai,” which means “wherever” in the Romany language
of the gypsies, is a nomadic tale that takes place deep in a forest–in
a place where anything is possible.

The show’s costume crew spent 33,000 hours creating a collection
of 130-plus outrageous outfits, which are fashioned from Lycra and
special materials, including flexible titanium rods, sponge nylon
and fire-resistant fabrics.

Composer Violaine Corradi concocted a unique blend of sounds from
Hawaii, France and Armenia, as well as some gospel, to create the
unusual effect needed to complement the otherworldly aura of “Varekai.”

A host of fantastical creatures will perform on a set consisting
of more than 300 trees that stretch as high as 35 feet. Audiences
will witness these extraordinary entertainers teetering on canes,
catapulting and catching one another, and soaring through the air
via trapeze, hoops, swings and straps.

Cirque du Soleil’s “Varekai” takes place beneath the company’s
trademark blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau at RFK stadium. The show
will remain in Washington for a limited engagement through Sunday,
Oct. 24, before moving on to Dallas.

To reach LISA CHINN: 540/374-5412 [email protected]

Date published: 9/16/2004

Armenian MPs to attend NATO seminar in Baku in November

Trend news agency
16 Sep 04

Baku, 16 September, Trend correspondent S. Logmanoglu: Armenian
representatives’ visit to attend the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s
Rose-Roth seminar scheduled for 26-28 November has not been cancelled,
the head of the Azerbaijani delegation at the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly and deputy speaker of the Milli Maclis [Azerbaijani
parliament], Ziyafat Asgarov, has told Trend news agency.

Armenian MPs are not servicemen but civilians and therefore this
visit to Baku will not cause serious protests, he said.

The seminar that has been postponed since 2003 will be held at
Hotel Hyatt Park, which was chosen by the leadership of the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly during their visit to Baku.

Armenian leader notes need to “modernize” CIS

Mediamax news agency
16 Sep 04

Yerevan, 16 September: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said in
Astana today that it is important to “modernize” the Commonwealth of
Independent States [CIS].

The Armenian president said this in reply to a question from a special
Mediamax correspondent in Kazakhstan at a press conference on the
results of the CIS leaders’ summit.

Kocharyan said that addressing the session today, the Kazakh president
suggested that CIS bodies be radically reformed. The Armenian president
expressed the hope that the CIS leaders will succeed in defining the
outlines of the reforms within a year.

“The CIS has potential, but we need to define exactly the objectives we
are striving to achieve. It is necessary to establish which structures
of the CIS are functioning objectively and which structures need to
be improved,” Robert Kocharyan said.

Armenian speaker, top Italian MP discuss ties

Public Television of Armenia
15 Sep 04

The speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan, and
Italy’s Deputy Senate Speaker Lamberto Dini discussed in Yerevan today
the importance of creating an Italian House in Armenia. They noted that
the opening of the Italian House in Armenia will promote the deepening
of Armenian-Italian scientific-cultural and trade-economic relations.

Bagdasaryan and Dini are sure that cooperation between the regions
will promote the development of small and medium-sized businesses
and increase foreign investments in Armenia.

The Italian deputy senate speaker arrived in Yerevan as a member of
a delegation from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

[Video showed the meeting]