Protest action to be held in Russia

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 10 2004

Baku, September 9, AssA-Irada — The Movement for Azerbaijan will
hold a sanctioned action in Moscow on September 25 in protest against
Armenia’s unfair policy toward Azerbaijan.

Along with Azeris living in Russia, the rally, aimed at conveying
Armenia’s policy of occupation to the international community,
will be joined by intellectuals of Russian and other nationalities.
A resolution to be adopted by the protesters will be forwarded to
diplomatic representations of the UN Security Council permanent
members and the Armenian embassy in Moscow.*

Russian ambassador appreciates Azerbaijan’s position on terror act committed in Beslan

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 10 2004

Baku, September 9, AssA-Irada — On Thursday, Russian Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Nikolay Ryabov held a news conference on completion of
his diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan.

Commenting on the terror act perpetrated recently in Beslan, North
Ossetia, Ryabov recalled that the Azerbaijani people shared their
excitement with Russia and medical aid has been provided to the terror
victims on the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev.

Touching upon the Upper Garabagh conflict, Ambassador Ryabov underlined
that Azerbaijan’s occupied lands will be freed soon. Adequate steps
will be taken for the settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict
during the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents to
be held in Astana, Kazakhstan on September 16 on the initiative of
Russian President Vladimir Putin, he noted The new Russian ambassador
to Azerbaijan was not named at the event. Ryabov has been appointed
Ambassador to Moldova.*

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GLO to continue protest actions

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 10 2004

Baku, September 9, AssA-Irada — The Garabagh Liberation Organization
(GLO) made public on Thursday its schedule of future protest actions
against the Armenian officers’ planned participation in NATO exercises
to be held in Baku within the Partnership for Peace program.

GLO deputy chairman Shamil Mehdi said the party members will pay
tribute to the Cemetery of Martyrs at noon on September 11, and
then march towards the Cabinet of Ministers and submit a relevant
statement. The march will end outside the President’s Office.

GLO also plans to hold pickets in front of the Foreign Ministry on
September 13, and Defense Ministry on September 14.

On September 15, the anniversary of Baku’s occupation by Armenians
and Bolsheviks in 1918, the party members intend to visit the Cemetery
of Martyrs again and march to the President’s Office.

Mehdi added that GLO regional divisions will continue protest
actions as well. If the visit by Armenian military men to Baku is not
prevented, the party’s management board will adopt new decisions on
September 15.*

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Arrested pressure group members issue statement

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 10 2004

Baku, September 9, AssA-Irada — The arrested Garabagh Liberation
Organization (GLO) members issued a statement on Thursday expressing
acute protest against the planned arrival of Armenian officers’
in Baku.

The statement, signed by GLO chairman Akif Naghi, terms such a visit as
unacceptable, as it would mean ignoring Armenians acts of aggression
against Azerbaijan, and conveying recognition of the self-proclaimed
Upper Garabagh regime to the international community.

Every Azeri citizen today should be involved in preventing Armenia’s
insidious policy and contribute to national unity on this issue,
the statement says.*

Russia has key to conflict settlement – First Deputy Prime Minister

Azer News, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2004

Russia has key to settling Upper Garabagh conflict, First Deputy
Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov told journalists. “Russia is one of the
key countries that can contribute greatly to the peace resolution of
the Upper Garabagh problem.

The role of Russia in these processes is immense.” The attempts taken
by Russia and other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have yielded no
fruit thus far. Not a single step forward in resolving the problem
has been taken, Abbasov said. The First Deputy Prime Minister also
pointed out that 20% of Azerbaijan’s lands – Upper Garabagh and 7
regions of Azerbaijan – remain under Armenian occupation.

“Certainly, I would not suggest that Russia scream at the aggressor
to withdraw from the occupied territories. But this country has a
lot of leverage to positively affect the conflict settlement today.”
Abbasov also suggested that Russia needs to alter its approach to the
issue. “Russia has the key to settling the conflict peacefully. But
a different approach needs to be exercised, and only in this case we
can accomplish positive results”, he said.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Sept 10 2004

AZERBAIJAN PEOPLE CATEGORICALLY AGAINST PARTICIPATION OF THE ARMENIAN
OFFICERS IN EXERCISES FORTHCOMING IN BAKU
[September 10, 2004, 22:52:39]

This idea has been stated by Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan,
colonel-general Safar Abiyev at the meeting with the ambassador of
the Russian Federation in our country Nikolay Ryabov that took place
on September 10 in connection with end of his diplomatic mission.

Especially having emphasized that during his activity Nikolay Ryabov
actively helped further improvement of the Azerbaijan-Russian
relations, having noted his merits that today connections between our
countries on all directions, including in the field of military
cooperation, are at a desirable level, colonel-general Safar Abiyev
has expressed to the ambassador condolence in connection with
numerous human loss as a result of the act of terrorism accomplished
in the city of Beslan of Northern Ossetia.

Having touched the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the Minister has
noted that Azerbaijan also is the state undergone to terror.
Aggressive Armenia has made 32 acts of terrorism as a result of which
was lost more than 2 thousand innocent citizens of Azerbaijan in our
territory. Khojali tragedy is the most monstrous act of terrorism
accomplished in the territory of Azerbaijan.

Having expressed gratitude for reception, ambassador Nikolay Ryabov
has stated that the national leader of Azerbaijan people Heydar
Aliyev is the architect of independent Azerbaijan, and has noted:
”Due to efforts of this ingenious person, the Russian – Azerbaijan
relations have reached a high level. The President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev successfully continues this policy. I believe, that the
Russian – Azerbaijan relations in all areas achieve the highest
level.

Having stated that Azerbaijan people expects much from the meeting of
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia during summit of the heads of CIS
states forthcoming in Astana, and having emphasized, that this
meeting renders positive influence on settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, colonel-general Safar Abiyev has told:
”Within the next few days, the field exercises will be carried out
in Baku within the framework of the NATO ”Partnership for Peace”
program ”Cooperative Best Effort-04 ”. The aspiration of Armenia,
grasping the Azerbaijan territories, supporting terror and separatism
at the level of state policy to take part in these exercises
forthcoming in Baku surprises us. Armenia does not recognize
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Besides, does not refuse
territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Between Azerbaijan and Armenia
there are no diplomatic ties. In this case, participation of officers
of the Armed Forces of Armenia in exercises forthcoming in Baku is
impossible. The people of Azerbaijan are categorically against
participation of the Armenian officers in these exercises. We
consider that diligence for the sake of participation in the
mentioned exercises, shown by Armenia before summit of the heads of
CIS states forthcoming in Astana and the meeting of Presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia during this action, serves the even greater
strain of relations between two states and to failure of
negotiations. The Ministry of Defense states that Armenia covered by
a veil of the international cooperation and occasionally
participating in actions of the NATO should refuse participation in
the exercises forthcoming in Baku.

Ambassador Nikolay Ryabov has told: ”It is your position. I think
that it is necessary to intensify even more process of negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We wish the further improvement of
the Russian – Azerbaijan military cooperation in the name of national
interests of both states”.

Minister Safar Abiyev has reminded, that Azerbaijan has refused
participation in the in the last year exercises conducted in Armenia,
has expressed to the Russian diplomat gratitude in connection with
end of his mission in Azerbaijan, has wished him successes on new
work.

Military attaché ¯f the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in
Azerbaijan Republic, rear admiral Vladimir Lomakin took part at the
meeting.

Shedding light on the dark side
By SCOTT D. LEWIS

Oregonian, OR
Sept 10 2004

On paper, Diamanda Galas is impressive: A 31/2-octave vocal range,
fluent in multiple languages, pianist, composer, published poet. On
her 15 records, Galas is stunning as she channels the souls of the
suffering and transforms forgotten songs with a voice that’s as
precise and dangerous as a knife. Live, she’s unbelievable. Tall,
gaunt and embodying anyone’s coolest vampire fetish, Galas delivers
her music and her missives with unflinching intent and purpose, never
failing to leave her audience transfixed and transformed.

She is a visionary, a true artist and a performer with no equal.

Galas recently released two live double albums. “DEFIXIONES: Will &
Testament” is a harrowing and staggering work dedicated “to the
forgotten and erased of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides
that occurred in Asia Minor, Pontos and Thrace between 1914 and
1923.” “La Serpenta Canta” is notably lighter, yet equally as
engaging with Galas interpreting many American classics in her
singular gothic-jazz, devil-blues manner.

Galas will perform two separate shows based on these recent releases
Friday (“DEFIXIONES”) and Sunday (“Serpenta”) at the Newmark Theatre
as part of PICA’s Time-Based Art Festival.

Speaking from New York, Galas, who is as personable as can be
offstage, took some time to ponder art, commerce, the dark side and
just how tough Kristy Edmunds really is.

Q: What is your definition of art?

A: Something that should be able to predict the future rather than
simply regurgitate the newspapers. A lot of people who would like to
be artists think that the best way to do that is to be modern and to
be timely, so they read lots of newspapers in the attempt to do that.
But the only way you can be “modern” is to do your work so, so much
that it naturally evolves of its own accord.

Q: What’s your job as an artist? Does it come with responsibilities?

A: The only responsibility I have is to do a good job. To be
professional in my work. If I want to do a certain piece and I have
ideas for it, then I need to work those ideas out to completion —
that’s my job.

Q: Certainly there is commerce involved.

A: Certainly, but a lot of that has to do with making sure that
people know that you are performing. Fortunately, at the moment with
online, we are able to do that without depending on hard copy,
magazines and venues that are only interested in commercial music.

Q: Do you consider your work dark?

A: You and I would have to say, that by the standards of most “art,”
out there, yes, what I do is “dark.”

Q: Why is it important to have such dark art?

A: If I am trying to continue to exist in the word, then it’s
important for me to see art that has something to do with my
existence. If everything lay outside of my existence, then I’m going
to feel so isolated that I may not want to live much longer. A person
who has no communication with the world which is also not interested
in communication with him or her is in a very bad position.

Q: What happens to art in politically repressive times?

A: Can you imagine how many women in those countries where they are
forced to wear the shador are even able to think about doing art?
That’s quite an impossible concept. I will say that it’s also a
pretty impossible thing for most people to create art in complete
poverty. I think that there is a naive idealism concerning artists’
suffering that needs to go. That needs to leave. Artists need money.

Q: How does art benefit the society at large?

A: If you create something that makes you feel alive, you may not
have to do something that’s going to make you feel dead. If you have
no hope and you have nothing that makes you believe that you can
leave an impression upon the world, well then why should you want to
do anything but sleep in a trash bin or something. People need to
feel that they are making a contribution.

Q: Where should your albums be filed at a record store?

A: (laughs) At one store in Berkeley they were filed under “Operatic,
Vampiric, Lysergic, Hippie, Sicko . . .” they had about seven
different category names and there were a few of us in there. That
was fine with me.

Q: Will you get to see much of the TBA festival?

A: I don’t know. Fortunately, I will be able to see Kristy (Edmunds,
PICA’s artistic director). She is one of . . . she is the bravest
presenter in America. She is. She is the bravest and most ferocious
presenter in America. I love her; she’s a dear friend.

Diamanda Galas performs “DEFIXIONES: Will & Testament” at 9 p.m.
Friday, and “La Serpenta Canta” at 9 p.m. Sunday, Newmark Theatre,
1111 S.W. Broadway; $15 PICA members, $20 general. TBA pass holders
must reserve in advance at 503-242-1419. Mature audiences.

From: Baghdasarian

Power of 1 plus 200 = UVSC problem
By Marion Crawford NewsNet Staff Reporter

The BYU Newsnet, UT (Brigham Young University)
Sept 10 2004

Some students at Utah Valley State College think the math department
doesn’t add up, and that could equal trouble if the petition they
have signed reaches the Legislature.

Two hundred students have signed a petition requesting the Utah
Legislature to “defend our interests as tax and tuition payers…and
to reconsider the make up of the staff of the mathematics department
at UVSC.”

The petition was initiated by Marina Nelson, pre-nursing major at UVSC
and a native Armenian, who maintains a 4.0 GPA and already carries
a bachelor’s degree from a university in Armenia. But Nelson said
she decided to take the drive to Salt Lake Community College last
semester for the state accredited Math 1050 course, college algebra,
out of fear that she could fail it at UVSC.

“A lot of kids are afraid to take Math 1050 at UVSC because of its
reputation,” Nelson said.

She liked her teacher at SLCC because he had a teaching method and
wasn’t just a mathematician.

“He explains terms in the way I understand,” she said. “If you have
a question he will go through the details and sit down with you and
help you.”

UVSC’s Math 1010, intermediate algebra, is the second most failed
class at UVSC, according to UVSC’s Institutional Research Office,
cited in UVSC’s newspaper, The College Times. Math 1050, BYU’s Math
110 college algebra equivalent, came in sixth.

“Math 1050 is a statewide issue,” Teddi Safman, Assistant Commissioner
of Academic Affairs for the State Board of Regents said. “We will be
meeting next month to discuss it.”

UVSC’s Dean of Science and Health Sam Rushforth said that he feels
the statistics reflect there is a math problem across the United
States and in no way reflect the competency of his faculty.

“Some of our students come here and haven’t had any math since they
were sophomores in high school,” he said. “You have to go back and
do a remedial course or work with a tutor before you take an upper
level math course.”

BYU students have better success rates in BYU’s Math 110 because
most have taken its equivalent in high school, said Lynn Garner,
department chair of mathematics at BYU.

“Most students who come to BYU have already had 110 and take it as
a refresher course,” Garner said. “But the rigors of the course are
definite and a student who doesn’t bring a lot of skill from high
school is going to struggle. I hope the [UVSC] students are successful
in their petition in uncovering the true cause of the problem, which
I think is a lack of student preparation more than anything else.”

Math 1050 isn’t meant to be a gatekeeper course set-up to make people
fail or weed people out, Rushforth said.

“You could go to any college campus in the United States… [with]
a petition that says, ‘college algebra sucks’ and every other student
would sign it,” Rushforth said.

UVSC offers self-help labs, math tutorial labs and programs for
remedial math students, Rushforth said.

Rushforth also said that he is taking part in three task forces to
look specifically at Math 1050, concurrent enrollment in college
classes, and some adult education classes, which could be taught at
high school campuses.

“I would like to tell the math department at UVSC to hold the line,
hold the standard, and try to educate the high schools that they make
sure their students are better prepared when they leave,” Garner said.

Nelson said she is waiting to get an appointment time with the
Legislature between Sept. 22 to 25.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Sept 10 2004

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN HELD ENLARGED MEETING OF SECURITY COUNCIL
[September 10, 2004, 21:23:23]

President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev presided an enlarged
meeting of the Security Council, on September 10.

President Ilham Aliyev comprehensively highlighted members of the
Security Council on his visits to Germany and France. Head of the
Azerbaijan State expressed satisfaction with the carry out of the
meetings and talks he held in the atmosphere of sincerity and mutual
understanding.

Then, foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov reported on the negotiations
conducted for peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan, Nagorny
Karabakh conflict.

At the meeting, further, discussed were issues of socio-political
situation in the Country, course of realization of the presidential
Decree dated 24 November 2003 ”On measures of acceleration of
socio-economic development in the Azerbaijan Republic and ”State
Program on socio-economic development of the regions of Azerbaijan
Republic (2004-2008)”, in particular, the measures connected to
opening of new working places, also focused the tasks for coming years.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev summed up the meeting.

Armenian fashion on display in October

Burlington Union, MA
Sept 10 2004

Students of the Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts and their
instructors will present fashions from Armenia in New England on
Sunday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m. at National Heritage Museum in Lexington.
This event, the first of its kind to be held in the U.S., has peaked
public interest.

Coordinating the program will be four accomplished designers from
Armenia who will present their unique fashions. Nune Aghbalyan and
Anna Panosyan, instructors at the Academy’s Textile Department,
have resumes that include degrees and design coursework in Berlin,
Paris and Barcelona. Kevork Chadoian, 30-year-old, brilliant designer
and 2004 graduate from the Academy will present an elegantly designed
“Armenian Wedding Suite.” ATEX Fashion Salon proprietor Karine Hakobyan
will show her beautiful collection which will include unique fashions
embellished with Marash and Aintab embroideries.

The Fashion and Textile Design Chair was joined to the Design
Department of the Academy in 1999 after overcoming great hardships.
The department aims to give students a sound education, emphasizing
theory and practice a free way of thinking about composition, and
insight on how to find correct functional solutions.